David Boies

David Boies
David Shankbone · CC BY 3.0 · source
Name	David Boies
Birth date	11 June 1941
Birth place	* Syosset, New York
Occupation	Attorney
Known for	Litigation in United States v. Microsoft Corp., Bush v. Gore, SEC matters
Alma mater	Antioch College; Yale Law School

David Boies is an American trial lawyer known for high-profile litigation, corporate representation, and appellate advocacy. He has represented clients in landmark disputes involving technology, election law, antitrust, securities, and civil rights. Boies is noted for courtroom strategy, cross-examination, and work before federal and state courts, as well as the Supreme Court of the United States.

Early life and education

Born in Syosset, New York, Boies was raised in a family connected to Nassau County, New York. He attended Syosset High School before matriculating at Antioch College and later enrolling at Yale Law School, where he served on the Yale Law Journal. At Yale Law School he studied alongside contemporaries who later joined institutions like the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and academia at Harvard Law School and Columbia Law School.

Legal career

Boies began his career at the firm Cravath, Swaine & Moore and later joined Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, building experience in securities litigation and corporate matters involving entities such as IBM, General Motors, AT&T, and Citibank. He founded the boutique firm Boies, Schiller & Flexner with partners from practices tied to Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom and Sullivan & Cromwell. He appeared before tribunals including the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, New York Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court of the United States, representing plaintiffs and defendants in cases touching antitrust statutes administered by the Antitrust Division (United States Department of Justice), Federal Trade Commission, and state attorneys general from jurisdictions such as California and New York.

Major cases and litigation

Boies was lead counsel for the plaintiffs in United States v. Microsoft Corp. against Microsoft Corporation and argued remedies before the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. He served as counsel for Vice President Al Gore in Bush v. Gore during the 2000 United States presidential election recount in Florida. Boies represented clients in securities and corporate governance suits involving corporations like The Walt Disney Company, Halliburton, and Enron. He led litigation for plaintiffs against National Football League parties and represented parties in disputes tied to Major League Baseball and Nike, Inc. matters. Boies also represented consumers and states in cases against tobacco companies during litigation linked to the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement. He has engaged in intellectual property disputes involving entities such as Apple Inc., Google LLC, and Oracle Corporation, and represented parties in Securities and Exchange Commission enforcement matters and bankruptcy proceedings under the United States Bankruptcy Code.

Controversies and criticism

Boies faced criticism for representation choices and billing practices in high-profile matters involving defendants and plaintiffs tied to Harvey Weinstein and corporate clients associated with Theranos. His work drew scrutiny from journalists at outlets like The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post, and commentary from legal scholars at Harvard Law School and Yale Law School. He has been criticized by advocacy groups such as American Civil Liberties Union and commentators on platforms including CNN and MSNBC for positions taken in certain civil rights and employment disputes. Professional conduct and conflicts of interest were reviewed in media coverage during litigation connected to Weinstein Company affiliates and corporate boards of firms listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Honors and affiliations

Boies has been recognized by organizations including the American Bar Association, The Legal 500, and Chambers and Partners for trial advocacy. He served on advisory boards and corporate boards associated with institutions like Columbia Business School, California Institute of Technology, and philanthropic entities linked to United Way. He received awards from bar associations in New York and California and has lectured at law schools including Yale Law School, Harvard Law School, and Stanford Law School. He maintained affiliations with professional groups such as the Association of the Bar of the City of New York and was involved in nonprofit work with organizations like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International.

Category:American lawyers Category:Yale Law School alumni Category:People from Syosset, New York