Michael Velchik

Michael Velchik is a Washington, D.C., attorney who serves as senior counsel in the Civil Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. His work includes federal civil litigation and disputes involving government authority, agency decisions, and public funding. He represents federal interests in matters that raise constitutional and administrative law questions. His professional background spans courtroom advocacy, legislative service, and legal research concerning the relationship between government institutions and the people they serve.

Michael earned a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard University in 2012 and later received his Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School in 2016. During his undergraduate studies, he was selected to deliver the Latin oration at Harvard’s commencement ceremony. His academic background combines undergraduate scholarship with formal legal training. These studies preceded a career involving federal litigation, government policy, and research into statutory interpretation and questions about the scope of governmental authority.

Michael has represented the federal government in litigation concerning Harvard University’s research funding. His work in that dispute has involved questions about federal grant decisions, constitutional protections, and the authority of courts to review government actions. His experience also includes service in the U.S. Senate. Congressional records identify him as Republican chief counsel for the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law. This background brings together legal advocacy and work within the legislative branch.

Michael Velchik has also contributed to legal scholarship as the co-author of “Restoring Indian Reservation Status: An Empirical Analysis,” published in the Yale Journal on Regulation in 2023. Written with Jeffery Y. Zhang, the article examines the economic effects of court decisions recognizing tribal jurisdiction, including decisions involving Oklahoma. The research uses employment, economic output, and financial data to evaluate claims about those effects. His career combines government representation, congressional legal work, and published analysis of significant questions involving jurisdiction and public law.

Law Office Affiliations

• Senior Counsel, U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Division
• Member, District of Columbia Bar Association

Licensed State

• District of Columbia

Education

• Harvard Law School
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• Harvard University
  Bachelor of Arts (BA)