State & Local Government Issues at the Supreme Court, 2018 - 2020

Lisa Soronen is the Executive Director of the State and Local Legal Center in Washington, D.C.. In her role at the State and Local Legal Center, Soronen files amicus curiae briefs to the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of members of the Big Seven—National Governors Association, National Conference of State Legislatures, The Council of State Governments, National League of Cities, United States Conference of Mayors, National Association of Counties and International City/County Management Association—in cases affecting state and local government. She filed an amicus brief on behalf of SLLC in Manuel. Prior to joining the SLLC, Soronen worked for the National School Boards Association and the Wisconsin Association of School Boards, and clerked for the Wisconsin Court of Appeals. She earned a juris doctorate at the University of Wisconsin Law School.

Amanda Kellar is the Director of Legal Advocacy and Deputy General Counsel of the International Municipal Lawyers Association. In this capacity, Ms. Kellar oversees IMLA’s legal advocacy efforts, primarily with the United States Supreme Court, by reviewing and evaluating requests for IMLA’s amicus assistance, advising the legal advocacy committee regarding potential amicus cases and their significance to local government, coordinating case strategies with IMLA’s amicus authors, and drafting and revising amicus briefs. Ms. Kellar was the lead author of the Supreme Court merits stage amicus brief submitted by the State and Local Legal Center and IMLA in Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Abercrombie & Fitch Stores, Inc. Prior to joining IMLA, Ms. Kellar worked in private practice in Boston, Massachusetts, focusing on employment law and litigation, first with Ropes & Gray, LLP and later with Hirsch Roberts Weinstein LLP. Ms. Kellar received a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Colby College and earned her Juris Doctor from Suffolk University Law School, graduating magna cum laude. Ms. Kellar is admitted to practice in Massachusetts, the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts, and the United States Supreme Court. Ms. Kellar was named a “Rising Star” by Massachusetts Super Lawyers in 2013.