Hughes Hubbard & Reed

Hughes Hubbard & Reed
Hughes Hubbard & Reed · Public domain · source
Name	Hughes Hubbard & Reed
Headquarters	New York City
Founded	1888
Founders	Charles Evans Hughes; Charles J. Hughes; Walter C. Reed
Practice areas	Commercial litigation; International arbitration; Corporate finance; Intellectual property; White-collar defense
Key people	Former partners and notable alumni

Hughes Hubbard & Reed is a multinational law firm founded in 1888 with roots in New York City, known for its litigation, arbitration, and corporate transactions work. The firm emerged from associations with jurists and statesmen active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and has represented clients in matters touching United States Supreme Court, United Nations, World Bank, International Criminal Court, and multinational corporate affairs. Over its history the firm has counted judges, cabinet members, and diplomats among its partners and alumni, participating in high-profile disputes, regulatory proceedings, and international arbitrations.

History

Founded in 1888 during the Gilded Age amid figures associated with Charles Evans Hughes, the firm developed through the Progressive Era and the New Deal into a major New York practice linked to cases before the United States Supreme Court, disputes involving Panama Canal, and municipal and corporate reorganizations tied to New York Stock Exchange matters. In the mid-20th century partners from the firm joined administrations of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Dwight D. Eisenhower and served on commissions connected to League of Nations legacies and postwar diplomacy, while the firm expanded internationally during the Cold War era to advise clients engaged with European Union markets, OPEC negotiations, and World Trade Organization-related matters. During the late 20th and early 21st centuries the firm handled disputes invoking statutes like the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, represented sovereigns before International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes, and participated in financial restructurings tied to cases in Bankruptcy Court and transactions on the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ. Recent decades have seen reorganizations and staffing changes influenced by shifts in litigation markets, arbitration practice before tribunals such as the International Chamber of Commerce and engagements involving multinational corporations like General Electric, Siemens, and BP.

Practice areas and notable matters

The firm’s practice areas have historically included commercial litigation, international arbitration, corporate finance, intellectual property, white-collar defense, and labor and employment, with matters brought before bodies such as the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, International Court of Justice, and ad hoc tribunals under the Permanent Court of Arbitration. Representative matters have ranged from antitrust and securities cases involving parties like Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, and Deutsche Bank to cross-border arbitration for states and investors involving Argentina, Venezuela, and Egypt. The firm has advised on privatizations and project finance for clients such as General Electric, Siemens, and Shell and handled intellectual property disputes featuring plaintiffs and defendants including IBM, Microsoft, Apple Inc., and Qualcomm. In white-collar and regulatory arenas the firm has represented individuals and corporations in matters implicating the Securities and Exchange Commission, Department of Justice, and congressional inquiries tied to financial crises and compliance regimes influenced by legislation like the Sarbanes–Oxley Act and enforcement actions connected to Foreign Corrupt Practices Act allegations. Arbitration practice has included proceedings administered by the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes, London Court of International Arbitration, and International Chamber of Commerce concerning investment treaties, construction contracts with parties such as Bechtel and Fluor Corporation, and shipping disputes implicating Maersk and COSCO.

Offices and organization

Headquartered in New York City, the firm has maintained offices in major commercial centers, including hubs in Washington, D.C., Paris, London, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and energy and finance centers where clients operate, aligning with markets served by institutions such as the United Nations, World Bank, and regional arbitral seats like Geneva and The Hague. Organizationally the firm has been structured as a partnership with department-based practice groups overseeing litigation, corporate, arbitration, intellectual property, and regulatory work, and has developed specialist teams focused on sectors including energy, technology, and finance that engage with entities like ExxonMobil, Chevron, and Barclays.

Notable attorneys and alumni

Notable attorneys and alumni have included judges, public officials, and academics who moved between the firm and institutions such as the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, the United States Department of State, and the Federal Reserve. Alumni have held positions in the U.S. Cabinet and served as ambassadors to countries on multiple continents, as well as deanships at law schools like Columbia Law School, Harvard Law School, and Yale Law School. The firm’s alumni network encompasses individuals who later joined firms like Cravath, Swaine & Moore, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, and Sullivan & Cromwell or took roles at international organizations including the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

Pro bono, diversity, and community involvement

The firm has engaged in pro bono litigation and advocacy before courts including the United States Supreme Court and agencies such as the Department of Justice and United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, representing nonprofits, civil rights groups like American Civil Liberties Union, and refugee and asylum seekers from regions affected by conflicts involving states such as Syria, Iraq, and Libya. Diversity initiatives have aimed to increase representation among attorneys from backgrounds connected to institutions like Howard University and City University of New York School of Law and to partner with bar associations including the National Bar Association and the New York State Bar Association. Community involvement has included partnerships with charities and civic organizations such as Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, and local legal aid societies.

Category:Law firms based in New York City