In May 2005, Neal was named one of the leading "40 lawyers under 40" by the National Law Journal. "Not only is Katyal a young professor at a top-tier law school, he is also involved in some significant cases of the decade," the Journal says.

The Journal chose 40 top young attorneys who showed evidence of "extraordinary achievements early on in their careers" and who they expect to "continue to exert influence in the legal profession."

An expert in national security law, the American Constitution, the Geneva Conventions, and the role of the President and Congress post 9/11, Neal has forged a worldwide coalition of support for his challenge to the Guantanamo Bay policy.

Raised in a suburb of Chicago, Neal is the son of Indian immigrants who hoped he would become a doctor. "My parents are Punjabi. Like many Indians, they hold the legal profession in not the highest of regard," he says.

A product of Dartmouth College and Yale Law School, Neal is also a visiting professor at Harvard and Yale law schools.