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{{short description|American multinational law firm}}
{{Infobox Company
{{pp-extended|small=yes}}
| company_name = Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
{{Infobox Law Firm
| company_logo = [[Image:Logo skaden.gif]]
| firm_name = Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
| company_type = [[Limited liability partnership]]
| firm_logo = [[File:Skadden.svg|200px]] |
| foundation = [[New York City|New York, N.Y.]] ([[1948]])
| headquarters = [[One Manhattan West]]<br />[[New York City]]<br />United States<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.skadden.com/locations/americas/new-york |title=New York |publisher=Skadden |access-date=May 24, 2020}}</ref>
| ___location = [[New York City|New York, N.Y.]] with 21 other offices worldwide
| num_offices = 21
| key_people = see [[#Key people|Key people]] section
| num_attorneys = {{circa|1,700}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Forbes America's Largest Companies|website=[[Forbes]]|url=https://www.forbes.com/companies/skadden-arps|access-date=November 21, 2016}}</ref>
| industry = [[Law]]
| num_employees = 3,500 (estimate, including partners)
| products = [[Legal advice]]
| practice_areas = Transactions, litigation/controversy and regulatory<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.skadden.com/index.cfm?contentID=4&viewType=1 |title=Practices|publisher=Skadden.com |access-date=2014-02-08 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120702134940/http://www.skadden.com/index.cfm?contentID=4&viewType=1 |archive-date=2012-07-02 }}</ref>
| revenue = [[Image:green up.png]] $1.58 billion [[United States dollar|USD]] ([[2005]])
| key_people = Jeremy D. London (executive partner)<ref>{{cite web |title=Skadden Selects Jeremy London To Succeed Eric J. Friedman as Firm's Fourth Executive Partner |url=https://www.skadden.com/about/news-and-rankings/news/2023/06/skadden-selects-jeremy-london-to-succeed-eric-j-friedman}}</ref><br />Noah J. Puntus (executive director/CFO)<ref name=forbes1>{{cite web |title=Forbes Profile: Skadden |url=https://www.forbes.com/companies/skadden-arps |work=[[Forbes]] |access-date=5 July 2022 |last=Seal |first=Ben}}</ref>
| num_employees = 4,500
| revenue = {{US$|3.4 billion|link=yes}} (2024)<ref name="AmLaw">{{cite web |url=https://www.law.com/americanlawyer/am-law-100/ |title=The 2025 Am Law 100 |date=16 April 2025 |work=[[The American Lawyer]]}}</ref>
| homepage = [http://www.skadden.com www.skadden.com]
| profit_per_equity_partner = {{US$|6.0 million|link=yes}} (2024)<ref name="AmLaw" />
| date_founded = {{start date and age|April 1, 1948}}
| founders =
|founder={{ubl|Marshall Skadden|[[John Slate]]|Les Arps}}| company_type = [[Limited liability partnership]]
| homepage = {{URL|skadden.com}}
| module = {{Infobox network service provider|child=yes}}
}}
'''Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom [[Limited liability partnership|LLP]] and Affiliates '''([[Aka (initialism)|a.k.a.]] "Skadden, Arps", "Skadden", or "SASM&F"), founded in 1948, is one of the largest [[law firm]]s in the world. Its headquarters is in [[New York City]].
 
'''Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher{{efn|'''Meagher''' is pronounced {{respell|MAR}}.}} & Flom LLP and Affiliates''' (known as '''Skadden''') is an American [[Multinational corporation|multinational]] [[law firm]] headquartered in [[New York City]]. The firm comprises approximately 1,700 lawyers and is the fourth highest grossing law firm in the United States.<ref name="AmLaw" />
Skadden has approximately 1,790 attorneys in 22 offices. The total number of employees is nearly 4,500. With US$1.58 billion in annual revenue, Skadden is the largest law firm in the U.S. in terms of [[revenue]] {{ref|revenue}}. The firm has held this position for nine years running and in 1999 became the first law firm to exceed US$1 billion in annual revenue. Its revenue also makes Skadden the third largest law firm in the world, behind two [[United Kingdom|U.K.]] firms {{ref|world}}. In terms of the number of attorneys, Skadden is the largest law firm in the state of [[New York]] {{ref|ny}}, the fourth largest in the [[United States]] {{ref|us}} and the eighth largest in the world. Skadden ranks 205<sup>th</sup> on [[Forbes]]'s list of the largest U.S.-based private companies {{ref|forbes}}.
 
==History==
Among Skadden's main practice areas are [[mergers and acquisitions]] (M&A), [[litigation]], [[Security (finance)|securities law]], and [[bankruptcy]] representation.
 
The firm was founded in 1948 in New York by Marshall Skadden, [[John Slate]], and Les Arps.<ref name="History Skadden">{{Cite web|url=https://www.skadden.com/the-firm/history|title=History Skadden |website=www.skadden.com|access-date=2017-01-03}}</ref> The same year, [[Joseph Flom]] was hired as the firm's first associate. In 1959, [[William R. Meagher]] joined the firm and its first female attorney, Elizabeth Head, was hired. In 1960, the firm's name became Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.<ref name="History Skadden"/>
 
In 1973, the firm opened its second office in [[Boston]].<ref name="History Skadden"/> In 1981, Peggy L. Kerr became the first woman to become a partner at Skadden.<ref>{{cite news |title=For Women Lawyers, An Uphill Struggle |date=March 6, 1988 |work=[[New York Times Magazine]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/03/06/magazine/for-women-lawyers-an-uphill-struggle.html }}</ref>
 
