Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison is a prominent American law firm founded in 1875 with headquarters in New York City and a global practice spanning London, Hong Kong, and other financial centers. The firm has represented clients in matters involving United States Supreme Court, Securities and Exchange Commission, U.S. Department of Justice, and multinational transactions tied to European Union regulatory frameworks. Its work has intersected with prominent figures and institutions such as JPMorgan Chase, BlackRock, Goldman Sachs, Walmart, and cultural organizations like the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

History

The firm's origins trace to 19th-century practitioners who engaged with litigations arising from the Gilded Age, corporate charters under New York State law, and commercial disputes connected to entities like Cornelius Vanderbilt, John D. Rockefeller, and railroads including the Pennsylvania Railroad. In the 20th century the firm expanded under leaders influenced by cases before the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, interactions with the New Deal era regulators, and advocacy during the Civil Rights Movement alongside figures such as Thurgood Marshall and organizations like the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. Later decades saw growth through representation in matters involving Microsoft, Enron, Lehman Brothers, and transactions related to Berkshire Hathaway, while partners engaged with policy debates tied to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and suits before the International Court of Justice.

Practice Areas and Notable Work

The firm maintains practices in corporate governance touching Delaware Supreme Court decisions, mergers and acquisitions for companies such as AT&T, Pfizer, and Amazon (company), and securities litigation before the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. Its antitrust group has litigated matters involving Federal Trade Commission investigations and competition issues relevant to Google, Apple Inc., and Facebook. In intellectual property the firm has handled copyright and patent disputes implicating Sony, IBM, Intel, and entertainment clients connected to Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, and the Tony Awards. The litigation practice has appeared before the United States Supreme Court in cases involving constitutional questions raised by litigants such as Ruth Bader Ginsburg and matters connected to Citibank, ExxonMobil, and Chevron Corporation.

Key People and Alumni

Notable partners and alumni include litigators who have served in public roles such as judges on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, officials in the U.S. Department of Justice, and advisors to administrations associated with presidents like Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Alumni have moved to prominent firms and institutions including Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, Cravath, Swaine & Moore, Columbia Law School, and Yale Law School. Prominent litigators with ties to the firm have worked on matters involving clients like Harvard University, Princeton University, Stanford University, and public-interest cases connected to Amnesty International and the American Civil Liberties Union.

Offices and Global Presence

The firm operates offices in major financial and legal centers including New York City, Washington, D.C., London, Hong Kong, and cities that serve as hubs for cross-border work involving European Union institutions, People's Republic of China regulatory authorities, and arbitration tribunals under rules of the International Chamber of Commerce. Its international practice engages counsel on transactions involving Deutsche Bank, UBS, HSBC, and sovereign clients from regions participating in treaties such as the North American Free Trade Agreement and arbitration under the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law.

Controversies and Criticism

The firm has faced controversies including representation of high-profile corporate clients during crises linked to Enron, Lehman Brothers, and controversies implicating Sovereign wealth funds and compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. It has been criticized in media coverage alongside other firms for matters involving billing practices scrutinized in reports by outlets such as The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, and for advocacy positions that provoked responses from advocacy groups including Human Rights Watch and Brookings Institution commentators. The firm’s role in politically sensitive litigations has invited scrutiny from members of United States Congress and commentators associated with think tanks such as the American Enterprise Institute and the Center for American Progress.

Category:Law firms based in New York City