Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has announced the appointment of Aaron Nielson as the state's Solicitor General. In this role, Nielson will be responsible for leading the appellate work for Texas' most significant and far-reaching cases.
Paxton expressed his enthusiasm for Nielson's appointment, stating, "I am delighted to welcome Aaron as Solicitor General. His talent and expertise are virtually unmatched, earning him national renown in the legal community. He will be a tremendous asset to our agency and to our state's appellate leadership on the major legal questions of our era."
Nielson, a Professor of Law at Brigham Young University's J. Reuben Clark Law School, expressed his honor in serving as Solicitor General, saying, "It is my great honor to serve the state of Texas as Solicitor General. I look forward to working alongside the team Attorney General Paxton has assembled and to leading and learning from the world-class lawyers in the Solicitor General Division that represent Texas so well in our nation's appellate courts."
With a specialization in administrative law, civil procedure, antitrust, and federal courts, Nielson brings a wealth of experience to his new position. He is recognized as one of the nation's foremost experts on the Administrative Procedure Act, having recently served as Chair of the Administration and Management Committee of the Administrative Conference of the United States. Additionally, he has served on the Council of the American Bar Association's Section of Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice.
Nielson's accomplishments extend beyond academia. In 2020, he was appointed by the U.S. Supreme Court to brief and argue Collins v. Yellen, a separation-of-powers case concerning the Federal Housing Finance Agency. He also regularly represents clients in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. His published works have appeared in prestigious legal journals, including the University of Pennsylvania Law Review, Duke Law Journal, and University of Chicago Law Review.
Prior to joining Brigham Young University, Nielson was a partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP, where he was involved in the appellate and antitrust groups. He also clerked for Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr. of the U.S. Supreme Court, Judge Janice Rogers Brown of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, and Judge Jerry E. Smith of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Nielson's educational background includes a J.D., magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School, an LL.M from the University of Cambridge, and an undergraduate degree, summa cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania in economics and political science.
As Solicitor General, Aaron Nielson will undoubtedly bring his vast knowledge, expertise, and experience to bear on Texas' most critical legal matters, further solidifying the state's position in the nation's appellate courts.
For additional details, please follow this link: https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-ken-paxton-appoints-aaron-nielson-solicitor-general