Andrew Lynn Brasher

Andrew Lynn Brasher, born in 1981, serves as an active circuit judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Prior to his appellate appointment, he held a brief tenure as a district judge for the Middle District of Alabama and previously served as Alabama’s solicitor general. His career has included academic distinction, clerical experience at the federal appellate level, private‑practice litigation, and service in the state attorney general’s office.

Early life and legal career

Brasher earned his undergraduate degree from Samford University in 2002, graduating summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts. He then pursued legal studies at Harvard Law School, where he received a Juris Doctor in 2006, graduating cum laude. While at Harvard, he contributed to the Harvard Law Review and was awarded the Victor Brudney Prize for academic achievement. During law school, Brasher completed a summer associate position with Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in 2005, gaining exposure to large‑firm practice.

Following graduation, Brasher served as a law clerk to Judge William H. Pryor Jr. of the Eleventh Circuit from 2006 to 2007. This clerkship provided him with direct experience in appellate adjudication and opinion drafting at the federal level. After completing his clerkship, he entered private practice in Birmingham, joining the firm Bradley Arant Boult Cummings where he worked from 2007 until 2011. In that role, Brasher handled a variety of civil litigation matters, developing courtroom and advocacy skills.

In 2011, Brasher transitioned to public service as Deputy Solicitor General of Alabama under Attorney General Luther Strange. He remained in that capacity through 2014, representing the state in appellate courts and assisting with the formulation of legal strategy on significant issues affecting Alabama. In February 2014, he was promoted to Solicitor General of Alabama, a position he held until his federal judicial appointment in 2019. As solicitor general, Brasher oversaw the office responsible for handling the state’s appellate litigation, including matters before the United States Supreme Court.

Federal appellate service

Brasher’s first federal judicial nomination came from President Donald J. Trump, who on April 10, 2018, selected him to fill a vacancy on the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama created by Judge Mark Fuller’s resignation. The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on his district‑court nomination on June 6, 2018 and reported it out of committee by an 11–10 vote on June 28, 2018. After the nomination was returned under Senate Rule XXXI at the close of the 115th Congress, President Trump renominated Brasher on January 23, 2019. The Judiciary Committee again considered his candidacy and reported it out by a 12–10 vote on February 7, 2019.

The full Senate invoked cloture on Brasher’s district‑court nomination on May 1, 2019 with a 52–47 vote and confirmed him later that day by the same margin. He received his commission on May 3, 2019 and was sworn into office on May 7, 2019. His service as a district judge concluded on June 30, 2020 when he ascended to the appellate bench.

President Trump announced his intent to elevate Brasher to the Eleventh Circuit on November 6, 2019, nominating him to succeed Judge Edward Earl Carnes, who planned to assume senior status. The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on December 4, 2019 and reported the nomination out of committee by a 12–10 vote on January 16, 2020. After cloture was invoked on February 10, 2020 with a 46–41 vote, the Senate confirmed Brasher to the appellate court on February 11, 2020 by a 52–43 vote. He received his commission and took the oath of office on June 30, 2020, becoming an active judge on the Eleventh Circuit.

Throughout his federal service, Brasher has maintained membership in the Federalist Society, first from 2003 to 2006 and again beginning in 2008. This affiliation reflects a long‑standing engagement with a national organization of legal professionals focused on principles of limited government and textualist interpretation.

Jurisprudence and legacy

Since joining the Eleventh Circuit in mid‑2020, Judge Brasher has participated in panels addressing a broad spectrum of federal issues, ranging from civil rights to administrative law. While specific opinions authored by him are not detailed here, his role on a circuit that covers Alabama, Florida, and Georgia positions him within a jurisdiction known for significant appellate activity in areas such as voting‑rights litigation, immigration matters, and commercial disputes. As an active judge, he contributes to the development of precedent that binds district courts within the Eleventh Circuit and influences legal discourse nationwide.

Brasher’s prior experience as Alabama’s solicitor general informs his understanding of state‑level appellate advocacy, particularly in cases where state interests intersect with federal statutes or constitutional questions. His earlier clerkship under Judge William H. Pryor Jr., a senior figure on the same circuit, provided foundational insight into the court’s procedural and substantive approaches, which he now applies as a decision‑maker.

The trajectory of Brasher’s career—from academic achievement at Samford and Harvard, through private practice, state government service, district‑court judgeship, and finally to the appellate bench—illustrates a pattern of progressive responsibility within both state and federal legal systems. His rapid elevation from district judge to circuit judge within roughly one year reflects confidence in his qualifications among appointing officials and confirms his standing within the broader judiciary.

In addition to his judicial duties, Judge Brasher’s continued involvement with professional organizations such as the Federalist Society suggests an ongoing engagement with scholarly debate on constitutional interpretation and statutory construction. This participation complements his courtroom responsibilities by fostering dialogue among peers about evolving legal doctrines.

Overall, Judge Andrew Lynn Brasher’s contributions to the Eleventh Circuit are characterized by a blend of academic rigor, practical litigation experience, and public‑service perspective. His decisions form part of the circuit’s collective jurisprudence, shaping the application of federal law across three southeastern states and adding to the body of precedent that guides lower courts and future appellate panels.