Boies Schiller Flexner LLP

Boies Schiller Flexner LLP is a prominent American litigation-focused law firm founded in 1997 by David Boies and Jonathan D. Schiller. The firm rose to national prominence through high-profile matters involving corporations, states, and public figures across jurisdictions including New York City, Washington, D.C., and California. Known for trial advocacy and appellate work, the firm has represented clients in cases touching Microsoft Corporation, Google LLC, and various state attorneys general actions.

History

The firm was established in 1997 when David Boies, who had litigated in matters such as the United States v. Microsoft Corporation antitrust case and represented parties in the United States v. IBM era controversies, joined with Jonathan D. Schiller, a partner with ties to WilmerHale-era networks and Harvard Law School alumni. Early growth involved recruitment from firms like Cravath, Swaine & Moore and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, leading to expansions into markets including Los Angeles and Washington State. The firm later added partners from boutiques with experience in Securities and Exchange Commission investigations and Federal Trade Commission litigation, accelerating its work on matters linked to AT&T Inc. and technology platforms such as Facebook and Apple Inc..

Notable Cases and Clients

The firm has represented a mix of corporate defendants and plaintiffs: notable representations include anti-trust and technology disputes involving Microsoft Corporation, Google LLC, and Apple Inc.; commercial litigation for CBS Corporation and The Walt Disney Company; and plaintiff-side suits for consumers and states coordinated with entities like the New York Attorney General and the California Attorney General. It served as counsel in major litigation associated with Enron Corporation-era securities claims and represented parties in healthcare litigation intersecting with UnitedHealth Group and Pfizer. The firm also acted for public figures and institutions in defamation and privacy matters involving The New York Times, Fox News, and CNN. In class action contexts, clients and adversaries have included Equifax, Uber Technologies, Inc., and financial institutions such as Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase.

Firm Structure and Leadership

Leadership has centered on founding partners David Boies and Jonathan D. Schiller, with senior practitioners including litigators who previously served at firms like Davis Polk & Wardwell, Sullivan & Cromwell, and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. Management structures resemble other major firms headquartered in New York City with practice group chairs overseeing teams in Antitrust Division (United States Department of Justice), securities litigation, and intellectual property. The partnership includes former clerks of the United States Supreme Court and alumni from Yale Law School, Columbia Law School, and Stanford Law School. The firm has attracted lateral hires from firms such as Mayer Brown and Latham & Watkins to lead regional offices in San Francisco and Chicago.

Practice Areas

Practice groups encompass antitrust litigation interacting with Federal Trade Commission enforcement actions; securities litigation and shareholder derivative suits involving Securities and Exchange Commission filings; intellectual property disputes including patent and trademark trials before the United States Patent and Trademark Office and federal courts; complex commercial litigation for corporations like ExxonMobil and Coca-Cola Company; white-collar defense in matters tied to the Department of Justice and congressional investigations; and labor- and employment-related disputes involving multinational employers such as Walmart. The firm has also developed appellate practice work before federal circuit courts and high-profile petitions reaching the United States Supreme Court.

Controversies and Ethics Matters

The firm has faced public scrutiny and ethical inquiries arising from high-profile engagements. Matters have included internal disputes over partner conduct, questions about conflicts of interest raised in litigation involving media entities like The New York Times and Fox News, and regulatory attention during representations connected to investigations by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Department of Justice. The firm was subject to reporting and litigation over fee arrangements and client relationships reminiscent of controversies that have affected other large firms such as Sidley Austin and Kirkland & Ellis. In some matters, opposing counsel from firms like Cravath, Swaine & Moore and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz have raised ethical challenges that resulted in motions and court scrutiny.

Category:Law firms based in New York City Category:American law firms