In 1987, the firm opened its first international office in [[Tokyo]].<ref name="History Skadden"/> In 2008, together with the [[City College of New York]], Skadden launched the Skadden, Arps Honors Program with the goal of increasing diversity in law schools and the legal profession.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://ccnyskaddenprogram.org/our-program/unique-partnership/|title=Unique Partnership - CCNY|date=2013-03-07|newspaper=CCNY|language=en-US|access-date=2017-01-04}}</ref>
 
In November 2023, amid a wave of [[Antisemitism in the United States|antisemitic]] incidents at elite U.S. law schools, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom was among a group of major law firms that sent a letter to top law school deans warning them that an escalation in incidents targeting Jewish students would have corporate hiring consequences. The letter said "We look to you to ensure your students who hope to join our firms after graduation are prepared to be an active part of workplace communities that have zero tolerance policies for any form of discrimination or harassment, much less the kind that has been taking place on some law school campuses."<ref name=hiring>{{cite news |last1=Sorkin |first1=Andrew Ross |last2=Mattu |first2=Ravi |last3=Warner |first3=Bernhard |last4=Kessler |first4=Sarah |last5=de la Merced |first5=Michael J. |last6=Hirsch |first6=Lauren |last7=Livni |first7=Ephrat |title=Law Firms Warn Universities About Antisemitism on Campus |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/02/business/dealbook/law-firms-schools-antisemitism.html |access-date=2 November 2023 |work=The New York Times |date=2 November 2023}}</ref>
 
=== Target of Trump administration (2025) ===
{{Main|Targeting law firms and lawyers under the second Trump Administration}}
{{See also|Second presidency of Donald Trump#Actions against the legal profession}}
As part of a large retaliatory campaign in 2025 by the Trump administration against law firms and attorneys who had represented his political opponents, Skadden became concerned that it would be targeted in an executive order.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Schmidt |first1=Michael S. |last2=Protess |first2=Ben |last3=Goldstein |first3=Matthew |last4=Silver-Greenberg |first4=Jessica |last5=Farrell |first5=Maureen |date=2025-03-27 |title=Law Firm Skadden Arps Seeks Deal to Avert Trump Executive Order |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/27/business/trump-law-firms-skadden-arps.html |access-date=2025-03-28 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> In March 2025, Skadden came to an agreement with the Trump administration to contribute $100 million of [[pro bono]] legal services to support the goals of the [[Second presidency of Donald Trump|second Trump administration]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Mangan |first=Dan |date=2025-03-28 |title=Trump says Skadden, Arps law firm will provide $100 million in pro bono legal services, avoiding executive order |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/28/trump-skadden-law-firm-executive-order.html |access-date=2025-03-28 |website=CNBC |language=en}}</ref> The move was widely criticized.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rubino |first=Kathryn |date=2025-03-28 |title=Skadden Makes $100 Million 'Settlement' With Trump in Pro Bono Payola |url=https://abovethelaw.com/2025/03/skadden-makes-100-million-settlement-with-trump-in-pro-bono-payola/ |access-date=2025-03-29 |website=Above the Law |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite tweet |number=1905634731401572441 |user=SenWhitehouse |title=Pathetic when the richest and most powerful lawyers in America won't stand up for the profession that made them rich and powerful. |first=Sheldon |last=Whitehouse |author-link=Sheldon Whitehouse |date=March 28, 2025 |access-date=April 3, 2025}}</ref>
 
==Key people==
Unlike some firms that have introduced two-tier partnerships with [[equity partner|equity and non-equity partners]], Skadden maintains a one-tier partnership, in which all partners are equity partners and share ownership of the firm.<ref name="how">[http://www.skadden.com/content/sitefiles/Skadden_88A4B9FB5220CF7A8BC0A1AB8E3AD10D.pdf "How Skadden Does It"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120417185459/http://www.skadden.com/content/sitefiles/Skadden_88A4B9FB5220CF7A8BC0A1AB8E3AD10D.pdf |date=2012-04-17 }}, Andrew Longstreth, ''The American Lawyer'', May 2006</ref> The firm has 334 partners worldwide.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.law.com/americanlawyer/law-firm-profile/?id=279&name=Skadden |title=Skadden |publisher=Law.com |access-date=October 27, 2020}}</ref> Notable partners include:
===Partners===
Skadden, Arps has approximately 400 partners. Among the more notable ones are:
*Joseph H. Flom was the firm's first associate and is the only living "name partner." He is recognized as a pioneer in the field of [[mergers and acquisitions]].
*Robert C. Sheehan is the Executive Partner (equivalent to a CEO in a corporation).
*Roger S. Aaron is the senior partner in charge of all of the firm's corporate practice areas.
*William P. Frank is the firm's national litigation legal practice leader.
 
