Kaye Scholer

Kaye Scholer. For a century, it was a prominent American law firm headquartered in New York City, known for its formidable litigation practice and deep expertise in complex corporate and regulatory matters. Founded in the early 20th century, the firm cultivated a reputation for representing major corporations, financial institutions, and pharmaceutical companies in high-stakes disputes and transactions. Its distinguished history concluded in 2017 when it merged with Arnold & Porter to form Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer.

History

The firm traces its origins to 1917, when Seymour M. Kaye began practicing law in New York City. It evolved significantly through a 1943 merger with the practice of renowned antitrust law scholar Milton Handler, and later adopted the name Kaye, Scholer, Fierman, Hays & Handler after Samuel I. Rosenman, a former counsel to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and others joined. Throughout the post-war era, the firm expanded its footprint, opening an office in Washington, D.C. to engage with federal agencies and later establishing a presence in Los Angeles and major international financial centers like London and Frankfurt. Key moments in its growth included representing the Securities Investor Protection Corporation during the Wall Street paperwork crisis of the late 1960s and navigating the complex legal aftermath of the September 11 attacks for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Notable cases and clients

The firm was involved in numerous landmark legal matters. It famously defended Drexel Burnham Lambert and its financier Michael Milken during the Department of Justice investigations into junk bond trading in the 1980s. In the pharmaceutical sector, it secured a pivotal victory for Pfizer in patent litigation concerning its blockbuster drug Lipitor. The firm also represented the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in the historic Chapter 11 bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers, one of the largest in American history. Other significant clients included General Motors, Merrill Lynch, and Johnson & Johnson, for whom it handled critical product liability and commercial litigation.

Practice areas

Kaye Scholer maintained a full-service platform with several internationally recognized practice groups. Its litigation department was particularly preeminent, specializing in white-collar crime, securities litigation, and complex multidistrict litigation. The firm had a leading life sciences practice, advising clients on Food and Drug Administration regulatory compliance, intellectual property, and mergers and acquisitions. Additional core strengths included a sophisticated corporate practice focusing on private equity and bankruptcy restructuring, as well as deep capabilities in environmental law, real estate law, and intellectual property law, often representing clients before the United States Supreme Court and various United States Courts of Appeals.

Leadership and structure

The firm was traditionally led by a committee-based management structure, with a presiding partner or co-chairs overseeing its operations. For many years, figures like litigation partner Peter Haveles played central roles in guiding the firm's strategic direction. Kaye Scholer operated as a limited liability partnership and was known for a culture that emphasized entrepreneurialism and individual client relationships. At its peak, it employed approximately 475 attorneys across a network of 14 offices spanning the United States, Europe, and Asia, including locations in Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Tokyo.

Merger and successor firm

In late 2016, facing competitive pressures in the legal market, Kaye Scholer entered merger discussions with Arnold & Porter, another venerable firm with strong roots in Washington, D.C. The merger was formally completed in January 2017, creating Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer. This combination aimed to create a more diversified global firm with enhanced capabilities in regulatory practice, litigation, and life sciences. The merger effectively ended the Kaye Scholer name as an independent entity, integrating its attorneys and practices into the newly formed Am Law 100 firm, which maintains offices in key cities including New York City, Washington, D.C., and London.

Category:Law firms established in 1917 Category:Law firms based in New York City Category:Defunct law firms of the United States