Kirkland & Ellis announced that Christopher G. Michel will rejoin the firm as a partner and lead its Supreme Court and appellate practice.
Michel is an appellate and Supreme Court advocate who has argued 11 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and dozens of appeals in federal and state courts across the country.
His return strengthens Kirkland’s appellate capabilities and builds on the firm’s history of representing clients in complex and high-stakes appeals.
Michel has experience handling issues involving securities, antitrust, technology, administrative law, healthcare, foreign affairs, constitutional law, public nuisance, mass tort matters, and multidistrict litigation.
In 2026, The American Lawyer’s “Litigator of the Week” column recognized Michel four times for appellate victories. These included a closely watched win before the Delaware Supreme Court in the largest compensation dispute in corporate history.
Michel rejoins Kirkland from Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, where he co-chaired the firm’s national appellate practice and represented clients in five Supreme Court merits cases over the past two Supreme Court terms.
His Supreme Court experience also includes clerkships for Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
Michel also served for five years in the Office of the Solicitor General at the U.S. Department of Justice, which represents the federal government before the Supreme Court.
His government experience also includes roles in the Office of the Attorney General, the White House Counsel’s Office, and the White House Speechwriting Office. In the speechwriting role, he drafted more than 500 presidential speeches for President George W. Bush, including five State of the Union addresses.
Kirkland said Michel’s return will help the firm build and scale a leading appellate team while enhancing the advocacy it delivers for clients at every stage of litigation.
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“Chris is a supremely talented appellate lawyer, and we are thrilled to welcome him back to Kirkland to fill this important role. His addition further strengthens our market-leading litigation platform and enhances the advocacy we deliver for clients at every stage of litigation.”
Jon A. Ballis, Chairman of Kirkland’s Executive Committee
“With Chris rejoining the firm we are committed to building the nation’s foremost appellate team and scaling this practice. Whether you’re just graduating from law school, coming off a clerkship, or you’ve been arguing appeals for decades, the breadth and sophistication of our litigation group make Kirkland a uniquely attractive platform to be an appellate lawyer.”
Andrew Kassof, Member of Kirkland’s Executive Committee
“Kirkland has a storied history in Supreme Court and appellate litigation and sets the standard for bet-the-company litigation. I’m excited to partner with the Firm’s exceptional group of litigators to build on that strength. The Firm’s talent, scale and relentless focus on results create a distinctively powerful platform. I can’t wait to get started and deliver for Kirkland’s clients.”
Christopher G. Michel, Partner at Kirkland & Ellis
