WASHINGTON, D.C. -- For most observers of the U.S. Supreme Court (USSC), Justice Samuel Alito has been just the newest member of the new USSC conservative majority dominating this term.

But for U.S. business interests over the past few months, Sam has been nothing short of The Man.

Newly-appointed Justice Alito has routinely sided with corporate interest groups on many key USSC cases affecting business, according to a recent Bloomberg News report by Greg Stohr.

The report noted that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, America's biggest business lobby and financial sponsor of this news organization, won Alito's vote on 13 of 14 cases this term. That was more than any of his fellow USSC Justices, Stohr added.

From the point of view of the Chamber's litigation unit, Alito has had "an absolutely stellar term," executive vice president Robin Conrad told Stohr. So far under Chief Justice John Roberts, the Chamber has lost only two USSC cases - both environmental.

One observer called the Roberts USSC even more business-friendly than that of his predecessor, William Rehnquist. Business recently celebrated a third straight USSC victory this term with a ruling undermining the McCain-Feingold campaign-finance laws, LegalNewsLine reported.

Alito is part of a conservative majority on the USSC that includes Roberts and Justices Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and (usually) Anthony Kennedy. However, on some business-issue votes this term Justices Stephen Breyer and David Souter have "crossed the floor" to vote with the conservatives.

Alito, however, has also gone "beyond Roberts" in some of his pro-business opinions, Stohr noted. Most recently, he rebuked the Supreme Court for not doing enough in the past to prevent more shareholder lawsuits, despite the court ruling against trial lawyers.

The rookie Justice also broke with the Chief Justice (himself a rookie) in two other cases by voting to restrict government power to regulate trash haulers and national banks.

"We're very happy with what we're seeing so far with Justice Alito," Conrad told Stohr. "He's showing a very balanced approach to business issues."