Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP > New York, United States > Firm Profile
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP Offices
WORLDWIDE PLAZA
825 EIGHTH AVENUE
NEW YORK 10019-7475
United States
Profiles
- Profile > Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP > NEW YORK
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Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings
Antitrust > Civil litigation/class actions: defense Tier 1
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP has a full service global antitrust offering, with extensive experience acting as defense counsel in bet-the-company and multijurisdictional litigation concerning consumer class action and single plaintiff suits, as well as government enforcement actions. ‘World-class strategist’ Christine Varney chairs the antitrust practice. Gary Bornstein focuses on commercial disputes primarily antitrust, M&A and securities litigation with recent work involving allegations of anticompetitive behavior in the distribution of mobile apps and the modem chipsets business. Kevin Orsini has significant trial and lead counsel experience in class actions. Evan Chesler is recognized for his appearance in numerous cases in the federal and state courts across the country, representing clients in government and internal investigations related to the technology, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing and financial services sectors. Peter Barbur handles large and significant cases, including the successful dismissal for American Express of a civil lawsuit alleging provisions in its merchant agreements violated antitrust laws. All the above-mentioned counsel are based in New York. Former FTC Commissioner, Noah Joshua Phillips, joined the firm’s Washington DC office in October 2022. Katherine Forrest departed from the firm in January 2023.Practice head(s):
Christine Varney; Gary Bornstein; Kevin Orsini
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The caliber of the practice is what you would expect from a top tier firm – highly skilled.’
‘They are responsive and transparent. They tell the full story, including the bad news.’
Key clients
Alcon Laboratories, Inc.
Blue Cross Blue Shield Association
Epic Games, Inc.
Illumina, Inc.
Light & Wonder, Inc.
Louis Dreyfus Company, LLC
Meta Platforms, Inc.
Morgan Stanley
Qualcomm Incorporated
Robinhood Markets, Inc.
Work highlights
- Representing Meta in a putative class action and individual antitrust litigation filed throughout the country related to the multi-billion-dollar digital advertising industry.
Dispute resolution > Financial services litigation Tier 1
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP is a recognized financial services litigation firm with deep experience across antitrust, securities and consumer class actions. The firm represents major banks including JPMorgan, American Express and Citigroup on matters involving antitrust enforcement actions, putative class actions and residential mortgage-backed securities. With increasing activity in the fintech sector, the firm has demonstrated capacity in this area, continuing to represent Dfinity in class action securities litigation concerning the system’s governance tokens and whether these qualify as securities subject to government regulation. The litigation practice is co-led by Gary Bornstein and Kevin Orsini. Daniel Slifkin is also a key name to note for his experience in antitrust and securities claims. Meanwhile, Michael Paskin and Lauren Moskowitz are recognized for their focus on representing large financial institutions in financial product matters including RMBS. Moskowitz is also noted for her activity in bankruptcy proceedings. All lawyers named are based in New York.Practice head(s):
Gary Bornstein; Kevin Orsini
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
American Express Company
Blackstone Credit
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
Credit Suisse Asset Management
Morgan Stanley
Nomura International plc
Robinhood Markets, Inc.
Rothschild & Co SCA
Truist Bank
Westpac Banking Corporation
Work highlights
- Representing Robinhood as lead counsel in several lawsuits arising out of Robinhood’s decision to temporarily place certain restrictions on trading in certain securities in the face of unprecedented market volatility.
- Achieved the dismissal with prejudice of litigation filed against Morgan Stanley by Moby S.p.A. alleging that Morgan Stanley and an additional Moby noteholder tortiously interfered with Moby’s restructuring proceedings in Italy.
- Representing Citigroup in putative class action litigation concerning the execution of several large equity trades.
Dispute resolution > General commercial disputes Tier 1
Led by Gary Bornstein and Kevin Orsini, the litigation team at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP represents both defendants and plaintiffs in a wide range of commercial disputes in the technology, financial services, media, pharmaceuticals and retail sectors. The team’s broad experience covers breach of contract, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, tortious interference and unfair competition. The team also works closely with the firm’s corporate arm, helping clients structure business arrangements and practices in order to avoid future litigation. Evan Chesler brings extensive trial experience across numerous industries, notably representing Elon Musk in his $13 billion stockholder derivative action. David Marriott and Lauren Moskowitz are both noted for their versatility and trial experience, regularly representing some of the firm’s most high profile clients. All individuals mentioned are located in New York.