*[[Patrick Fitzgerald|Patrick B. Fitzgerald]], former U.S. attorney [[United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois|for the Northern District of Illinois]]; as [[U.S. Department of Justice Office of Special Counsel|special counsel]] for the Department of Justice, the federal prosecutor in charge of the investigation of the [[Plame Affair|Valerie Plame Affair]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.skadden.com/professionals/patrick-fitzgerald |title=Professionals: Patrick Fitzgerald |publisher=Skadden|access-date=2015-05-01}}</ref>
===Non-attorneys===
*[[Fred T. Goldberg, Jr.]], [[commissioner of Internal Revenue]] (1989–92), assistant secretary for tax policy in the [[United States Department of the Treasury|Department of the Treasury]] in 1992<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.skadden.com/professionals/fred-t-goldberg-jr |title=Fred T. Goldberg {{!}} Professionals|publisher=Skadden, Arps |access-date=2015-11-16}}</ref>
*Earle Yaffa is the Managing Director (the highest-ranking non-partner).
*[[Mark N. Kaplan]], former CEO of [[Drexel Burnham Lambert]] and [[Engelhard]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mark N. Kaplan|url=https://www.amacad.org/person/mark-n-kaplan|access-date=2021-01-03|website=American Academy of Arts & Sciences|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Mark N. Kaplan {{!}} Professionals|url=https://www.skadden.com/professionals/k/kaplan-mark-n|access-date=2021-01-03|website=Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP}}</ref>
*Carol A. Sawdye is the Senior Director.
*[[Michael Leiter]], former director of the [[National Counterterrorism Center]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Former Counterterrorism Official and Defense Industry Executive Michael Leiter Joins Skadden as a Partner in Its DC Office {{!}} News & Rankings {{!}} About {{!}} Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP|url=https://www.skadden.com/about/news-and-rankings/news/2017/09/michael-leiter-joins-skadden|access-date=2021-09-03|website=www.skadden.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Michael E. Leiter {{!}} Professionals {{!}} Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP|url=https://www.skadden.com/professionals/l/leiter-michael-e|access-date=2021-09-03|website=www.skadden.com|language=en}}</ref>
*Noah Puntus is the Finance Director (CFO).
*[[Stephen C. Robinson]], former [[United States District Court|federal district court judge]] sitting in the [[United States District Court for the Southern District of New York|U.S. District Court for the SDNY]]; former [[United States Attorney|U.S. attorney]] for the [[United States District Court for the District of Connecticut|District of Connecticut]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.skadden.com/professionals/stephen-c-robinson |title=Professionals: Stephen C. Robinson |publisher=Skadden |access-date=2015-05-01}}</ref>
*Laurel E. Henschel is the Director of Human Resources.
*Jodie Garfinkel is the Director of Attorney Development.
*Sally J. Feldman is the Director of Marketing and Business Development.
 
==HistoryRankings==
[[File:Skadden OMW.jpg|thumb|right|225px|Skadden's New York City headquarters at One Manhattan West]]
*[[1948]] - The firm was founded in New York by Marshall Skadden, John Slate and Les Arps.
In 2015 and 2016, Skadden was the fourth largest law firm in the U.S. by revenue. In the 2015 Global 100 survey by ''The American Lawyer'', Skadden ranked as the fourth-highest grossing law firm in the world.<ref name="americanlawyer.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.law.com/law-firm-profile/?id=279&name=Skadden,-Arps,-Slate,-Meagher-%26-Flom-LLP|title=Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher
*[[1954]] - Flom became a partner.
|website=www.americanlawyer.com| access-date=2019-02-01}}</ref> In 2016, Skadden had approximately 1,700 attorneys in 22 offices;<ref name="americanlawyer.com"/> in 2011, the firm had approximately 1,900 attorneys in 23 offices.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ilrg.com/nlj250/|title=IRL Largest 250 Law Firms in the U.S.|access-date=November 12, 2003}}</ref> Measured by the number of attorneys, Skadden is the fifth largest law firm in New York and 12th largest in the United States.<ref name="americanlawyer.com"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ilrg.com/nlj250|title=ILRG Largest 350 Law Firms in the US|website=www.ilrg.com|access-date=2016-11-29}}</ref> In 2016, Skadden was 187th on ''Forbes''{{'}} list of America's Largest Private Companies by revenue.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/andreamurphy/2016/07/20/americas-largest-private-companies-2016/#3a9425e31417|title=America's Largest Private Companies 2016|last=Murphy|first=Andrea|newspaper=Forbes|access-date=2016-12-05}}</ref> Previously, the firm ranked 335th<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/finance/lists/21/2003/LIR.jhtml?passListId=21&passYear=2003&passListType=Company&uniqueId=B9G3&datatype=Company |title=Forbes Largest Private Companies 2003 |website=[[Forbes]] |date=December 10, 2008 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081211170930/http://www.forbes.com/finance/lists/21/2003/LIR.jhtml?passListId=21&passYear=2003&passListType=Company&uniqueId=B9G3&datatype=Company |archive-date=December 11, 2008 }}</ref> in 1995, 194th<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/finance/lists/21/2003/LIR.jhtml?passListId=21&passYear=2003&passListType=Company&uniqueId=B9G3&datatype=Company|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081211170930/http://www.forbes.com/finance/lists/21/2003/LIR.jhtml?passListId=21&passYear=2003&passListType=Company&uniqueId=B9G3&datatype=Company|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 11, 2008|title=Forbes Largest Private Companies 2003|website=[[Forbes]]|date=December 11, 2008}}</ref> in 2003 and 213th in 2010.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/lists/2010/21/private-companies-10_Skadden-Arps_B9G3.html|title=#213 Skadden, Arps - Forbes.com|website=www.forbes.com|access-date=2016-11-29}}</ref> In 2015, Skadden became the first law firm ever to handle more than $1 trillion in M&A deals in a single year<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/moneybeat/2015/12/11/the-trillion-dollar-ma-milestones/|title=Trillion Dollar M&A Milestones|last=Hoffman|first=Maureen Farrell and Liz|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|access-date=2016-11-29}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.americanlawyer.com/id=1202744716429/With-DuPont-Deal-Skadden-Breaks-1-Trillion-MA-Barrier-for-2015-|title=With DuPont Deal, Skadden Breaks $1 Trillion M&A Barrier for 2015|newspaper=The American Lawyer|language=en-US|access-date=2016-11-29}}</ref> and, for the third time in six years, the ''Financial Times''{{'}} "Innovative Lawyers" report named Skadden the most innovative law firm in North America.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.paulhastings.com/docs/default-source/PDFs/ft-innovation-report-2013.pdf?sfvrsn=0|title=Financial Times, 2012 U.S. Report|access-date=January 4, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/reports/north-america-innovative-lawyers |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/reports/north-america-innovative-lawyers |archive-date=2022-12-10 |url-access=subscription|title=North America Innovative Lawyers|website=Financial Times|access-date=2016-11-29}}</ref>
*[[1959]] - Bill Meagher joined the firm. Elizabeth Head, the firm's first female attorney was hired.
*[[1961]] - The firm's name became Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.
*[[1973]] - The firm opened its Boston office, the firm's second.
*[[1981]] - Peggy Kerr became the first female partner.
*[[1985]] - Skadden became one of the U.S.'s three largest law firms.
*[[1987]] - The firm opened its first international office in Tokyo.
*[[1988]] - The firm founded the Skadden Fellowship Foundation. <!--The firm participated in the [[RJR Nabisco]] buyout, the largest such deal to date. Partner Peter Atkins led the Skadden team, which advised the RJR board of directors as to the financial soundness of the respective bids.-->
*[[2000]] - New York City headquarters moved to Four Times Square, also called the [[Condé Nast Building]].
 
