Davis Polk

Davis Polk

Davis Polk is a prominent American law firm based in New York City with a global footprint in London, Paris, Hong Kong, and other financial centers. The firm is known for its work in securities law, corporate finance, antitrust, and high‑profile litigation, and it has represented major corporations, financial institutions, and governments in significant transactions and disputes.

History

Founded in 1849, the firm emerged during the era of antebellum United States legal development and expanded through the Gilded Age into the Progressive Era. Throughout the 20th century it advised clients during events such as the Panic of 1907, the enactment of the Securities Act of 1933, and postwar reconstruction involving Marshall Plan‑era finance. Partners and alumni played roles in New Deal institutions like the Securities and Exchange Commission and wartime agencies including the Office of Strategic Services. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries the firm participated in major reforms following the Enron scandal and regulatory responses including actions by the Department of Justice (United States) and the Federal Reserve System.

Notable Cases and Transactions

The firm has acted for issuers and underwriters in landmark initial public offerings and merger and acquisitions, advising on cross‑border deals involving entities from Japan, France, and Brazil. It represented financial institutions in restructuring efforts tied to the 2008 financial crisis and negotiated with regulators such as the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Comptroller of the Currency. The firm advised in major sovereign bond offerings for nations dealing with International Monetary Fund programs and litigated high‑stakes matters before the United States Supreme Court and federal appellate courts. Its corporate finance practice handled complex asset-backed securities transactions and liability management for multinational banks during the Great Recession.

Organization and Offices

Headquartered in New York City, the firm maintains offices in global financial and legal centers including Washington, D.C., London, Paris, San Francisco, and Hong Kong. It is organized around practice groups such as Mergers and acquisitions, Capital markets, Litigation, Antitrust and Tax law, serving clients in industries like banking, technology, energy, pharmaceuticals, and transportation. The firm has engaged in lateral hiring from firms such as Cravath, Swaine & Moore and Sullivan & Cromwell and participates in professional networks involving bar associations like the New York State Bar Association.

Notable Partners and Alumni

Alumni of the firm have included influential figures who later served in public offices and institutions: attorneys who became judges on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, appointees to the United States Department of the Treasury, and officials at the Securities and Exchange Commission. Prominent alumni moved between the firm and roles at Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase, and the World Bank. The firm's partners have authored articles in the Harvard Law Review and lectured at institutions such as Columbia Law School and Yale Law School.

Pro bono and Corporate Social Responsibility

The firm maintains a pro bono program supporting civil rights matters before the United States Court of Appeals and federal district courts, and it has represented nonprofit organizations such as chapters of the American Civil Liberties Union and advocacy groups focused on voting rights during matters related to the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Corporate social responsibility efforts include partnerships with community legal services in New York City and initiatives coordinated with philanthropic institutions like the Ford Foundation and the Gates Foundation to support access to legal services and public health projects.

Category:Law firms based in New York City