Davis Polk & Wardwell
Davis Polk & Wardwell
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 | |
| Headquarters | 450 Lexington Avenue New York City, NY |
|---|---|
No. of offices | 10 |
No. of attorneys | 982 (2018)[1] |
| Major practice areas | Capital Markets Corporate/M&A Financial Services Regulation Investment Management Private Equity Litigation Insolvency/Restructuring Antitrust Credit/Financing Tax |
| Key people | Thomas J. Reid, Managing Partner |
| Revenue |  $1.4 billion (2018)[2] |
| Date founded | 1849 (1849) |
| Company type | Limited liability partnership |
| Website | www.davispolk.com |
Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, commonly known as Davis Polk, is an international law firm headquartered in New York City with 982 attorneys worldwide, with offices in Washington, D.C., Northern California, London, Paris, Madrid, Hong Kong, Beijing, Tokyo and São Paulo. Founded in 1849, it is consistently ranked as one of the most prestigious law firms in the world.[3]
Contents
1 History
2 Notable associates
2.1 Current associates
2.2 Former associates
2.2.1 Judiciary
2.2.2 Elected office
2.2.3 Law enforcement and financial regulation
2.2.4 Other government service
2.2.5 Business
2.2.6 Media and entertainment
2.2.7 Academia
3 Recognitions
4 See also
5 References
6 Further reading
History[edit]
Davis Polk traces its origin to a one-man practice in Manhattan opened by a 21-year-old lawyer, Francis N. Bangs. The firm changed its name several times to account for new partners, using names such as Bangs & Stetson; Bangs, Stetson, Tracey & MacVeagh and Stetson, Jennings & Russell. Towards the end of the 19th century, John Pierpont Morgan hired Francis Stetson, then name partner of the firm, as his chief counsel. During Stetson's tenure, the firm helped Morgan to restructure the Pennsylvania Railroad as well as create General Electric. The modern incarnations of Morgan's business, JPMorgan Chase and Morgan Stanley, have remained key clients of the firm. Among other high-profile lawyers, President Grover Cleveland served as a member of the firm during the interval between his two non-consecutive presidential terms.[4]
The firm was located at 15 Broad Street from around 1889 to 1962, and then at One Chase Manhattan Plaza until 1991. The firm voted in 1967 to take its current name from three of the firm's most influential partners from the early-to-mid 20th century: John W. Davis, Frank Polk, and Allen Wardwell.
In 1935, In response to the Glass–Steagall Act of 1932, the firm performed the legal work to spin off the investment banking arm of J.P. Morgan & Co., which became known as Morgan Stanley.
In 1938, the firm represented Erie Railroad in the landmark case Erie Railroad Co. v. Tompkins, 304 U.S. 64 (1938), in which Justice Louis Brandeis introduced the Erie doctrine.
In 1952, John W. Davis represented U.S. Steel and successfully challenged the constitutionality of President Harry S. Truman's attempted takeover of the company in a famous case that has been referenced by most legal scholars today to assess executive power (see Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer, 343 U.S. 579 (1952)).
In 1962, the firm opened its first overseas office in Paris.
In 1971, Lydia Kess was the first woman to be promoted to partner, becoming the second female partner at a major Wall Street law firm. [5]
In 1981, the firm played an important role in negotiating the financial aspects of the resolution of the Iranian hostage crisis.
In 1998, the firm advised Exxon on its $81 billion merger with Mobil, the largest merger in history at the time.
In 2000, the firm advised its long-term client, J.P. Morgan & Co., on its merger with Chase Manhattan Bank to form JPMorgan Chase.
From 1999 to 2010, the firm worked on the initial public offerings of United Parcel Service, AT&T Wireless, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Visa Inc., General Motors and Agricultural Bank of China, some of the largest IPOs in history.