==LocationsOther work==
===North America===
====[[United States|United States of America]]====
*[[New York City|New York]], [[New York]] - [[Four Times Square]] (headquarters)
*[[Boston, Massachusetts|Boston]], [[Massachusetts]] - [[One Beacon Street]]
*[[Chicago, Illinois|Chicago]], [[Illinois]]
*[[Houston, Texas|Houston]], [[Texas]]
*[[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]], [[California]]
*[[Palo Alto, California|Palo Alto]], [[California]]
*[[San Francisco, California|San Francisco]], [[California]]
*[[Washington, D.C.]]
*[[Wilmington, Delaware|Wilmington]], [[Delaware]]
*[[White Plains, New York|White Plains]], [[New York]] (non-legal staff only; no attorneys)
 
====[[Canada]]= Russia and Ukraine ===
Skadden has a history of representing clients with ties to the [[Vladimir Putin]] regime in Russia, such as [[Alfa-Bank|Alfa Bank]], [[Roman Abramovich]], and to [[Viktor F. Yanukovych]]'s pro-Russian regime in Ukraine. In 2020, the firm paid a $4.6 million settlement for misleading U.S. authorities regarding its lobbying on behalf of a Russia-aligned Ukrainian government.
*[[Toronto]], [[Ontario]]
 
In 2012, Skadden took as a client [[Viktor F. Yanukovych]], who was a pro-Russian [[president of Ukraine]] from 2010 to 2014. [[Paul Manafort]] helped arrange for the hiring of Skadden.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Ewing |first1=Philip |last2=Johnson |first2=Carrie |date=2019-04-11 |title=Greg Craig, Onetime White House Counsel, Charged In Ukraine Case |language=en |work=NPR |url=https://www.npr.org/2019/04/11/704559815/greg-craig-onetime-top-democratic-lawyer-charged-in-ukraine-case |access-date=2022-03-26}}</ref> One of company's actions on Yanukovych's behalf was to produce a report justifying Yanukovych's imprisonment of former prime minister [[Yulia V. Tymoshenko]] (who was pro-European) and denying that the action had been a political prosecution, although many Western countries characterized it as such. Later that year, a team of American lawyers commissioned by the government of Ukraine concluded that Tymoshenko's trial had not been fair and her rights had been violated.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Herszenhorn |first1=David M. |last2=Sanger |first2=David E. |date=December 13, 2012 |title=Failings Found in Trial of Ukrainian Ex-Premier |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/13/world/europe/failings-found-in-trial-of-ukrainian-ex-premier.html |access-date=13 May 2020}}</ref>
===[[Europe]]===
*[[Brussels]], [[Belgium]]
*[[Frankfurt]], [[Germany]]
*[[London]], [[England]] (official name is Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom ([[United Kingdom|UK]]) LLP)
*[[Moscow]], [[Russia]]
*[[Munich]], [[Germany]] {{ref|munich}}
*[[Paris]], [[France]]
*[[Vienna]], [[Austria]]
 
