Jane Sullivan Roberts, John Roberts’ wife, changed course two years after he was confirmed as the chief judge of the Supreme Court in 2005. She had a long and successful career as a lawyer before redefining herself as a matchmaker who connected job-seeking attorneys with businesses and enterprises.
Given that her husband was now the highest-ranking judge in the nation, Roberts explained to a friend that she wanted to prevent any perception of a conflict of interest. There are several ways to live well, she remarked. “If you’re open to opportunity and change, there are so many things you can do.”
And from 2007 to 2014, at least, the Robertses’ quality of life was good.
According to Jane Roberts’ employer’s internal records, over the course of that eight-year period, companies and legal firms paid her a staggering $10.3 million in commissions for bringing in high-priced solicitors.
This startling number is taken from documents in a whistleblower complaint made by a disgruntled former Roberts coworker, who claims that as the spouse of the most powerful judge in the US, her income from law firms that represent clients before the Court should be made public.
