In a prestigious development that underscores academic excellence and leadership, Kannon Shanmugam, one of America’s foremost appellate attorneys, has been elected to the Harvard Corporation, the university’s senior governing board.
The decision was officially announced by Harvard on May 30, 2025, and Shanmugam will assume his position on July 1, succeeding Theodore V. Wells Jr., who served the board with distinction for 12 years.
Who is Kannon Shanmugam?
Kannon K. Shanmugam is an acclaimed Indian American attorney and a double alumnus of Harvard College (A.B. summa cum laude in Classics, 1993) and Harvard Law School (J.D. magna cum laude, 1998). Born and raised in Kansas, he is the son of Indian immigrants.
His father, Dr. Kumarasamy “Sam” Shanmugam, was a professor of electrical engineering at the University of Kansas. Kannon graduated from Lawrence High School at age 16, where he was co-valedictorian.
His academic journey took him from Harvard to Oxford University, where he was a Marshall Scholar and earned a Master of Letters in classical languages and literature.
At Harvard Law, he served as executive editor of the Harvard Law Review, laying the foundation for a stellar legal career.
A Legal Career of National Influence
Currently, Kannon Shanmugam is a partner at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, where he chairs the Supreme Court and Appellate Litigation Practice and leads the firm’s Washington, D.C. office.
He has argued an impressive 39 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and over 150 appeals across the United States, including all 13 federal appellate courts.
Before joining Paul, Weiss, Shanmugam served in the Office of the Solicitor General at the U.S. Department of Justice and was a partner at Williams & Connolly LLP.
He has also clerked for Justice Antonin Scalia on the U.S. Supreme Court and Judge J. Michael Luttig of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
His professional accolades include being named Appellate Litigator of the Year by Benchmark Litigation (2021) and a Litigator of the Year finalist by The American Lawyer in both 2022 and 2024.
He is one of only six appellate lawyers ranked as a Star Individual by Chambers USA.
Harvard’s Statement on Kannon Shanmugam’s Election
In a joint message to the Harvard community, President Alan Garber and Senior Fellow Penny Pritzker praised Kannon Shanmugam as a legal mind of rare brilliance and dedication:
“Kannon Shanmugam is one of the nation’s most accomplished and admired appellate attorneys… He brings to the Harvard Corporation not only his legal expertise but also his intellectual curiosity, collegiality, and a strong devotion to academic freedom.”
Shanmugam’s Vision for Harvard
Reflecting on his election, Kannon Shanmugam expressed a deep sense of gratitude:
“My reason for agreeing to serve is simple: I owe everything to Harvard. Harvard gave me opportunities I never would have had and exposed me to different people and new ideas.”
Acknowledging the challenges facing higher education, he added:
“Harvard has gone through difficult times and faces substantial challenges, but it does so much good for the world. When an institution has problems, the solution is to work constructively to fix them while holding true to its foundational commitment to academic excellence.”
Contributions Beyond the Courtroom
Kannon Shanmugam has been actively involved in educational and civic institutions.
He previously served as chair of the board of trustees at Thurgood Marshall Academy, a charter school in Washington, D.C., and currently sits on the boards of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens and the University of Kansas Endowment.
He is also an elected member of the American Law Institute and has taught Supreme Court advocacy at Georgetown University Law Center.
Shanmugam is the only practicing American lawyer to be named an honorary bencher of the Inner Temple, one of the four Inns of Court in London, a testament to his international legal stature.
The Role of the Harvard Corporation
The Harvard Corporation is the university’s highest governing body, formally the President and Fellows of Harvard College.
Founded in 1650, the 13-member board oversees the institution’s academic priorities, financial policies, and strategic planning.
Members are elected by the Corporation with the consent of the Board of Overseers.
By electing Kannon Shanmugam, the Corporation gains a voice deeply rooted in both academic tradition and contemporary legal leadership.
A Historic Moment for Indian Americans and Harvard
Kannon Shanmugam’s election holds special significance as an Indian American ascending to one of the highest roles in American academia.
His story, from a gifted Kansas high school student to one of the top appellate lawyers in the country and now a leader at Harvard, exemplifies the power of education, opportunity, and public service.