After Yanukovych lost power in [[Euromaidan]] and fled to Russia, Skadden's work on his behalf led to several federal investigations. One Skadden attorney, [[Alex van der Zwaan]], was convicted of lying to the FBI about his work on Yanukovych's behalf and served 30 days in jail.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Voreacos |first1=David |last2=Larson |first2=Erik |date=3 April 2018 |title=Lawyer Who Lied to Mueller About Russian Spy Gets 30 Days |agency=Bloomberg News |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-04-03/lawyer-who-lied-to-mueller-about-russian-spy-gets-30-days |access-date=3 April 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2018-04-03 |title=Trump-Russia inquiry: Dutch lawyer Alex van der Zwaan sentenced to 30 days |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-43627769 |access-date=2022-03-26}}</ref> In 2019, Skadden lawyer [[Gregory B. Craig]] was indicted on charges of lying to federal prosecutors about the work he did at Skadden on behalf of the Yanukovych, but was acquitted in a jury trial.<ref name="Lucas">Ryan Lucas, [https://www.npr.org/2019/09/04/757603189/jury-finds-ex-white-house-counsel-craig-not-guilty-of-lying-to-government Jury Finds Ex-White House Counsel Craig Not Guilty Of Lying To Government], ''NPR'' (September 4, 2019).</ref>
===[[Pacific Rim|Asia/Pacific]]===
*[[Beijing]], [[China]]
*[[Hong Kong]], [[China]]
*[[Singapore]]
*[[Sydney]], [[Australia]]
*[[Tokyo]], [[Japan]] - [[Izumi Garden Tower]]
 
Tymoshenko made plans to sue Skadden, and in May 2020 it was revealed that Skadden had paid at least $11 million to settle the case before a lawsuit could be filed.<ref>{{cite news |last=Vogel |first=Kenneth P. |date=May 11, 2020 |title=Skadden Said to Have Paid $11 Million to Settle Ukraine Dispute |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/10/us/politics/skadden-ukraine-settlement-tymoshenko.html?fbclid=IwAR2ApH9xXQ6mfD2jeFTmPmc18ZW71j9JLJ00iJlnGAH4rFZ8tJcq_Upmfm4 |access-date=13 May 2020}}</ref>
===Closed offices===
Former firm offices no longer in operation include
* [[Newark, New Jersey|Newark, New Jersey, United States]]&mdash;closed June 2004
* [[Reston, Virginia|Reston, Virginia, United States]]&mdash;2002&ndash;October 2003
 
Skadden, along with Mercury Public Affairs and the [[Podesta Group]], was investigated by the [[U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York|U.S. attorney's office]] for the [[United States District Court for the Southern District of New York|Southern District of New York]] (SDNY) for possible [[Lobbying in the United States|lobbying]] violations regarding former [[Donald Trump 2016 presidential campaign|Trump campaign]] chairman [[Paul Manafort]].<ref name="29investigations">{{cite web |author1=Larry Buchanan |author2=Karen Yourish |date=May 20, 2019 |title=Tracking 29 Investigations Related to Trump |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/05/13/us/politics/trump-investigations.html |access-date=May 22, 2019 |website=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> In 2019, Skadden agreed to pay a $4.6 million settlement to the [[United States Department of Justice|Department of Justice]] over the firm's failure to register as a foreign agent under the [[Foreign Agents Registration Act|Foreign Agent Registrations Act]].<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Vogel |first1=Kenneth P. |last2=Goldstein |first2=Matthew |date=2019-01-17 |title=Skadden Arps Agrees to $4.6 Million Settlement in Ukraine Lobbying Case |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/17/us/politics/skadden-arps-ukraine-lobbying-settlement.html |access-date=2019-01-18 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
==Practice areas==
The firm specializes in the following areas of law:
<table>
<tr><td>
*[[Alternative dispute resolution]]
*[[Antitrust]]
*[[Asia]]
*[[Australia]] and [[New Zealand]]
*[[Bank]]ing and [[institution]]al [[investment|investing]]
*[[Brazil]]
*[[Canada]]
*[[China]]
*[[Communications]]
*Complex mass [[torts]] and [[insurance]] [[litigation]]
*[[Consumer]] [[financial services]] [[enforcement]] and litigation
*[[Corporation|Corporate]] [[compliance]] programs
*[[Corporate finance]]
*[[Corporate governance]]
*[[Restructuring|Corporate restructuring]]
*[[Derivative (finance)|Derivative]] [[finance|financial products]], [[commodity|commodities]] and [[futures contract|futures]]
*[[Employee benefits]] and [[executive compensation]]
*[[Energy]] and [[project finance]]
*[[Environment]]al
*[[Europe]]
*[[European Union]]
*[[Financial institution]]s
*[[Financial services]]
*[[Gaming]]
*[[Government]] [[enforcement]]
*[[Health care]]
*[[India]]
*[[Information technology]] and [[e-commerce]]
*[[Insurance]]
*[[Intellectual property]] and [[technology]]
</td><td valign="top">
*[[International]] [[arbitration]]
*[[International law]] and [[policy]]
*[[International trade]]
*[[Investment management]]
*[[Israel]]
*[[Italy]]
*[[Japan]]
*[[Labour (economics)|Labor]] and [[employment]]
*[[Latin America]]
*[[Lease]] [[finance|financing]]
*[[Biology|Life sciences]]
*[[Litigation]]
*[[Mergers and acquisitions]]
*[[Patent]] and [[technology]] [[litigation]], [[prosecutor|prosecution]] and [[counsel]]ing
*[[Political law]]
*[[Private equity|Private investment funds]]
*[[Privatization]]s
*[[Products liability]]
*[[Public policy]]
*[[Real estate]]
*[[Russia]] and [[Commonwealth of Independent States|C.I.S.]]
*[[Security (finance)|Securities]] [[litigation]]
*[[Sport]]s
*[[Structured finance]]
*[[Tax]]
*[[Trademark]], [[copyright]], [[advertising]] and [[internet]] [[litigation]] and [[counsel]]ing
*[[Trusts and estates]]
*[[Uniform Commercial Code|UCC]] and secured transactions
*[[Utility|Utilities]] [[mergers and acquisitions]]
*[[White collar crime]]
</td></tr>
</table>
 
