MADISON, Wis. (Legal Newsline) - The general counsel for West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey is making the move to Wisconsin next month, to become the state’s first solicitor general.
Last week, Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel announced Misha Tseytlin will fill the newly created role, established by the Wisconsin Legislature.
The solicitor general, who is appointed by the attorney general, will allow the state Department of Justice to “provide a more in-depth level of representation for the state at both the state and federal appellate levels for increasingly complicated legal issues,” according to legislative documents.
In doing so, the department will better use existing staff resources and create savings from not having to hire outside counsel in complex legal cases.
More than 40 states have a solicitor general or a similar position in place.
“Following the creation of the Solicitor General’s Office in the state’s budget, Wisconsin has joined the vast majority of states with a solicitor general and I am thrilled that Misha will be leading the office,” Schimel said in a statement.
“As a former law clerk for Justice Anthony Kennedy at the U.S. Supreme Court, in addition to two prominent judges on the Circuit Courts of Appeals, Misha brings a wealth of experience that will serve our state well in litigation in both the state and federal courts.”
Schimel added, “Misha’s background is the consummate American success story having emigrated with his family from Russia to the United States when he was seven years old, learning English, and then working to achieve excellence everywhere he has been.”
Morrisey, Tseytlin’s current employer, described him as an “extremely talented” appellate lawyer.
“While we are sad to see him leave, we are excited for his new opportunity and promotion,” Morrisey said in a statement.
From 2011-14, Tseytlin was an associate with the international law firm of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher in Washington, D.C., where he handled high profile litigation cases throughout the United States.
Theodore B. Olson, a partner at Gibson Dunn and former U.S. solicitor general, said of Tseytlin:
“Misha was a valuable and immensely well-liked member of our legal team at Gibson Dunn in Washington. He is thoughtful, creative, a highly skilled lawyer, an indefatigable worker and a charming and engaging person.
“Wisconsin is very fortunate to have attracted Misha to be its solicitor general.”
Tseytlin graduated summa cum laude from Georgetown University Law School in 2006. At Georgetown, he served as the president of the student chapter of the Federalist Society and was the articles editor of the Georgetown Law Review. He received his undergraduate degree from Amherst College.
Prior to clerking for Kennedy, Tseytlin clerked for Judge Alex Kozinski on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in 2007 and for Judge Janice Rodgers Brown on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit from 2007-08.
He will begin work as solicitor general on Nov. 30.
From Legal Newsline: Reach Jessica Karmasek by email at jessica@legalnewsline.com.