Practice head(s):
Gary Bornstein; Kevin Orsini
Other key lawyers:
Evan Chesler; David Marriott; Timothy Cameron; Wes Earnhardt; Omid H. Nasab; Lauren Moskowitz; Vanessa Lavely
Testimonials
‘Their recruiting seems very insightful, and they train people well to the point where their associates are generally much more advanced than those in other firms at the same stages of their careers.’
‘The firm was extremely flexible on billing arrangements. They had an extremely comprehensive approach to trials.’
The firm has exceptional talent and extremely good trial practitioners.’
‘Evan Chesler is a remarkable lawyer.’
Key clients
Alcon Laboratories, Inc.
Blackstone Credit
Costamare Inc.
Louis Dreyfus Company, LLC
PG&E Corporation
Robinhood Markets, Inc.
Starz Entertainment, LLC
Tesla Board of Directors
Unilever PLC
The Williams Companies, Inc.
Work highlights
- Representing Robinhood as lead counsel in the sprawling and high-profile “meme stock” litigation—so far winning the dismissal of two of the three tranches of claims brought against the company.
- Representing Costamare in connection with litigation alleging various theories of liability concerning the October 2021 San Pedro Bay pipeline leak off the coast of California.
- Represented Alcon Laboratories in connection with more than 50 class actions centralized in Florida federal court alleging that Alcon’s unilateral pricing policies for contact lenses violate the Sherman Act and state antitrust and consumer protection/unfair competition laws.
Dispute resolution > Leading trial lawyers Tier 1
Evan Chesler – Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP. Cementing his legendary status as a top US litigator, New York-based Evan Chesler is among only a handful in the nation who regularly and successfully tries bet-the-company cases across a broad range of practice areas and industries. The veteran achieved a monumental trial win in April 2022, representing Tesla CEO Elon Musk and the directors board in a matter concerning the acquisition of SolarCity, defeating a stockholder derivative action seeking $13 billion in damages. Chesler also secured a precedential Ninth Circuit decision for Starz Entertainment in July 2022, a ground-breaking decision regarding the interpretation of the Copyright Act. Daniel Slifkin – Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP. Continuing to establish his reputation for handling complex and novel litigation, Daniel Slifkin regularly appears before state and federal courts throughout the US, having represented financial powerhouses JPMorgan and Vivendi in high-stakes securities matters. A recent standout matter involved representing the Tesla board of directors and CEO Elon Musk, securing a complete trial victory in a $13 billion stockholder derivative action related to the company’s acquisition of SolarCity. Slifkin is located in the firm’s New York office. David Marriott – Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP. With a forté that includes IP, securities and antitrust, employment, and other business disputes, New York-based David Marriott has tried numerous high-profile cases in recent years, including representing Qualcomm before the US International Trade Commission in litigation against tech giant Apple. In a case which concerned the first vertical merger challenge brought by the Federal Trade Commission in 40 years, Marriott secured an unprecedented trial win for Illumina in September 2022, defending Illumina’s $8 billion acquisition of cancer treatment company GRAIL. Robert Baron – Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP Kevin Orsini – Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLPDispute resolution > M&A litigation: defense Tier 1
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP in New York is known for its ‘subject matter expertise, professionalism‘ and its lawyers are described as ‘highly competent, professional, effective and respectful‘. The firm’s work spans individual, class and derivative actions arising from planned or hostile transactions, and its litigators are frequently hired in instances where the firm’s M&A team did not handle the initial deal. Gary Bornstein and Kevin Orsini are the lead partners. Bornstein acted for Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc. in multiple stockholder actions concerning its pending $5.2bn acquisition by an investor group led by Apollo. Robert Baron and Justin Clarke handled a challenge to the pending $1.9bn acquisition of investment bank Cowen Inc. by TD Bank Group. Up-and-coming partner Rory Leraris continues to build on her impressive track record.Practice head(s):
Gary Bornstein; Kevin Orsini
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Subject matter expertise, professionalism.’
‘Highly competent, professional, effective and respectful.’
Key clients
Deutsche Telekom AG
Micro Focus International plc
Morgan Stanley
Qualcomm Incorporated
Reynolds American Inc.
SPI Group
Tesla Board of Directors
Unilever PLC
Independent Directors of Viacom Inc.
The Williams Companies, Inc.
Work highlights
- Won a major trial decision for Tesla CEO Elon Musk, defeating a stockholder derivative action that had sought $13 billion in damages related to Tesla’s acquisition of SolarCity.
