Chair of the Supreme Court and Appellate Litigation Practice, Kannon Shanmugam is widely recognized as one of the nation's top appellate lawyers. Kannon has argued 38 cases before the Supreme Court, including 30 cases in private practice. He has also argued over 100 appeals in courts across the country, including arguments in all thirteen federal courts of appeals and in numerous state courts. Kannon also serves as chair of the Washington office and co-chair of the firm’s Litigation Department.

One study found that, over a five-year period, Kannon had the highest rate of successful petitions for review of any Supreme Court practitioner. He was lead counsel in the successful constitutional challenge to the structure of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, described by the Wall Street Journal as the “constitutional case of the year.”

In the last year alone, he successfully overturned the certification of a $13 billion securities class action arising out of the 2008 financial crisis (ATRS v. Goldman Sachs); he successfully overturned the conviction of a former member of Congress for making false statements to the government (Fortenberry v. United States); he successfully defended what is believed to be the largest private antitrust settlement in history (Fikes Wholesale v. HSBC Bank USA); and he successfully overturned a $570 million damages award in a high-profile trade-secrets case (Syntel v. TriZetto).

Prior to private practice, Kannon served as an Assistant to the Solicitor General at the U.S. Department of Justice. He also served as a law clerk to Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and to Judge J. Michael Luttig of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

Kannon is one of only five appellate lawyers ranked as a Star Individual by Chambers USA—its highest rating. He was named Appellate Litigator of the Year by Benchmark Litigation and was a finalist for The American Lawyer's 2022 Litigator of the Year.

Benchmark Litigation has noted that Kannon is an “appellate superstar” and “one of the most respected and admired appellate practitioners” in the country. One longtime Supreme Court reporter recently said that Kannon “has perhaps the most eloquent and elegant manner … that I’ve ever seen in my 40 years covering the Court,” adding that he “projects calm, confidence, and authority from the moment he takes to the lectern.”

Chambers USA described Kannon as “the best of the best” and “so smart and so personable, you feel you’re safe in his hands.” Legal 500 called Kannon “a brilliant lawyer and tactician, with impeccable judgment and an optimal moral compass.” It added, “you won’t find a more talented, sophisticated, compelling lawyer—and he matches that with his overall humility and kind nature.”