Morgan, Lewis & Bockius

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius
Name	Morgan, Lewis & Bockius
Headquarters	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Founded	1873
Founders	John B. Lord; Charles B. Mitchell

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius is a multinational law firm headquartered in Philadelphia. Founded in 1873, the firm expanded through mergers and lateral growth to serve clients across United States, Europe, Asia, and Americas. The firm represents corporations, institutions, and governments in litigation, transactional work, and regulatory matters involving statutes such as the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Sarbanes–Oxley Act of 2002.

History

The firm's origins trace to post‑Civil War practice in Philadelphia and connections to legal developments involving the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Industrial Revolution (19th century). Early practitioners engaged with issues like contracts tied to the Interstate Commerce Act and disputes referencing United States Supreme Court jurisprudence. In the 20th century the firm advised clients during periods shaped by the New Deal, the Taft–Hartley Act, and wartime mobilization linked to World War I and World War II. Expansion accelerated with office openings influenced by the growth of firms such as Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, Covington & Burling, and Latham & Watkins. Later mergers and international reach paralleled trends set by Dewey & LeBoeuf and Baker McKenzie, moving into markets involving the European Union regulatory framework and matters before the International Court of Arbitration.

Practice Areas and Services

The firm provides services in areas including Antitrust law litigation related to the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice (United States), Securities litigation connected to the Securities and Exchange Commission, Labor and employment counseling involving disputes under the National Labor Relations Act, and Intellectual property matters before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. It advises on Mergers and acquisitions and Private equity transactions involving firms like Blackstone Group and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts. The practice covers Tax law controversies referencing the Internal Revenue Service, Environmental law matters touching the Environmental Protection Agency, and Healthcare law matters intersecting with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The firm handles cross‑border matters implicating the World Trade Organization and arbitration administered by the International Chamber of Commerce.

Offices and Global Presence

Headquartered in Philadelphia, the firm operates major offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, Houston, and Miami. International locations have included hubs in London, Paris, Frankfurt, Brussels, Munich, Milan, Madrid, Zurich, Dublin, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai, Sydney, Toronto, and Mexico City. The global footprint enables work on matters involving institutions like the European Commission, the Bank of England, China Securities Regulatory Commission, and the International Monetary Fund.

Notable Cases and Clients

The firm has represented corporations, financial institutions, and public entities in high‑profile matters including securities disputes involving Enron, WorldCom, and financial crises tied to Lehman Brothers. It has acted for major corporations in antitrust matters against counterparts like Microsoft, Google, and Apple Inc. and handled labor matters for clients such as United Airlines and Walmart. The firm has defended clients in regulatory investigations by the Department of Justice (United States), the Securities and Exchange Commission, and state attorneys general in jurisdictions including California and New York (state). It has represented pharmaceutical and healthcare companies in litigation touching products associated with Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, and Merck & Co. and advised banks such as JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup in transactional and enforcement matters.

Organization, Structure, and Leadership

The firm is organized as a partnership with an executive committee and chaired leadership resembling governance structures at firms like Sullivan & Cromwell and Kirkland & Ellis. Leadership has featured managing partners and global chairs responsible for strategy, finance, and practice group coordination analogous to roles at Allen & Overy and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. Departments are structured into practice groups—litigation, transactional, regulatory—with global chairs overseeing cross‑border teams that coordinate with regional offices in centers such as London and Hong Kong.

Diversity, Pro Bono, and Corporate Responsibility

The firm maintains diversity and inclusion initiatives and pro bono programs engaging with organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union, Legal Services Corporation, and advocacy groups addressing civil rights under statutes such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Corporate responsibility efforts align with sustainability and compliance frameworks referenced by the United Nations Global Compact and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The firm reports involvement in community partnerships with local bar associations, law schools such as Harvard Law School, Yale Law School, and University of Pennsylvania Law School, and participates in recruitment and mentorship programs modeled after initiatives at Clifford Chance and Dentons.

Category:Law firms based in the United States