Christopher G. Michel, P.C.

Prior to joining Kirkland, Chris was involved in the following representative matters:

U.S. Supreme Court

• Cisco v. Doe (2026): Filed successful cert petition for technology-industry client in significant case involving application of federal human rights statutes to U.S. businesses and executives
• Havana Docks v. Royal Caribbean (2026): Represented U.S. cruise line in first merits case involving application of Cuba embargo statute to U.S. businesses
• Doe v. X Corp. (2026): Successfully opposed cert petition challenging application of Section 230 immunity to social-media platform
• U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops v. O’Connell (2026): Filed cert amicus brief supporting appealability of denial of church-autonomy defense
• Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton (2025): Represented online platforms in merits case involving First Amendment challenge to state age-verification law
• Glossip v. Oklahoma (2025): Appointed by the Court as amicus curiae to brief and argue complex criminal case involving constitutional and jurisdictional questions
• FDA v. R.J. Reynolds Vapor (2025): Represented U.S. Chamber of Commerce as merits amicus on important venue question in challenge to federal agency action
• REX v. Zillow (2025): Successfully opposed cert petition challenging defeat of antitrust conspiracy claim for real-estate industry client
• NVIDIA v. Fonder (2024): Filed merits amicus brief on significant question involving enforcement of pleading standard in private securities suits
• Vidal v. Elster (2024): Filed merits amicus brief on application of First Amendment to federal trademark registration statute

State Supreme Courts

• Anne Arundel County v. Express Scripts (Md. 2026): Briefed, argued and obtained precedent-setting win in opioids public nuisance case for healthcare client before Maryland Supreme Court
• Ferretti v. Pa. Historical & Museum Comm’n (Pa. 2026): Argued and obtained reversal on significant public-records question for business client before Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court
• City of Buffalo v. Hyundai Motor America (N.Y. 2026): Briefed negligence and nuisance issues for auto industry clients before New York Court of Appeals on question certified from the Ninth Circuit
• In re Tesla Derivative Litig. (Del. 2025): Briefed, argued and obtained reversal for board of directors in largest compensation dispute in corporate history before Delaware Supreme Court
• Lucas v. Stimson (Va. 2025): Represented state Attorney General and university board members in dispute over state constitutional appointment process before Virginia Supreme Court

Federal Courts of Appeals

• Amazon v. Perplexity AI (9th Cir. 2026): Briefed and argued appeal of preliminary injunction on Computer Fraud and Abuse Act claim against developer of AI-assisted browser
• Arkansas v. Optum (8th Cir. 2026): Briefed, argued and obtained reversal of decision remanding to state court state government’s suit against healthcare client
• Burnett v. National Ass’n of Realtors (8th Cir. 2026): Briefed and argued defense of nationwide class-action settlement in multibillion-dollar antitrust suit for leading real-estate industry client
• Carina Ventures LLC v. Pilgrim’s Pride Corp. (7th Cir. 2026): Briefed and argued contract dispute arising from litigation-funded antitrust claims against food industry client
• City of Boston v. Express Scripts (1st Cir. 2026): Briefed, argued and obtained affirmance of dismissal of claims against healthcare client on statute of limitations grounds
• Doe v. Black (2d Cir. 2026): Briefed and argued appeal asserting state law preemption of local law reviving statute of limitations for business executive client
• Doe v. Fenix (11th Cir. 2026): Briefed appeal asserting Section 230 immunity for online platform against state and federal tort claims
• In re Express Scripts (4th Cir. 2026): Briefed, argued and obtained grant of mandamus petition on constitutional right to civil jury trial for healthcare client
• Homie Technology v. National Ass’n of Realtors (10th Cir. 2026): Briefed and argued for affirmance of dismissal of antitrust conspiracy claim for real-estate industry client
• Panabaker v. City of Hood River (9th Cir. 2026): Briefed Dormant Commerce Clause challenge to local short-term-rental regulations
• Texas Capital Bank v. Ginnie Mae (5th Cir. 2026): Briefed and argued Administrative Procedure Act challenge to administrative agency action for banking industry client
• Chishti v. Spottiswoode (D.C. Cir. 2025): Argued defamation, First Amendment and Speech or Debate Clause issues for former business executive
• EchoSpan v. Medallia (9th Cir. 2025): Briefed and argued trade secret case on liability and damages issues for software industry client
• Plaintiffs’ Consumer Class v. Hyundai Motor Co. (9th Cir. 2025): Briefed, argued and obtained affirmance of class-action settlement for auto industry clients
• REX v. Zillow (9th Cir. 2025): Briefed, argued and obtained affirmance of summary judgment on antitrust conspiracy claim for real-estate industry client
• Hermalyn v. DraftKings (1st Cir. 2024): Briefed and argued appeal involving enforcement of employee non-compete clause for sports industry client
• National Ass’n of Realtors v. United States (D.C. Cir. 2024): Briefed and argued contract interpretation dispute with the Department of Justice for real-estate industry client

Cases Briefed and Argued before the U.S. Supreme Court in the Solicitor General’s Office

• American Hospital Ass’n v. Becerra (2022): Represented HHS in a multi-billion-dollar case involving Medicare reimbursement rates for drugs subject to a statutory discount program
• Torres v. Texas Dep’t of Public Safety (2022): Defended a federal statutory provision that allows suits against States by military service members who are denied re-employment protections
• Hollyfrontier Cheyenne Refining v. Renewable Fuels Ass’n (2021): Represented EPA in defending its interpretation of key provision of the Renewable Fuel Standard
• Edwards v. Vannoy (2021): Addressed the retroactive application of the Supreme Court’s newly announced unanimous-jury rule to state prisoners whose convictions had already become final
• Atlantic Richfield Co. v. Christian (2020): Represented the Environmental Protection Agency in opposing a lawsuit that challenged central aspects of the EPA cleanup of a major Superfund site
• Kansas v. Garcia (2020): Addressed the preemptive effect of federal immigration law on state criminal prosecutions for identity theft committed through submission of fraudulent tax forms
• USAID v. Alliance for Open Society (2020): Represented USAID and HHS in defending the constitutional validity of components of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief
• Lorenzo v. SEC (2019): Represented the SEC in defending a securities-fraud liability finding in an enforcement action
• Parker Drilling v. Newton (2019): Interpreted key provisions of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, which determines the law applicable to most offshore-oil-drilling operations
• Digital Realty Trust, Inc. v. Somers (2018): Represented the SEC in interpreting the scope of the whistleblower retaliation provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act

United States Department of Justice

• Assistant to the Solicitor General, 2017–2022
• Counselor & Chief of Staff to the Attorney General, 2020

The White House

• Special Advisor to the White House Counsel, 2018
• Speechwriter to the President, 2003–2009

Law Clerk, Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., U.S. Supreme Court, 2014–2015

Law Clerk, Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh, U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, 2013–2014

Judicial Intern, Chief Judge Royce C. Lamberth, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, 2011

Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP

• Partner & Co-Chair, National Appellate Practice, 2022–2026

Kirkland & Ellis LLP

• Associate, 2016–2017

Bancroft PLLC

• Associate, 2015–2016