Neal Katyal, Solicitor General's Office, Television

From Acting Solicitor General To Acting On 'House Of Cards'

What surprised Neal Katyal during his voyage into the world of television?

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Neal Katyal is a man of many talents. The current Hogan Lovells partner and former acting Solicitor General of the United States, perhaps best known for winning the landmark case of Hamdan v. Rumsfeld before the Supreme Court, recently added another line to his glittering résumé: television actor.

On Friday, the National Law Journal (Mike Sacks) and the Washington Post (Colby Itkowitz) reported on Katyal’s appearing in the latest season of the popular D.C. drama House of Cards. In the fourth episode of the just-released third season, Katyal portrays a lawyer arguing before the U.S. Supreme Court — not much of a stretch for a veteran SCOTUS advocate with 24 real-life arguments under his belt.

Katyal was quite impressed by the research the House of Cards crew put into the episode, as he told the National Law Journal:

“The set was incredible. They got everything right, the carpeting, the chairs for the justices. But for me the most striking thing was the podium,” Katyal said, noting that it matched that of the real one along with the lights and style of microphones.

“It was so good that I asked [House of Cards’ creator and executive producer] Beau Willimon if I could buy it for my moots.” (Alas, he could not.) ….

Katyal wasn’t the only lawyer on screen in his scenes. The actor playing the Chief Justice, Richard V. Licata, earned his J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law in 1973.

Who says the Supreme Court is nothing but Ivy League law grads?

Over the weekend, we touched base with Neal Katyal to talk about his TV experience. Here’s our quick Q-and-A with him.

ATL: What did you find particularly surprising or interesting about the world of television based on your House of Cards experience?

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I think one interesting thing, particularly for you in light of your book (affiliate link), was the writers. I have grown up thinking that fictional drama is so different from high-end legal writing, and working with these nine writers dispelled that thoroughly. They were as precise in the details and characterizations as top-notch appellate advocates. Obviously, they can dramatize mightily, but the level of intelligence and sophistication and care for craft reminded me so much of my Hogan team.

Beau Willimon, the head writer, is easily one of the smartest people I’ve ever met. I had no idea what went into high-end TV. The whole thing left me thinking it’s easier for a great writer to become a great lawyer than the reverse. So much of legal education today pounds the creativity out of people, sadly. You are an exception.

ATL: And what about acting — what did you think of that experience?

Another thing that I hadn’t really thought much about before taping the show is how great acting requires great intelligence. My counterpart on the show — Elizabeth Marvel, who plays Solicitor General Heather Dunbar — is so well read and brilliant (she reads Greek plays for fun). And it really matters. The first take of our scene, she hit it out of the park. And I remember, she turned to me and said, “Was any of that at all realistic?” And I responded, telling her it was a lot more realistic than my own performance — she had spent so long mastering the details of the argument and the style of argument. I was blown away.

ATL: Do you see any similarities between the worlds of television and elite legal practice?

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All in all, I came away thinking that what the writers and actors do on House of Cards is not all that different in one sense from what we as lawyers do: there is a premium placed on intensity, great writing, and connecting with people. At the same time, the dramatic elements to what they do make their job very different than ours. I feel blessed to have my job, but theirs gives mine a good run for its money.

ATL: Have you, like some House of Cards devotees, binge-watched the entire season by now?

I’ve had some briefs due last week and this, and haven’t myself made it past episode one. But I’m looking forward to doing so.

ATL: Congrats again on your acting debut — as well as your recent Justice in Action Award from AALDEF — and thanks for taking the time!

‘House of Cards’ Makes Actor of Former Acting SG [National Law Journal]
Fiction is fact on ‘House of Cards’: Real-life SCOTUS lawyer plays SCOTUS lawyer [Washington Post]
Justice in Action Awards 2015 [Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund]

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