Skadden has been involved in representing Russian groups in corporate deals worth around $90 billion.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Beioley |first=Kate |date=2022-03-05 |title=Lawyers cut ties with Kremlin-linked clients as reputational risks mount |work=Financial Times |url=https://www.ft.com/content/5ca32b8c-7e29-4a91-8854-0660e5a2891e |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/5ca32b8c-7e29-4a91-8854-0660e5a2891e |archive-date=2022-12-10 |url-access=subscription |access-date=2022-03-10}}</ref> Skadden has represented Alfa Bank, a Russian bank closely associated with Russian oligarchs and the Vladimir Putin regime.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last1=Goldstein |first1=Matthew |last2=Vogel |first2=Kenneth P. |last3=Drucker |first3=Jesse |last4=Farrell |first4=Maureen |last5=McIntire |first5=Mike |date=2022-03-09 |title=How Western Firms Quietly Enabled Russian Oligarchs |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/09/business/russian-oligarchs-money-concord.html |access-date=2022-03-10 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Benner |first=Katie |date=2022-03-02 |title=Justice Dept. Announces Task Force to Go After Russian Oligarchs |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/02/us/politics/russian-oligarchs-justice-department.html |access-date=2022-03-10 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> After Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 and amid heavy sanctions against Alfa Bank, Skadden said it was "in the process of ending our representations of Alfa Bank."<ref name=":1" /> Skadden has a long-standing relationship with [[Russian oligarch]] [[Roman Abramovich]] –&nbsp;Skadden refused to say whether it still represented him in 2022.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" />
==Recognition and rankings==
*In 2005, ''Corporate Board Member Magazine'' named Skadden the top corporate law firm in America, according as selected by 1,483 [[Board of directors|directors]] and 284 [[General Counsel|general counsel]] of publicly traded companies. Skadden has held the top slot for five years. {{ref|cbm}}
*Vault, Inc. ranked Skadden fourth on its "Top 100 Most Prestigious Firms – [[as of 2006|2006]]", a survey which asked law firm associates to rank the prestige of various firms. The Vault survey also ranked eight of Skadden's individual practice areas among the nation's ten best: Antitrust (tie, 8th); Bankruptcy (2nd); Corporate (3rd); Litigation (5th); Mergers & Acquisitions (2nd); Real Estate (4th); Securities (3rd); Tax (2nd).{{ref|vault}}
*Skadden's ranking on Forbes's list of America's Largest Private Companies consistently increased between [[1995]] and [[2003]] but fell in [[2004]].{{ref|forbes2}}:
**[[2004]]: 205th
**[[2003]]: 194th
**[[2002]]: 200th
**[[2001]]: 224th
**[[2000]]: 230th
**[[1999]]: 245th
**[[1998]]: 269th
**[[1997]]: 297th
**[[1996]]: 310th
**[[1995]]: 335th
 
===Political contributions===
==Notable alumni==
As a group, Skadden partners and employees have contributed more to [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] political candidates than to [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]].<ref>[http://fundrace.huffingtonpost.com/neighbors.php?type=emp&employer=SKADDEN*&search=Search "Fundrace 2008 Campaign Donations], Huffington Post</ref> Prominent lawyers at the firm endorsed and financially supported [[John Kerry]] in [[John Kerry presidential campaign, 2004|his campaign to become president of the United States in 2004]].<ref>[http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_15/b3878044.htm "The New Fat Cats"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120226090432/http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_15/b3878044.htm |date=2012-02-26 }} from ''Business Week'' Online April 12, 2004</ref><ref>[http://www.sptimes.com/2004/08/05/Business/Business_leaders_for_.shtml "Business leaders for Kerry"] from ''St. Petersburg Times'' August 5, 2004</ref> In the run-up to [[Super Tuesday]] 2008, Skadden hosted a phone bank in support of [[Barack Obama]]'s [[Barack Obama 2008 presidential campaign|2008 presidential campaign]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/organizing/4rz4h |title=Barack Obama : : Change We Can Believe In &#124; Event &#124; Times Square Phone Bank |publisher=My.barackobama.com |date=2013-01-01 |access-date=2014-02-08 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140224110056/http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/organizing/4rz4h |archive-date=2014-02-24 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://newyork.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/organizing/4rh3l |title=Barack Obama : : Change We Can Believe In &#124; Event &#124; Times Square Phone Bank - LAST PUSH |publisher=Newyork.barackobama.com |date=2013-01-01 |access-date=2014-02-08 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081208101248/http://newyork.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/organizing/4rh3l |archive-date=2008-12-08 }}</ref>
Former Skadden attorneys include:
*[[Eliot Spitzer]], [[New York]] State [[Attorney General]]
*[[Silda Wall]], Spitzer's wife
*Leo Strine, Vice Chancellor, [[Delaware Court of Chancery]]
 
According to [[OpenSecrets]], Skadden was one of the top law firms contributing to federal candidates during the 2012 election cycle, donating $1.98 million, 76% to Democrats.<ref name="topcontributors">{{cite web|title=Lawyers & Lobbyists: Top Contributors to Federal Candidates, Parties, and Outside Groups|url=http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/contrib.php?ind=K&Bkdn=DemRep&cycle=2012|website=OpenSecrets.org |publisher=[[OpenSecrets]]}}</ref> From 1990 through 2008, Skadden contributed $11.93 million to federal campaigns; between 2000 and 2008 the firm spent $2.2 million on lobbying.<ref>{{cite web|title=Organizations: Skadden, Arps et al|url=http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000000243&cycle=A|website=OpenSecrets.org |publisher=[[OpenSecrets]] |access-date=9 June 2016}}</ref>
==Trivia==
*"Meagher" is pronounced "mar", not "mee-gur".
*The salary for a first-year associate (i.e., fresh out of law school) is widely reported to be $145,000, not including the annual discretionary bonus. {{ref|salary}}
*Prominent lawyers at the firm endorsed and financially supported [[John Kerry]] in his campaign to become president of the United States in 2004. {{ref|busweek}} {{ref|sptimes}}
*[[Bruce Buck]], a partner based in London who oversees all European offices, is chairman of the [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea Football Club]].
 
