Nathaniel Zelinsky is an associate in the Washington, DC office and a member of the firm’s Litigation & Arbitration Group.
Contact
Washington, DC
Primary Focus & Experience
Mr. Zelinsky has handled cases at every level of the federal judiciary—and in multiple state appellate courts—on a wide range of high-stakes issues, including administrative, bankruptcy, constitutional, criminal, tax, insurance, copyright, and arbitration law.
Mr. Zelinsky regularly practices before the Supreme Court of the United States. In the October 2024 Term, he achieved the rare distinction of arguing before the Supreme Court while an associate in a high-profile civil rights case. The legal podcast Advisory Opinions called his oral argument “one of the best arguments of the term.” In the October 2022 Term, Nathaniel also argued before the Special Master to the Supreme Court in an original jurisdiction matter between 31 states regarding hundreds of millions of dollars in unclaimed property. He regularly briefs merits cases before the Supreme Court and has second chaired multiple Supreme Court arguments. He also maintains a robust pro bono practice. Among his other matters, he served as a Special Attorney for the State of Minnesota in the criminal prosecutions of the four former police officers charged in connection with the death of George Floyd. During those proceedings, Nathaniel briefed key issues at every level of the Minnesota judiciary and extensively argued on behalf of the State before the trial court.
Recognition & Accomplishments
Mr. Zelinsky clerked for Judge Stephen F. Williams of the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit and Judge Jeffrey S. Sutton of the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Prior to joining Milbank, he was a senior associate at another leading law firm.
He received his J.D. from Yale Law School and his B.A., summa cum laude, from Yale College. Upon completing his undergraduate degree at Yale, he received the Paul Mellon Fellowship to study at Clare College, the University of Cambridge, from where he holds an M.Phil. He is also an associate fellow at Yale’s Davenport College.
Additional Details
Education
- Yale Law School, J.D.
- Clare College, University of Cambridge, M.Phil.
- Yale College, B.A.
Admissions
- District of Columbia
- US Supreme Court
- US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
- US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
- US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
- US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
- US Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
- US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
- US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
Clerkships
- Honorable Stephen F. Williams, US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit
- Honorable Jeffrey S. Sutton, US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
