News Analysis: Trump EOs v. Law Firms — All Eyes on Judge Neomi Rao

The court battle between the Trump administration and four corporate law firms, including Houston-based Susman Godfrey, is being argued Thursday at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. 

While many legal scholars agree that the likelihood of winning the appeal decisively favors the law firms — the three-judge panel hearing the appeal includes two appointees of former President Barack Obama and one judge appointed by President Donald Trump — the focus will be on appellate Judge Neomi Rao, a conservative jurist, former clerk to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and champion of the Federalist Society.