From that L.A. Times story on Roberts’s involvement in Romer v. Evans (a gay rights case):
“Jean Dubofsky, lead lawyer for the gay rights activists and a former Colorado Supreme Court justice, said that when she came to Washington to prepare for the U.S. Supreme Court presentation, she immediately was referred to Roberts.
“‘Everybody said Roberts was one of the people I should talk to,’ Dubofsky said. ‘He has a better idea on how to make an effective argument to a court that is pretty conservative and hasn’t been very receptive to gay rights.’
“She said he gave her advice in two areas that were ‘absolutely crucial.’
“’He said you have to be able to count and know where your votes are coming from. And the other was that you absolutely have to be on top of why and where and how the state court had ruled in this case,’ Dubofsky said” (emphasis added).
This strikes me as much better advice than telling her not to pay attention to the line-up of justices and to wipe her mind clean of the state court ruling.