During the financial crisis of 2007–2008, the firm represented many government clients, including the United States Department of the Treasury and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and the firm had important roles in the AIG, Freddie Mac, Lehman Brothers, and Citigroup matters, as well as in the drafting of the Dodd–Frank Act. [6][7]
In 2009, to bolster its financial regulatory practice, the firm hired three former Securities and Exchange Commission officials: Commissioner Annette Nazareth, Director of Enforcement Linda Chatman Thomsen, and Deputy Director of Trading and Markets Robert Colby—as well as former White House Staff Secretary Raul Yanes and former Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation General Counsel John Douglas.[8]
Notable associates[edit]
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Current associates[edit]
Among its current partners and counsel are:
Jon Leibowitz - former Chairman, Federal Trade Commission
Gary Lynch - former Director, Enforcement Division, Securities and Exchange Commission, and former Vice-Chairman and Chief Legal Officer, Morgan Stanley, former Vice-Chairman, Credit Suisse, and former Global General Counsel, Bank of America
Neil MacBride - former U.S. Attorney, Eastern District of Virginia
Annette Nazareth - former Commissioner, Securities and Exchange Commission
Howard Shelanski - former Administrator, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs
Linda Chatman Thomsen - former Director, Enforcement Division, Securities and Exchange Commission
Kenneth Wainstein - former Assistant Attorney General, National Security Division, Department of Justice, and former Homeland Security Advisor
Former associates[edit]
Judiciary[edit]
Ronnie Abrams - U.S. District Court Judge, Southern District of New York[9]
Thomas J. Aquilino, Jr. - Senior Judge, U.S Court of International Trade
Richard M. Berman - U.S. District Court Judge, Southern District of New York
Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum - Senior U.S. District Court Judge, Southern District of New York[10]
Denny Chin - U.S. Circuit Court Judge, Second Circuit Court of Appeals
Hardy Cross Dillard - International Court of Justice
Warren Eginton - Senior U.S. District Court Judge, District of Connecticut
Thomas P. Griesa - Senior U.S. District Court Judge, Southern District of New York
Cheryl Ann Krause - U.S. Circuit Court Judge, Third Circuit Court of Appeals
J. Michael Luttig - Former U.S. Circuit Court Judge, Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals
Amy J. St. Eve - U.S. Circuit Court Judge, Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals
Louis L. Stanton - Senior U.S. District Court Judge, Southern District of New York
John M. Walker, Jr. - U.S. Circuit Court Judge, Second Circuit Court of Appeals
Lawrence Edward Walsh - Former U.S. District Court Judge, Southern District of New York
Elected office[edit]
Grover Cleveland - 22nd & 24th President of the United States
John Danforth - Former U.S. Senator (R-MO) and Ambassador to the United Nations
Kirsten Gillibrand - U.S. Senator (D-NY)
Ben McAdams - U.S. Representative-elect, Utah's 4th congressional district
Reshma Saujani - Candidate, U.S. House of Representatives, New York's 14th congressional district
Terri Sewell - U.S. Representative, Alabama's 7th congressional district
Chen Show Mao - Member of Singaporean Parliament, Aljunied Group Representation Constituency, Workers' Party of Singapore[11]
Law enforcement and financial regulation[edit]
| This section needs additional citations for verification. (December 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) |
Jerome Powell - Chairman of the Federal Reserve
Randal Quarles - Vice-Chairman for Supervision, Federal Reserve
Paul S. Atkins - Former Commissioner, Securities and Exchange Commission
Roger W. Ferguson, Jr. - Former Vice-Chairman, Federal Reserve System; President & CEO, TIAA-CREF
Robert B. Fiske - Former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York
Samuel Hazard Gillespie Jr. - Former U.S. Attorney, Southern District of New York[12]
Charles E. F. Millard - Former Director, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation
Ogden Livingston Mills - Former Secretary of the Treasury
Lawrence Edward Walsh - Former Deputy Attorney General and Independent Counsel, Iran-Contra Investigation
Other government service[edit]
John Bridgeland - Former Director, United States Domestic Policy Council[13]
John W. Davis - Former United States Solicitor General; Democratic Presidential Nominee, 1924
Reuben Jeffery III - Under Secretary of State for Economic, Business, and Agricultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State
Charles MacVeagh - Former United States Ambassador to Japan
Richard Moe - President, National Trust for Historic Preservation
Scott Muller - Former General Counsel, Central Intelligence Agency
Jennifer Newstead - Legal Advisor, U.S. Department of State and Former General Counsel, Office of Management and Budget
Frank Polk - Former Acting U.S. Secretary of State
Peter Tufo - Former United States Ambassador to Hungary
Raul Yanes - Former Staff Secretary to the President of the United States, and former General Counsel, Office of Management and Budget
John E. Zuccotti - Former Deputy Mayor, New York City; namesake of Zuccotti Park[14]
Business[edit]
Alexander Cushing - Founder and Chairman, Ski Corporation[15]
Eli Whitney Debevoise - Founding Partner, Debevoise & Plimpton[16]
Tom Glocer - CEO, Thomson Reuters
Steven Goldstone - Former President & CEO, RJR Nabisco
Robert Harrison - CEO, Clinton Global Initiative[17]
Lewis B. Kaden - Vice Chairman, Citigroup
H. F. Lenfest - Founder, Lenfest Communications
J. Michael Luttig - General Counsel, Boeing
Axel Miller - Chairman & CEO, Dexia S.A.
David Schwimmer - CEO, London Stock Exchange
Francis Lynde Stetson - Attorney for John Pierpont Morgan; former president, New York State Bar Association.[18]
Andrew Yang - Entrepreneur, Founder, Venture for America
Media and entertainment[edit]
Lisa Daniels - Correspondent, NBC News
He Li - Chinese Poet
Crystal McKellar - Actress[19]
Academia[edit]
George Bermann - Director, European Legal Studies Center, Columbia Law School
Charles Black - Professor, Yale Law School
Brian Casey - President, Colgate University
Barry E. Friedman - Vice Dean, New York University School of Law
Linda Lorimer - Vice President, Yale University
Jane B. Korn - Dean, Gonzaga University School of Law
Julie O'Sullivan - Professor, Georgetown University Law Center
Alex Raskolnikov - Professor, Columbia Law School
David Schizer - Professor & Dean Emeritus, Columbia Law School[20]
David E. Van Zandt - President, The New School, Former Dean, Northwestern University School of Law
Recognitions[edit]
- In 2012 and 2013, Davis Polk was named "America's Law Firm of the Year" by the International Financial Law Review.[21]
- In 2010, Davis Polk was ranked third in "Revenue per Lawyer" by the American Lawyer's top 100 National Firms.[22]
- Individual Davis Polk insolvency & restructuring lawyers were named “Dealmaker of the Year” by The American Lawyer.