- Won a post-trial judgment for The Williams Companies awarding Williams a $410 million contractual termination fee, plus interest and reasonable attorneys’ fees, in connection with its now-terminated $37.7 billion combination with Energy Transfer Equity.
- Representing members of the special transaction committee of Viacom’s board of directors in consolidated putative class action litigation alleging, among other things, that those directors breached their fiduciary duties in connection with Viacom’s $30billion merger with CBS.
Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: defense Tier 1
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP in New York is known for ‘subject matter expertise, professionalism and extraordinary service’, and clients describe the practice as ‘professional, expert, and highly respectful of process, people and the law’. Co-heads of the litigation department Gary Bornstein and Kevin Orsini are key members of the securities litigation practice, which is highly regarded for the work of its standout partners Daniel Slifkin, Antony Ryan and Karin DeMasi. ‘Their knowledge of the law and securities litigation specifically is unmatched’, remarks one client. The firm’s presence in new and emerging areas of the market is shown by the work of Orsini and Ryan in the defense of Robinhood Markets in high-profile “meme stock” litigation, in which it has won the dismissal of two of three tranches of claims brought against the company. Ryan and Rachel Skaistis are representing Qualcomm in a shareholder class action securities suit in California, and Bornstein is working with Ryan in the defense of Deutsche Telekom in putative class action and derivative litigation. Emerging partner talents Lauren Rosenberg, who worked with Ryan and Orsini in the class action defense of Dfinity USA Research, and Lauren Moskowitz are key members of the practice.Practice head(s):
Gary Bornstein; Kevin Orsini
Other key lawyers:
Daniel Slifkin; Antony Ryan; Karin DeMasi; Rachel Skaistis; Lauren Mokowitz; Lauren Rosenberg; Timothy Cameron
Testimonials
‘Subject matter expertise, professionalism, extraordinary service.’
‘Professional, expert, highly respectful of process, people and the law.’
‘Their knowledge of the law and securities litigation specifically is unmatched. They brought their absolute best to the table for our matter and ensured that younger associates were included, and their associates (even summer and first year) are some of the best and brightest I’ve encountered.’
‘The attention to detail, knowledge of the intricacies of our case, and the ability to manage individuals at every level of our organization was wildly impressive. Timothy Cameron and Lauren Rosenberg ensured that every member of Cravath team was engaged, thinking outside of the box and doing everything within their power to make our case a successful outcome. This team was dedicated and invested in our matter, they showed a level of care, compassion and professionalism that is lacking at other firms. This matter was not a check to them, it was an opportunity to build a lasting relationship and make things right for a client that was in a challenging position with litigation.’
Key clients
Deutsche Telekom AG
Dfinity Foundation
First Solar, Inc.
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
Occidental Petroleum Corporation
Peabody Energy Corporation
Qualcomm Incorporated
Robinhood Markets, Inc.
Tesla Board of Directors
Viatris Inc.
Work highlights
- Won a major trial decision for Tesla CEO Elon Musk, defeating a stockholder derivative action that had sought $13 billion in damages related to Tesla’s acquisition of SolarCity.
- Representing Robinhood as lead counsel in dozens of lawsuits, including numerous putative class actions, involving securities and various other state and federal claims arising out of Robinhood’s decision to temporarily place certain restrictions on trading in certain securities in the face of unprecedented market volatility.
- Representing Dfinity in purported class action securities litigation that raises whether Dfinity’s Internet Computer Project master governance tokens qualify as securities – a key issue in the cryptocurrency space.
Environment > Environment: transactional Tier 1
The environmental team at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP is based in New York and advises large domestic and multinational companies and their boards of directors on the environmental and sustainability aspects of large cross-border M&A deals. The group also handles a range of other deals, including divestitures, shareholder engagement and financings such as green bonds, while in the non-transactional space, it advises clients on compliance and disputes. Matthew Morreale heads the team and is a key name for transactions, as well as environmental‑related proceedings and investigations; he also handles environmental, social and governance (ESG) matters, regulatory and climate change issues, and environmental and toxic tort litigation. Senior attorney Annmarie Terraciano offers similar experience and is well versed in deals in the chemicals, mining, energy, pharmaceutical and consumer goods sectors, among others.Practice head(s):
Matthew Morreale
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
AerCap
Altra
AngloGold Ashanti
Ashland
Brookfield Renewable
Crown Castle
CyrusOne
Jonson & Johnson
Lindsay Goldberg
Martin Marietta Materials
RWE
Stanley Black & Decker
Swvl
Valvoline
Viatris
Work highlights
- Advising Johnson& Johnson on the environmental law aspects of its pending $16.6bn acquisition of Abiomed.
