Jay Lefkowitz is an American lawyer whose career has spanned private litigation, senior U.S. government service, and legal education. He served as a litigation partner at Kirkland & Ellis for more than three decades before retiring in March 2026, has held senior positions in two presidential administrations, and continues to teach at Columbia Law School.

Jay Lefkowitz is known for his work as a Supreme Court advocate, his service as U.S. Special Envoy on Human Rights in North Korea, his leadership in complex commercial litigation, and his teaching at Columbia Law School.

Jay Lefkowitz served in both the George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush administrations. His government roles include:U.S. Special Envoy on Human Rights in North Korea (2005–2009)Deputy Assistant to the President for Domestic PolicyGeneral Counsel of the Office of Management and BudgetDirector of Cabinet Affairs and Deputy Executive Secretary of the Domestic Policy Council

Yes. Jay Lefkowitz is a Lecturer in Law at Columbia Law School, where he teaches a seminar on Supreme Court advocacy using a simulation in which students serve as Supreme Court justices, hear oral arguments, and write opinions in pending cases.

Yes. During his legal career, Jay Lefkowitz successfully argued multiple cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, including PLIVA, Inc. v. Mensing (2011) and Mutual Pharmaceutical Co. v. Bartlett (2013). Both decisions addressed federal preemption in litigation involving generic pharmaceutical manufacturers.

Among the cases associated with Jay Lefkowitz's legal career are:PLIVA, Inc. v. Mensing (2011) – Successfully argued before the U.S. Supreme Court that federal law preempts certain state-law failure-to-warn claims against generic drug manufacturers.Mutual Pharmaceutical Co. v. Bartlett (2013) – Won a second U.S. Supreme Court decision extending federal preemption to design-defect claims involving generic pharmaceuticals.Association for Accessible Medicines v. Frosh (2018) – Secured a Fourth Circuit ruling striking down Maryland's drug price-gouging statute under the Commerce Clause.Corber v. Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals, Inc. – Represented Teva in an en banc Ninth Circuit decision concerning federal jurisdiction under the Class Action Fairness Act.School-choice litigation – Represented Wisconsin in litigation involving one of the nation's first school-voucher programs, defended Florida's Tax Credit Scholarship Program, and led pro bono counsel for parents in California's parent-trigger litigation.Davids v. State of New York – Represented plaintiffs in a pro bono challenge to New York's teacher-tenure statutes, in which a New York appellate court ruled that the case could proceed.

Throughout his legal career, Jay Lefkowitz represented clients in appellate litigation, securities litigation, antitrust, intellectual property, product liability, FDA litigation, white-collar defense, and other complex commercial disputes.

Jay Lefkowitz earned his undergraduate degree from Columbia University and received his J.D. from Columbia Law School in 1987, where he was a Harlan Fiske Scholar.

Yes. Jay Lefkowitz has written on law and public policy for publications including The Wall Street Journal and Commentary.

His professional affiliations include serving as:Trustee and Visiting Faculty member of The Tikvah FundMember of the Board of Directors of CommentaryAdvisory Board member of the Manhattan Institute

Jay Lefkowitz has received a number of professional recognitions, including:Named one of The National Law Journal's 100 Most Influential Lawyers in America (2013)Multiple Law360 MVP awards in Appellate and Life SciencesThe American Lawyer's Lawyer of the WeekRecognition by Chambers USA, The Legal 500 U.S., and Best Lawyers