The Unstoppable Rise of America’s Top Courtroom Whisperer Neal Katyal
Ben Thomson, LawFuel contributing writer
Neal Katyal’s office is likely the only place where a Sikh bracelet, a pair of well-worn socks, and a Supreme Court robe share shelf space. The 54-year-old lawyer, who recently stunned the legal world by jumping from Hogan Lovells to Milbank to lead its appellate practice, has built a career on defying expectations—one landmark case at a time.
Born in Chicago to Indian immigrant parents—a pediatrician mother and engineer father—Katyal initially seemed destined for medicine.
His father, in particular, viewed America as a place where “barriers were meant to be shattered,” inspiring Katyal to push boundaries in his legal career.
This view likely contributed to Katyal’s willingness to take on challenging and high-profile cases throughout his career.
As a first-generation American, Katyal developed a unique perspective on the U.S. legal system. His background has motivated him to uphold and defend the important principles of equity and fairness inherent in American jurisprudence.
As the child of immigrants, the experience also likely contributed to his willingness to take on cases that challenge the boundaries of constitutional law and civil rights.
Katyal initially planned to become a history professor, demonstrating that career paths can often take unexpected turns.
Instead, he caught the law bug at Dartmouth, where debate coach Ken Strange taught him to “find the heartbeat of an argument.” That skill propelled him through Yale Law, clerkships with Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, and into the spotlight as the Obama administration’s Acting Solicitor General.
Today, Katyal holds two titles that encapsulate his influence: the Paul and Patricia Saunders Professor of National Security Law at Georgetown, and the lawyer who’s argued more Supreme Court cases (over 50) than any minority attorney in U.S. history—breaking Thurgood Marshall’s record.
His wins read like a modern legal canon: dismantling Guantanamo military tribunals in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, defending the Voting Rights Act, and recently crushing the “independent state legislature” theory in Moore v. Harper with a rare 6-3 bipartisan majority,“ marked in any serious law school and legal publication and Katyal’s own Instagram posting:
Arguing before the Court isn’t about grandstanding,” Katyal says.
“It’s about starting a conversation between the justices.” This humility masks a tactical brilliance. Former federal judge J. Michael Luttig (pictured) called Katyal’s Moore argument “the single best oral argument I’ve ever heard.”
“Extremist Centrist’
Yet Katyal’s career isn’t just constitutional fireworks. He’s represented everyone from Al Gore (Bush v. Gore) to Nestlé (in a controversial child labor case), once quipping, “I’m an extremist centrist.”
This ideological agility drew raised eyebrows when he endorsed Trump nominees Gorsuch and Kavanaugh, but colleagues note it reflects his core belief: “The law isn’t red or blue.”
At home in Chevy Chase, Maryland, Katyal swaps tailored suits for ski gear—he jokes he’d teach skiing if law didn’t pay the bills.
Married to physician Joanna Rosen (pictured) since 2001, he road-tests arguments on their three kids. “When they were little, explaining cases in crayon terms kept me honest,” he says.
His move to Milbank surprised many, but insiders see logic.
“Milbank fights hard at trial—that’s where appellate battles often begin,” Katyal notes. The firm’s global reach also aligns with his blockchain/IP work. Still, he’s quick to praise Hogan Lovells: “Leaving felt like graduating—grateful, but ready for new challenges.”
For young lawyers, Katyal offers simple advice: “Master the facts, then find the story. Oh, and actually go to class—it helps.”