- Advising Brookfield Renewable Partners on the environmental law aspects of its pending $8bn acquisition of Westinghouse Electric Company, one of the world’s largest nuclear services businesses.
- Advising RWE AG on the environmental law aspects of its pending $6.8bn acquisition of the Con Edison Clean Energy Businesses, Inc., one of the biggest-ever green deals in the US.
Finance > Capital markets: debt offerings
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP has a history of headline and high-value transactions, including market-firsts and novel structures. It has an impressive mix of investment grade, high-yield, convertible and exchangeable debt deals. The firm has close connections to a number of blue-chip issuers and top-tier underwriters. It represented the underwriters in 10 notes offerings by JPMorgan totalling $38.9bn and advised the underwriters on the $2.9bn registered senior notes offering of ConocoPhillips. Craig Arcella and Andrew Pitts are big names in the market, including in investment grade and high-yield debt offerings. William Fogg, Stephen Burns and Scott Bennett are also key names, along with Nicholas Dorsey. Michael Mariani is increasingly prominent.Practice head(s):
William Fogg; Craig Arcella; Andrew Pitts
Other key lawyers:
Stephen Burns; Nicholas Dorsey; Scott Bennett; Michael Mariani; Douglas Dolan
Key clients
AerCap
BNSF
Canadian National Railway
Crown Castle
FactSet
IBM
Nestlé
Qualcomm
Rogers Communications
Shell
Weyerhaeuser
Various financial institutions
Work highlights
- Represented the underwriters in 10 notes offerings by JPMorgan totalling $38.9bn.
- Represented Rogers Communications in the issuance of approximately $12bn in notes, including notes to finance its pending acquisition of Shaw.
- Represented the underwriters in the $2.9bn registered senior notes offering of ConocoPhillips and the dealer managers in connection with ConocoPhillips’ concurrent $1.8bn cash tender offer and $3bn debt exchange offer.
Finance > Capital markets: global offerings
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP‘s huge reputation extends worldwide, despite having just two offices in New York and London. It advises on many of the most complex and high-value deals in the capital markets arena, and across the debt, equity and hybrid securities segments. The firm attracts engagements from many European issuers and international underwriters, notably recently advising Nestlé on its $4bn 144A/Reg S notes offering and representing the underwriters in an aggregate of $12.9bn of notes issued by Credit Suisse. Andrew Pitts, co-head of capital markets for North America, had another impressive year in 2022 with a string of headline deals for overseas issuers. Nicholas Dorsey impresses in high-value offerings, while Craig Arcella also comes highly recommended.Practice head(s):
Craig Arcella; William Fogg; Andrew Pitts
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
AerCap
Burford
Canadian National Railway
Nestlé
Rogers Communications
Shell
White Mountains
Various financial institutions
Work highlights
- Represented the underwriters in an aggregate of $12.9bn of notes issued by Credit Suisse.
- Represented Rogers Communications in its concurrent offerings of $7.05bn of senior notes and CAD$4.25bn of senior notes.
- Represented Nestlé in its $4bn 144A/Reg S notes offering.
Finance > Commercial lending
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP is most distinguishable for its market-leading lender tailored advice, which is primarily sourced from the firm’s New York office and is supplemented by expertise on borrower matters, particularly in relation to working capital facilities, multicurrency, asset-based financings, leveraged spin-offs and direct lending transactions. Leadership of the practice is divided between managing partner George Zobitz, focused on complex syndicated loan and direct lending transactions, Tatiana Lapushchik, noted for her recent involvement in the acquisition of CMC Materials by Entegris through the arrangement of $3bn worth of senior secured credit facilities, and Stephen Kessing, a key name among financial institutions, corporate borrowers and private equity sponsors. Also active, Matthew Kelly stands out for his representation of administrative agents, lead arrangers and bookrunners. Michael Goldman retired from the practice in 2022.Practice head(s):
George Zobitz; Tatiana Lapushchik; Stephen Kessing
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
AMG
Ashland
Enerflex
Eurazeo
FactSet
Fortress
Gannett
Gopuff
Lindsay Goldberg
Occidental Petroleum
WestRock
Work highlights
- Represented WestRock, as borrower, in the arrangement of $3.615 bn of credit facilities.
