There has been a lot of talk about naming Diane Wood of the Seventh Circuit to replace Justice Souter when he leaves the Court.

Full Name: Diane Pamela Wood
DOB: July 4, 1950
Age: 58
Undergraduate: University of Texas ‘71
Law School: University of Texas ‘75

Notable Work Experiences: Clerk- Irving Goldberg (CA5 ’76), Harry Blackmun (SCOTUS ’77); Faculty- University of Chicago School of Law 1981-1995

Current Occupation: Judge on United States Court of Appeal for the Seventh Circuit since June 30, 1995.
Confirmed: Unanimously

Most Recent Opinion: Illinois Investment Trust v. American Grading Co.

Judge Wood is known for having a feisty personality that has served her well while she battled with conservatives like Frank Easterbrook and Richard Posner. She was nominated for the CA7 after spending just a few years with then-lecturer Barack Obama on the faculty at the University of Chicago Law School and that experience may have given her a major leg-up on the competition for Souter’s coveted seat. More analysis of her positions from the Chicago Sun-Times here.