Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP

Chris Michel is Co-Chair of the firm’s National Appellate Practice. He has argued 11 cases in the U.S. Supreme Court, most recently in response to an invitation from the Court, along with dozens of cases in federal and state appellate courts. Among other significant victories, he briefed and argued the Delaware Supreme Court appeal that restored Elon Musk’s $56 billion Tesla compensation package—the largest appellate reversal by dollar value in U.S. history.  He has won other high-stakes appellate and trial matters in areas including securities, antitrust, intellectual property and technology, administrative law, free speech and religious liberty, healthcare, criminal law, and foreign affairs.  He previously represented the federal government before the U.S. Supreme Court in hundreds of cases as a member of the Office of the Solicitor General at the U.S. Department of Justice, and he served as a law clerk to both Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh.  Earlier in his career, he was director of White House speechwriting for President George W. Bush, drafting more than 500 presidential speeches including five State of the Union addresses.

Chris has been recognized as Litigator of the Week by The American Lawyer, an Appellate MVP by Law360, one of America’s 500 Leading Litigators by Lawdragon, and a nationally ranked appellate practitioner by Chambers USA.  A native of California and graduate of Yale College and Yale Law School, Chris has taught at Georgetown University Law Center and speaks regularly on the Supreme Court and appellate law in business and academic settings.