Who is Neal Katyal? The Indian-American lawyer behind Trump’s tariff loss

Neal Katyal is a prominent Indian‑origin American lawyer whose legal work played a central role in a major United States Supreme Court decision that struck down sweeping tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump.

The nation’s highest court delivered the ruling in a 6‑3 decision and was seen as a significant constitutional check on presidential power and a setback for Trump’s trade agenda.




Katyal was born on March 12, 1970, in Chicago to parents who had emigrated from India. His mother was a paediatrician and his father an engineer. He grew up in the United States, later earning a bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College and a law degree from Yale Law School, where he distinguished himself academically.

Early in his career, Katyal worked as a law clerk for Judge Guido Calabresi of the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and then for Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer. These experiences helped establish his deep legal grounding and opened doors to high‑level legal work.

Katyal served in the Obama administration as Acting Solicitor General of the United States from May 2010 to June 2011. In this role, he represented the federal government before the Supreme Court, arguing numerous cases. Over his career, he has argued more than 50 cases before the Supreme Court, a record number for a minority lawyer.

Today, he is a partner at the Washington, DC office of the law firm Milbank LLP and holds the title of Paul and Patricia Saunders Professor of National Security Law at Georgetown University Law Center. He is recognised for his expertise in constitutional and appellate law.

In the recent tariff case, Katyal represented a coalition of small businesses and trade groups challenging the legality of Trump’s tariffs. The Supreme Court ruled that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act did not give the president authority to impose such broad tariffs without clear congressional approval. After the decision, Katyal said the ruling showed that “only Congress can impose taxes on the American people,” highlighting the limits of presidential power under the Constitution.

Beyond this case, Katyal’s career includes notable work defending the Voting Rights Act, challenging the 2017 travel ban, and contributing to significant constitutional law debates. His achievements have earned him honours such as the Edmund J. Randolph Award, the US Justice Department’s highest civilian honour.