WilmerHale today announced that one of the nation’s top appellate litigators and former California Solicitor General, Michael Mongan, will join the firm’s Appellate and Supreme Court Litigation Group. Mr. Mongan will be based in the firm’s San Francisco office, where he will focus his practice on advising clients on complex state and federal appeals, and drawing on his long experience in federal and state government to support WilmerHale’s Crisis Management and Strategic Response and State Attorneys General Practices. He will officially join the firm later this year.
With more than a decade of service in the California Department of Justice, including six years as the state’s Solicitor General, Mr. Mongan is widely recognized as one of the region’s top appellate lawyers for complex appeals, for the world’s fourth largest economy. During his state service, Mr. Mongan led major landmark appeals, arguing four cases in the US Supreme Court, seven cases in the California Supreme Court, two en banc cases in the Ninth Circuit, and many more cases before three-judge panels of the Ninth Circuit and in the California Courts of Appeal.
In addition, his experience as a clerk on the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit and US Supreme Court gives him unique insight into developing successful appellate strategies, and his work before those and other appellate courts gives him an invaluable perspective on the most significant legal cases of the past two decades.
“We are thrilled to have Mike on our team. His litigation and strategic experience will be an asset to the firm’s Appellate and Supreme Court Practice, as well as our State Attorneys General Practice,” said WilmerHale Managing Partner Anjan Sahni. “As we continue to expand our California presence, Mike brings invaluable insights to our clients navigating complex appeals and other multi-faceted legal challenges.”
“WilmerHale’s appreciation for public service, dedication to clients, and strong values reflect my ethos and commitment to legal excellence,” said Mike Mongan. “The firm’s deep bench of talent in the appellate space is unmatched, and I am excited to join a world-class appellate team with the experience, skill, and savvy to win the toughest and most complex fights for its clients. I look forward to helping expand the firm’s presence here in California and bringing my experiences to bear for the firm’s strong roster of West Coast clients.”
Mr. Mongan has worked in all three branches of federal government. Prior to his tenure in the California Department of Justice, Mr. Mongan worked in private practice and served as Deputy Counsel to then-Vice President Biden advising on legal, policy, national security, and other issues. Mr. Mongan also clerked for Judge Merrick Garland on the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit and Justice David Souter at the US Supreme Court. Mr. Mongan is a California native who graduated from Stanford University with an AB in Political Science in 2001 and earned his JD from Stanford Law School in 2006.