Neal Katyal isn’t clocking in at his usual \$3,250 an hour this time. The former acting U.S. solicitor general—who’s more accustomed to elite Supreme Court arguments than budget-conscious municipal brawls—is slashing his rate by more than 90% to help two New Jersey cities stare down the Trump administration in court.
The powerhouse law firm Milbank, where Katyal now leads the appellate practice, inked a deal to represent Newark and Hoboken for just \$300 an hour—a figure not seen in the firm’s billing department since perhaps the Carter administration. That discounted fee will be split between the two cities as they face a federal lawsuit from Trump’s team, which has accused them of obstructing immigration enforcement through their sanctuary policies.
The deep rate cut wasn’t just a gesture of goodwill. Enter the Goodnation Foundation, a nonprofit stepping in to underwrite part of the legal bill. Hoboken has capped its contribution at \$53,000 per year. Goodnation, which keeps its donor list close to the chest, said it steps in for cases where community needs meet public interest. This one, apparently, checked both boxes.
Katyal’s usual rate—now approaching the price of a mid-size sedan per hour—isn’t unusual for top-tier partners at Milbank, where senior lawyers can bill up to \$2,475. His new firm, headquartered in New York, quietly committed \$100 million in pro bono legal work after dodging the fallout from a set of executive orders Trump unleashed earlier this year against law firms that had drawn his ire.
Milbank wasn’t targeted, but four others were—and fought back successfully in court.
In this latest front, Milbank’s lineup also includes Gurbir Grewal, former New Jersey attorney general and current SEC enforcement chief, and appellate litigator Colleen Roh Sinzdak. They’re bringing heavyweight credentials to a fight over immigration policy that could echo far beyond the Garden State.
Municipal clients getting a bargain rate isn’t rare—law firms often bend their usual rules when representing government bodies. But the timing and optics here are striking: a legal dream team standing between Trump and two sanctuary cities, with the meter running at a fraction of the standard rate.
Katyal’s Supreme Court resume—more than 50 cases argued—has made him a familiar figure in constitutional showdowns. But this case, in the gritty context of federal immigration lawsuits, may feel less like lofty constitutional theory and more like trench warfare.
And at \$300 an hour, it’s probably the cheapest front-row seat in town.