==Notable relationships with the firm==
==Further reading==
* [[Amelia Boone]], [[Obstacle racing|obstacle racer]], 2012 [[Spartan Race]] World Champion and three-time [[Tough Mudder]] champion
*{{cite book|
* [[Bruce Buck|Bruce M. Buck]], chairman of [[Chelsea Football Club]]
last=Caplan|
* [[Greg Craig|Gregory B. Craig]], former [[White House Counsel|White House counsel]] to [[President of the United States|President]] [[Barack Obama]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.skadden.com/professionals/greg-b-craig|title=Greg B. Craig {{!}} Professionals|access-date=November 21, 2016|website=Skadden, Arps}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Chile |first=Patricio |url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/former-skadden-partner-greg-craig-takes-stand |title=Former Skadden Partner Greg Craig Takes Stand |publisher=Bloomberg Law |date=August 29, 2019 |access-date=May 24, 2020}}</ref>
first=Lincoln|
* [[Bill Daly|William Daly]], Deputy Commissioner, [[National Hockey League]]
year=1993|
* [[George B. Daniels]], judge, [[United States District Court for the Southern District of New York|U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York]] (2000–)
title=Skadden: Power, Money, and the Rise of a Legal Empire|
* [[Robert Del Tufo]], former [[New Jersey Attorney General|New Jersey attorney general]] and [[United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey|U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey]]
___location=New York|
* [[John Feerick]], former dean of [[Fordham University School of Law]]
publisher=Farrar Straus Giroux|
* [[Joseph Flom]], name-partner
id=ISBN 0374265666|
* [[Chip Flowers]], first African-American elected official in Delaware (state treasurer) and co-chair, National Democratic State Treasurers (2010–2014)<ref>http://www.chipflowers.com; http://www.flowerscounselgroup.com/index.php?page=the-honorable-chipman-flowers-jr-esq</ref>
}}
* [[Greg Giraldo]], lawyer turned comedian and roast master
* [[Keith Gottfried]], general counsel for the [[U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development]] (2005–09)
* [[Jamieson Greer]], trade official under President Donald Trump<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.chicoer.com/2017/08/19/paradise-man-has-key-role-in-us-trade-under-trump-administration/ |title=Paradise man has key role in US trade under Trump administration |date=April 20, 2018 |newspaper=Chico Enterprise-Record |access-date=November 26, 2024}}</ref>
* [[Natasha Hausdorff]], British barrister, international news commentator, and Israel advocate<ref>{{Cite web |title=Natasha Hausdorff |url=https://6pumpcourt.co.uk/barrister/natasha-hausdorff/ |access-date=2024-10-17 |website=Six Pump Court |language=en-GB}}</ref>
* [[Laura Ingraham]], Fox News anchor and host of ''The Ingraham Angle''
* [[Merit Janow]], American academic, former dean of [[School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University]]
* [[Helene L. Kaplan]], former chairman of the [[Carnegie Corporation of New York]]
* [[Mark N. Kaplan]], former CEO of [[Drexel Burnham Lambert]] from 1970 to 1977 and CEO of [[Engelhard]]
* [[Judith Kaye|Judge Judith S. Kaye]], longest-tenured [[Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals|chief judge of the New York Court of Appeals]], serving 1993–2008
* [[Robert Lighthizer]], former [[Office of the United States Trade Representative|United States trade representative]] (2017–21)
* [[Finbarr O'Neill (businessman)|Finbarr O'Neill]], former CEO of [[J.D. Power]], [[Hyundai Motor America]] and [[Mitsubishi Motors North America]]
* [[Robert S. Pirie]], co-chairman and CEO of [[N M Rothschild & Sons|Rothschild, North America]], senior managing director of [[Bear Stearns & Co.]], and vice-chairman of Investment Banking at [[Cowen Group|SG Cowen Securities Corporation]]
* [[Douglas Rediker]], executive chairman of International Capital Strategies; former U.S. alternate executive director, [[International Monetary Fund]] (2010–2012)
* [[Irving S. Shapiro]], former CEO, [[DuPont]]
* [[Isaac Shapiro]], former president, [[Japan Society (Manhattan)|Japan Society]]
* [[John Slate]], name partner
* [[Mary L. Smith]], principal deputy director and acting agency head of [[Indian Health Service]]; former official, [[United States Department of Justice Civil Division]]; former nominee, assistant attorney general, [[United States Department of Justice]], Tax Division
* [[Leo E. Strine, Jr.|Leo Strine]], chief justice of the [[Delaware Supreme Court]] (2014–2019); previously chancellor (2011–2014) and vice-chancellor (1998–2011) of the [[Delaware Court of Chancery]]
* [[Robert W. Sweet]], judge, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (1978–1991, senior status 1991–2019)
* [[William H. Timbers]], former judge, [[United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit|U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit]] (1971–1981, senior status 1981–1994); chief judge (1964–1971), judge (1960–1971), [[United States District Court for the District of Connecticut|U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut]]
* [[Alex van der Zwaan]], attorney, charged with lying to federal investigators about his interactions with [[Rick Gates (political consultant)|Rick Gates]] in an investigation in [[Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections]].
* [[Stephen Vaughn]], former acting United States trade representative (USTR) and USTR general counsel<ref>{{cite web | last1=Palmer | first1=Doug | title=Stephen Vaughn, the Hamiltonian at USTR | url=https://www.politico.com/agenda/story/2017/04/27/stephen-vaughn-trade-ustr-000429/ | date=April 27, 2017 | publisher=[[Politico]] | access-date=May 11, 2017}}</ref>
* [[Harold M. Williams]], former chair, [[Securities and Exchange Commission]] (1977–1981)
 
