Neal Katyal is currently at the forefront of a major legal challenge, set to argue a high-profile case before the US Supreme Court. This case disputes former President Trump’s use of the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to implement extensive tariffs. With a career spanning decades and over 50 Supreme Court arguments, Katyal will lead the charge, questioning whether the authority to impose tariffs and taxes truly rests with the President or with Congress. Trump himself has reportedly called this case “one of the most important in the history of the country,” prompting an extended 80-minute hearing to reflect its profound significance.
As an accomplished Indian-American lawyer, Katyal approaches the Supreme Court with an impressive track record. He previously secured a significant 7–4 ruling at the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which determined that the President had overstepped his authority in imposing these tariffs. The upcoming Supreme Court hearing, consolidating multiple related cases, will decide the ultimate fate of that lower-court decision.
Early Education and Academic Achievements
Born in Chicago to Indian immigrant parents, Neal Katyal was raised in a family that deeply valued education. His mother, Pratibha, is a respected pediatrician, and his late father, Surendar, was an engineer. Katyal attended Loyola Academy, a Jesuit Catholic high school in Wilmette, Illinois. He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1991 with top honors, earning membership in Phi Beta Kappa, the Sigma Nu fraternity, and actively participating in the Dartmouth Forensic Union.
He continued his academic journey at Yale Law School, where he served as an editor of the prestigious Yale Law Journal. During his time at Yale, he had the privilege of studying under renowned constitutional scholars Akhil Amar and Bruce Ackerman, and contributed articles to various law-review and political-opinion journals. After earning his Juris Doctor (JD) in 1995, Katyal completed coveted clerkships for Judge Guido Calabresi of the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, followed by a clerkship for Justice Stephen Breyer of the US Supreme Court.
Legal Career and Government Service
Katyal’s professional career seamlessly blends private practice with impactful government service. During the Obama administration, he served as Acting Solicitor General from May 2010 to June 2011, succeeding Elena Kagan. He also held significant roles as Principal Deputy Solicitor General and as a lawyer within the Solicitor General’s office.
His extensive courtroom experience includes arguing landmark cases such as Bush v. Gore, Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, and Northwest Austin v. Holder. Notably, Katyal successfully defended the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act and represented former Attorney General John Ashcroft in Ashcroft v. al-Kidd. His leadership in arguments at the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit marked a rare and distinguished achievement for a Solicitor General official.
Private Practice and Notable Cases
After his distinguished government service, Katyal transitioned to private practice, becoming a partner at prominent global law firms Hogan Lovells and Milbank LLP. Here, he specializes in constitutional law, national security, criminal defense, and appellate practice. His impressive client list includes major corporations like Citigroup, Nestlé, and Johnson & Johnson, whom he has represented in high-profile litigation.
In 2025, Katyal took on a significant role representing small businesses in the case of Learning Resources v. Trump, challenging the legality of tariffs imposed during Trump’s second term. His upcoming argument before the US Supreme Court in this case further solidifies his ongoing influence on constitutional law and the interpretation of executive power.
Academic Contributions and Recognition
Beyond his legal practice, Katyal is a respected academic, serving as the Paul and Patricia Saunders Professor of National Security Law at Georgetown University Law Center and as a senior fellow at the Kettering Foundation. His illustrious career has garnered numerous accolades, including the Edmund Randolph Award from the US Justice Department and recognition by American Lawyer Magazine and Washingtonian Magazine as a leading litigator.
Katyal’s career path exemplifies a powerful combination of elite education, dedicated government service, and impactful, high-stakes litigation, firmly establishing him as a central figure in some of the most critical US Supreme Court cases of recent decades.