California Solicitor General Reflects on 6 Years of ‘Dream Job’

California Solicitor General Michael Mongan is stepping away from his self-described “job of a lifetime” after six years of maintaining his office’s ascendant growth.

“It’s never easy to think about leaving a dream job, especially when there’s a lot of important work going on,” Mongan told Bloomberg Law in an interview. “This transition is going to help me better support the needs of my family.”

The transition comes at a time when the California Department of Justice is confronting multiple “unprecedented” and “unlawful” mandates from the current Trump administration, Mongan said, as well as past executive orders and policy decisions that the state perceives as causing “harm” to its interests. The AG’s office has been involved in over 30 lawsuits against President Donald Trump and his administration since Jan. 20.

Mongan is stepping down from his day-to-day duties Friday to help with the hiring process for his replacement and begin his transition into private practice in California. Principal Deputy Solicitor General Helen Hong will serve as acting solicitor general until state Attorney General Rob Bonta appoints a new SG in the coming months.

In addition to growing the SG office, Mongan said he walks away most proud of his and his office’s work before the US Supreme Court in DHS v. Regents of the Univ. of Cal. and California v. Texas. Mongan, who started his professional career working on health policy on the US Senate Finance Committee, described the “full circle” moment of successfully defending the Affordable Care Act in California as one of the happiest days of his life.

Former California AG Xavier Becerra, who later served as Secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services in the Biden administration, credited Mongan with shaping the law and the lives of Americans in a statement to Bloomberg Law. Becerra appointed Mongan as SG in 2019.

“Whether articulating the winning argument before the Supreme Court in defense of the Affordable Care Act or to protect DACA Dreamers, Mike delivered for Californians time and again,” Becerra said.

The outgoing solicitor general credits former Vice President Kamala Harris with “conceiving” and “implementing” the office into its modern form. Harris, who served as California’s AG from 2011-2017, enabled the office to grow to twice its size compared to 2014. It is able to seamlessly participate in litigation at the state’s high court, federal circuit courts, and the US Supreme Court.

The SG’s office under Mongan expanded its geographic footprint into Southern California, broadening its recruitment pool to the Los Angeles and San Diego area, the California Department of Justice said. The office now also has the capacity to regularly advise and provide legal opinions to the state AG and other state officials, such as Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Finding the state’s next SG will be difficult for Bonta, who described Mongan as a “unicorn” who is “irreplaceable” in an interview with Bloomberg Law. But the AG pointed out that Mongan has been instrumental in mentoring his office’s well of talent and is confident the new appointee will successfully lead the appellate branch.

Mongan “has prepared quite a few other attorneys who I believe can step into the role and do an amazing job on day one,” Bonta said.

Balancing all of the competing demands of being SG proved to be one of the largest challenges Mongan faced throughout his tenure.

He also acknowledged the important role a coalition of partner SGs across the country plays in these efforts. New Jersey Solicitor General Jeremy Feigenbaum credited Mongan in a statement to Bloomberg Law as being a “critical partner, trusted confidante, and close friend” to state SGs throughout the US.

“Mike is one of the first SGs I turn to when I need advice or a sounding board, and he will be sorely missed from the state SG community,” Feigenbaum said.