- “Outstanding Young Restructuring Lawyer” by Turnarounds & Workouts and “Lawyer of the Year” by Law Business Research’s Who’s Who Legal–International Who’s Who of Insolvency & Restructuring Lawyers.[23]
- Davis Polk ranked in the first tier among New York law firms in U.S. tax matters by Chambers USA, which commented that “with a ‘terrific team of excellent tax lawyers,’ the group successfully mixes M&A and finance, establishing itself as one of the premier law firms in New York, and indeed across the USA”.[24]
- In October 2008, a Davis Polk team working with the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund won a $4.6 million judgment[25] on behalf of immigrant workers who were being paid below the statutory minimum wage by their employer, a popular Manhattan restaurant.[26]
- In March 2007, Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) awarded Davis Polk its Heroes Honors 25th Anniversary Award for the corporate pro bono work the firm has done on the organization’s behalf.[27]
See also[edit]
- Magic Circle (law)
- White shoe firms
References[edit]
^ "As Its Chair Leaves for Big GC Role, Davis Polk Posts Best Year Ever"..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}
^ "As Its Chair Leaves for Big GC Role, Davis Polk Posts Best Year Ever".
^ "Best companies to work for - Vault Law 100". Vault.com.
^ Allan Nevins, Grover Cleveland: A Study in Courage, p.450.
^ Lat, David (January 5, 2012). "Oy Vey! Milbank Mistakenly Touts 'Only Orthodox Jewish Woman Partner' in Biglaw". Above the Law.
^ Lat, David (September 18, 2008). "Davis Polk: Making Bank". Above the Law.
^ "For Davis Polk, Dodd–Frank Pays" (PDF).
^ Scannell, Kara (April 13, 2009). "Davis Polk Recruits Ex-SEC Aide". The Wall Street Journal.
^ Lattman, Peter (July 29, 2011). "Davis Polk Lawyer Nominated for Federal Bench". The New York Times.
(subscription required)
^ LUBASCH, ARNOLD H. (July 26, 1985). "WALL ST. LAWYER WINS BACKING FOR U.S. JUDGEh". The New York Times.
^ Han Wong, Chun (May 6, 2011). "Candidate Q&A: Chen Show Mao". The Wall Street Journal.
(subscription required)
^ GRIMES, WILLIAM (March 8, 2011). "S. Hazard Gillespie, Former U.S. Attorney, Dies at 100". The New York Times.
^ Easton, Nina J. (March 27, 2002). "The Wings of an Idea". The Washington Post.
^ DUNLAP, DAVID W. (February 25, 1996). "Lawyers Who Mold The Shape of a City". The New York Times.
^ "Alex Cushing, Founder of Squaw Valley, Dies". Snowboard Magazine. August 21, 2006.
^ HEVESI, DENNIS (July 1, 1990). "Eli Whitney Debevoise Dies at 90; Co-Founder of a Top Law Firm". The New York Times.
^ "CGI Leadership". Clintonglobalinitiative.org. Retrieved 2012-08-12.
^ Francis L. Stetson, Lawyer, Dies at 74,' New York Times, December 6, 1920
^ "Traphagen Distinguished Alumni Speaker Series – Crystal McKellar '03". Harvard Law School. February 23, 2015.
^ "David M. Schizer". Columbia Law School. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
^ "Davis Polk Wins Again at IFLR Americas Awards". International Financial Law Review. March 22, 2013.
^ "The Am Law 100 2010 - Revenue Per Lawyer (RPL) Falls Again". Law.com. 2012-09-09. Retrieved 2012-10-09.
^ Who’s Who Legal–International Who’s Who of Insolvency & Restructuring Lawyers (2007).
^ Chambers USA (2007).
^ http://amlawdaily.typepad.com/amlawdaily/files/saigon_grill_decision.pdf
^ Baxter, Brian (October 23, 2008). "Davis Polk Hands Big Tip to Saigon Grill Deliverymen". Law.Com(ALM/American Lawyer Magazine). Retrieved August 11, 2012.
^ "Gay Men's Health Crisis to Commemorate 25 Years of Leadership in the Fight Against AIDS at GMHC Heroes Honors 25th Anniversary Dinner" (Press release). PRNewswire. March 7, 2007. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
Further reading[edit]
Stewart, James (1983). The Partners: Inside America's Most Powerful Law Firms. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0-671-42023-2.
Categories:
- Law firms based in New York City
- 1849 establishments in New York (state)
- Foreign law firms with offices in Hong Kong
- Foreign law firms with offices in Japan
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