Mayer Brown

Mayer Brown
Name	Mayer Brown
Founded	1881
Headquarters	Chicago, Illinois
Practice areas	Litigation; Corporate; Finance; Antitrust; Intellectual Property; Tax; Real Estate; International Arbitration
Num attorneys	~1,500
Offices	~15 countries
Key people	(see Leadership and Organizational Structure)

Mayer Brown is a multinational law firm founded in 1881 with headquarters in Chicago, Illinois. The firm provides legal services across transactional, litigation, regulatory, and arbitration matters for clients in finance, energy, technology, healthcare, and manufacturing. Its client base includes multinational corporations, financial institutions, governments, and non‑profit organizations.

History

The firm's origins trace to 19th‑century Chicago legal practices and developments involving figures active in Illinois judicial institutions, the Chicago Board of Trade, and the post‑Civil War expansion of Midwestern commerce. Over the 20th century the firm expanded through mergers and affiliations with firms in New York City, London, Hong Kong, and São Paulo, reflecting global trends in cross‑border banking and trade after the Treaty of Versailles era and the growth of international arbitration under institutions such as the International Chamber of Commerce and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes. The firm advised clients during regulatory shifts following the Glass–Steagall Act debates and participated in major transactions tied to the evolution of the Securities and Exchange Commission and post‑1970s financial market liberalization. In the 1990s and 2000s the firm pursued strategic combinations during the era of consolidation that included competitors from Wall Street and The City, and it grew its Asia practice amid the rise of markets like China and India.

Practice Areas and Services

The firm handles matters in corporate finance, capital markets, and mergers and acquisitions, frequently engaging with entities such as the Federal Reserve System, the European Central Bank, and multinational banks like JPMorgan Chase and HSBC. Its litigation and dispute resolution teams appear before courts including the United States Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal (England and Wales), and arbitral tribunals under the London Court of International Arbitration and ICSID. Practice groups advise on intellectual property disputes involving rights held by clients including Microsoft, Apple Inc., and Samsung Electronics, and on regulatory matters involving agencies such as the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the United States Department of Justice. The firm also provides tax planning connected to statutes like the Internal Revenue Code and cross‑border structuring influenced by treaties such as the United States–China tax treaty and arrangements governed by the Organisation for Economic Co‑operation and Development. In real estate and project finance, teams work on transactions involving sponsors, lenders, and multilateral development banks like the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank.

Global Presence and Offices

The firm maintains offices in major commercial centers including Chicago, New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, London, Hong Kong, Beijing, São Paulo, Singapore, Tokyo, Sydney, Toronto, Frankfurt, Milan, and Paris. Its international footprint enables cross‑jurisdictional work spanning common law and civil law systems, coordinating matters with courts such as the High Court of Justice and tribunals like the European Court of Human Rights when matters intersect with human rights or public law. The firm’s global platform supports inward investment projects tied to initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative and financing linked to institutions including the Export–Import Bank of the United States.

Notable Cases and Clients

The firm has represented major financial institutions, multinational corporations, and sovereign entities in high‑profile matters. It has acted for banks in restructurings associated with events like the 2008 financial crisis and for corporations in mergers reviewed by competition authorities including the Federal Trade Commission and the European Commission. The firm’s litigation practice has been involved in securities litigation before the Securities and Exchange Commission and appellate matters before the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. It has represented clients in international arbitrations involving investors from countries such as Argentina and Venezuela and in disputes touching infrastructure projects financed by the Inter‑American Development Bank and the European Investment Bank. Corporate clients have included household names across technology, energy, and finance such as ExxonMobil, Chevron Corporation, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, and consumer brands with litigation or transactional needs involving intellectual property held by entities like Sony Corporation and Procter & Gamble.

Leadership and Organizational Structure

The firm is governed by a global management committee and an executive leadership team responsible for firm strategy, finance, and professional development, working in coordination with regional chairs for the Americas, EMEA, and Asia Pacific. Leadership roles have involved senior partners with backgrounds in litigation, transactional practice, and public service, including individuals who previously served in government positions tied to institutions such as the U.S. Treasury Department and the UK Ministry of Justice. The firm deploys practice group leaders across specialties such as antitrust, international arbitration, and tax, and maintains committees for risk management, diversity and inclusion, and partner compensation.

Corporate Responsibility and Pro Bono Work

The firm engages in pro bono legal representation for non‑profit organizations, civil rights matters, and humanitarian causes, partnering with groups like the American Civil Liberties Union, the International Rescue Committee, and human rights NGOs active before bodies like the United Nations Human Rights Council. Environmental and sustainability initiatives align with standards promoted by organizations such as the United Nations Environment Programme and the Carbon Disclosure Project, while diversity and inclusion programs track metrics recommended by institutions including the National Association for Law Placement and the ABA Commission on Diversity and Inclusion. The firm also supports legal education through partnerships with universities such as Harvard Law School, Yale Law School, and international law faculties in jurisdictions including China and Brazil.

Category:Law firms