==See also==
* [[Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections]]
*[[Thomson Financial League Tables]]
 
==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{notelist}}
 
==Further reading==
*{{cite book |last=Caplan |first=Lincoln |year=1993 |title=Skadden: Power, Money, and the Rise of a Legal Empire |___location=New York |publisher=Farrar Straus Giroux |isbn=0-374-26566-6 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/skaddenpowermone00capl }}
*[http://www.skadden.com/sites/default/files/ckeditor/files/How_Skadden_Does_It.pdf "How Skadden Does It"], Andrew Longstreth, ''The American Lawyer'', May 2006.
 
==External links==
*[{{official website|http://www.skadden.com/ Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP Web Site]}}
*[http://www.skaddenfellowships.org/ Skadden Fellowship Foundation]
*[http://biz.yahoo.com/ic/41/41499.html Yahoo! - Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP Company Profile]
*{{OpenCorp|Skadden Arps}}
*[http://www.hoovers.com/skadden,-arps/--ID__41499--/free-co-factsheet.xhtml Hoover's Online report on Skadden, Arps]
*[http://www.vault.com/companies/company_main.jsp?co_page=1&product_id=418&ch_id=242 Vault.com report on Skadden, Arps]
*[http://www.martindale.com/xp/Martindale/Lawyer_Locator/Search_Lawyer_Locator/alm_info.xml?alm_id=279&flid=503480 American Lawyer Media rankings]
 
{{Authority control}}
==References==
#{{note|revenue}}[http://www.thelawyer.com/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=119101&d=122&h=24&f=46 "US firms’ profits reach all-time high on back of M&A bonanza"] from TheLawyer.com
#{{note|world}}[http://www.law.com/jsp/tal/PubArticleTAL.jsp?id=1130765711793 "The Am Law Global 100"] from ''The American Lawyer'' [[November 2005]] (free registration required)
#{{note|ny}}[http://www.nylawyer.com/adgifs/1213Mag.pdf "NYLJ 100 Largest Private Law Offices"] from ''New York Law Journal Magazine'' [[December 2004]] (PDF)
#{{note|us}}[http://www.law.com/jsp/law/lawChartNLJ250.jsp?id=1100137001971 2004 ''The National Law Journal'' 250] from law.com (free registration required)
#{{note|forbes}}[http://www.forbes.com/finance/lists/21/2004/LIR.jhtml?passListId=21&passYear=2004&passListType=Company&uniqueId=B9G3&datatype=Company "Forbes Largest Private Companies 2004] from Forbes.com
#{{note|munich}}[http://www.legalweek.com/ViewItem.asp?id=22100 "Skadden launches in Munich with heavyweight Bakers team"] from ''Legal Week'' [[November 11]] [[2004]]
#{{note|cbm}}[http://www.boardmember.com/about_us/release_061305.shtml "Directors and General Counsel Rank Best Corporate Law Firms in America"] from ''Corporate Board Member Magazine'' [[June 13]] [[2005]]
#{{note|vault}}[http://www.vault.com/nr/lawrankings.jsp?law2006=2&ch_id=242&top100=1 "Top 100 Law Firms- 2006"] from Vault Inc.
#{{note|forbes2}}[http://www.forbes.com/finance/lists/21/2004/LIR.jhtml?passListId=21&passYear=2004&passListType=Company&uniqueId=B9G3&datatype=Company "Forbes Largest Private Companies 2004] from Forbes.com
#{{note|salary}}[http://www.legalweek.com/ViewItem.asp?id=27904 "Skadden matches NY rivals with salary rise"] from ''Legal Week" [[March 2]] [[2006]]
#{{note|busweek}}[http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_15/b3878044.htm "The New Fat Cats"] from ''Business Week'' Online [[April 12]] [[2004]]
#{{note|sptimes}}[http://www.sptimes.com/2004/08/05/Business/Business_leaders_for_.shtml "Business leaders for Kerry"] from ''St. Peterburg Times'' [[August 5]] [[2004]]
 
{{DEFAULTSORT:Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher and Flom}}
[[Category:United States law firms]]
[[Category:CompaniesLaw basedfirms established in New York City1948]]
[[Category:Law firms based in New York City]]
[[Category:Privately held companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Foreign law firms with offices in Hong Kong]]
[[Category:Foreign law firms with offices in Japan]]
[[Category:1948 establishments in New York City]]
[[Category:American companies established in 1948]]
[[Category:Multinational law firms]]
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