Missouri Attorney General Announces Impending Appointment Of Louis J. Capozzi III As Solicitor General

July 8, 2025 3:28 pm

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Today, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey announced the impending appointment of Louis “Lou” J. Capozzi III as Solicitor General of Missouri, which will take effect upon the confirmation of current Solicitor General Josh Divine to the federal bench. Capozzi brings with him a distinguished record of courtroom experience and national thought leadership that will serve Missourians well.

“I am proud to appoint Louis Capozzi as Missouri’s next Solicitor General,” said Attorney General Bailey. “Lou is a brilliant legal mind, a proven defender of constitutional government, and a staunch advocate for the rule of law, making him the right person to carry our mission forward as our next Solicitor General. He will be a powerful voice for the people of Missouri in our highest Courts.”

Capozzi most recently served as an Associate in the Issues and Appeals and Government Regulation practice groups with Jones Day, where he led litigation teams in major constitutional and administrative-law disputes, including serving as first chair in a six-week federal bench trial on behalf of the Republican National Committee. At Jones Day, Capozzi specialized in constitutional law, administrative law, and election integrity. He has also authored briefs on a wide range of topics, including the First Amendment, Fourth Amendment, Due Process Clause, Appointments Clause, Takings Clause, Civil Rights Act, Voting Rights Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Beyond litigation, Capozzi has been an influential voice within the national legal community. He is an adjunct law professor at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, where he has taught Advanced Administrative Law and a Supreme Court seminar. His scholarship has been published widely in leading journals, including the Notre Dame Law Review, Ohio State Law Journal, and Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy. His scholarship has been cited by the en banc U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and several federal district courts. He has also delivered guest lectures at dozens of law schools across the country, including Washington University School of Law. In recognition of his scholarly contributions, Capozzi was appointed as a Public Member of the Administrative Conference of the United States, a federal agency that prescribes best practices for the federal government.

Before entering private practice, Capozzi served as a law clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch during the 2021 Term. He also clerked for Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and Judge Anthony Scirica of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. He received his bachelor’s degree in Classics from the University of Pennsylvania and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where he was valedictorian and served as Executive Editor of the University of Pennsylvania Law Review.

“Under the leadership of General Bailey and Josh Divine, the Missouri Solicitor General’s Office has been one of the most successful in the entire country,” said Louis Capozzi. “As Solicitor General, I look forward to continuing their crucial work: bringing and winning lawsuits that protect the rights and liberties of Missourians and all Americans.”