Trump Nominates Lawyer Justin Olson for U.S. District Court
President Donald Trump has put forward the nomination of Justin Olson, an attorney with Kroger, Gardis & Regas, for a judgeship in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana.
Olson is known for leading a lawsuit backed by the Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS) against the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University, the Ivy League, and the NCAA regarding their treatment of transgender swimmer Leah Thomas. He is also involved in another case against the Mountain West Conference and San Jose State University concerning transgender volleyball player Blair Fleming.
In his announcement on Truth Social, Trump highlighted Olson’s work on these legal matters.
He stated, “It is an honor to nominate Justin Olson to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana! A cum laude graduate of Indiana University Maurer School of Law, Justin gained recognition in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Indianapolis, where he worked diligently to keep men out of women’s sports.”
“Hoosiers can trust Justin to uphold the rule of law and defend our constitutional rights. Congratulations, Justin!”
Former UPenn swimmers Grace Estabrook, Margot Kazolovsky, and Ellen Holmquist filed a lawsuit on February 5, accusing university officials of making them feel that their concerns about Thomas competing were due to “psychological issues.” They argue that allowing Thomas to participate harmed the athletes and breached federal law.
Thomas, who was a biological male, previously swam for the UPenn men’s team from 2017 to 2020 under the name Will Thomas. The complaint states that he was introduced as a new teammate during a meeting led by the women’s swimming coach in fall 2019.
The plaintiffs claim they experienced “repeated psychological trauma” due to the situation.
They allege that UPenn administrators imposed pro-trans ideology during the team’s acceptance process and in locker room interactions, while cautioning them against publicly challenging the integration of Thomas.
According to the lawsuit, UPenn officials further warned that voicing concerns about Thomas could lead to lifelong reputational damage, labeling them as transphobic and complicating future job prospects.
Thomas later achieved significant success, winning the NCAA Division I All-American Championship in the 500-yard freestyle and securing multiple All-American titles at the NCAA Championships.
In June, the Trump administration took steps to remove athletes’ swimming records from the women’s program’s archives and instituted a policy preventing biological males from women’s sports.
In the case involving San Jose State University, former women’s volleyball co-captain Brooke Slusser, along with ten other players, filed a lawsuit in November 2024. Slusser contends that neither she nor other players were informed about Fleming’s biological sex while sharing changing areas and accommodations.
This situation has drawn the attention of the U.S. Department of Education, which is currently investigating SJSU.
Beyond these cases, Olson’s background includes serving as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Civil Division for the Southern District of Indiana, where he held additional roles related to healthcare fraud and opioid coordination.
At Kroger Gardis, he represents clients regarding healthcare fraud, law enforcement, and compliance issues, as well as navigating government inquiries.