- Represented Enerflex, as borrower, in the arrangement of $1.525bn of committed bank and bridge financing for its acquisition of Exterran.
- Represented FactSet, as borrower, in the arrangement of $1.5bn of credit facilities to finance the acquisition of the CUSIP Global Services from S&P Global.
Finance > Fintech
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP is well regarded for its expertise at the intersection of technology and finance. The New York-based team offers a strong combination of transactional and regulatory expertise and is regularly used by major banks and fintech companies. The firm is also noted for its ‘understanding of complicated blockchain technology and how to translate this into legal advice‘. Transactional support, including capital markets and M&A is a clear sweet spot for the firm, but the lawyers are also regularly involved in high profile securities related disputes, such as its support to Dfinity in a class action securities litigation concerning its Internet Computer Project master governance tokens. On the corporate side, the firm advised Afterpay on its $29 billion takeover by Block by way of a scheme of arrangement. David Kappos leads the highly rated team, which includes corporate partner Scott Bennett, who has ‘a superb understanding of blockchain technology‘, and banking regulatory head David Portilla.Practice head(s):
David Kappos
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘I was very impressed with Cravath’s fintech team’s understanding of complicated blockchain technology and how to translate this into legal advice. The Cravath team actually read through our open source code in our blockchain protocol to provide legal advice. This was the first law firm that ever did this. I was amazed with the brilliance of their understanding of blockchain technology and the law.’
‘Scott Bennett – He’s the lead partner in Cravath’s blockchain practice that I deal with. Again, he has a superb understanding of blockchain technology. Our technology is one of the most complex and he is able to understand what we do. He is a brilliant lawyer who understands technology and provides sound advice for us to navigate complex US law.’
Key clients
Afterpay
American Express
Aramex
Dfinity
ECN
eToro
GreenSky
Pitney Bowes
Robinhood
Scientific Games
Truist Bank
Work highlights
- Representing Dfinity in a purported class action securities litigation filed in California state and federal court concerning Dfinity’s Internet Computer Project (“ICP”) master governance tokens and raising whether ICP tokens qualify as securities subject to government regulation—a key issue in the cryptocurrency space.
- Represented Robinhood in litigation involving antitrust, breach of contract, securities and various other state and federal claims arising out of Robinhood’s decision to temporarily restrict trading in certain securities in the face of unprecedented market volatility.
- Represented Afterpay in its $29billion acquisition by Block, the largest public M&A deal in Australia’s history at the time.
Labor and employment > Employee benefits, executive compensation and retirement plans: transactional Tier 1
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP has in-depth experience of handling complex M&A spanning multiple jurisdictions, along with managing divestitures involving major companies. The group boasts an impressive client list that covers industries ranging from life sciences to media and entertainment, including major names such as Amazon, Johnson & Johnson, and IBM. The head of the New York based group, Eric Hilfers, is highly experienced in providing executive compensation and benefits counsel in connection with M&A, as showcased by his key role in representing Amazon in its $8.45 billion acquisition of MGM. Amanda Hines Gold joined the firm from Morrison Foerster in September 2022, bringing vast expertise in drafting and negotiating severance, along with administering equity incentive plans. Jonathan Katz specializes in advising domestic and international entities in corporate joint ventures and private equity transactions, while Matthew Bobby focuses on complex spin-offs and IPOs, as underlined by his assistance to Johnson & Johnson during the separation of its subsidiary- Consumer Health.Practice head(s):
Eric Hilfers
Other key lawyers:
Amanda Hines Gold; Jonathan Katz; Matthew Bobby
Key clients
ADT
AerCap
Amazon.com
Cowen
Global Blood Therapeutics
IBM
Johnson & Johnson
Lindsay Goldberg
RWE
Swvl
Thermo Fisher
Unilever
The Walt Disney Company
Work highlights
- Advised AerCapin on ECB elements of its $30 billion acquisition of GE Capital Aviation Services from General Electric.
- Providing ECB advice to Johnson & Johnson in connection with the pending separation of its Consumer Health business, which is on track to becoming the largest spin-off in history, and in connection with its pending $16.6 billion acquisition of Abiomed.
- Provided ECB advice to Thermo Fisher Scientific in its $20.9 billion acquisition of PPD.
M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: large deals ($1bn+) Tier 1
One of the preeminent law firms in the US for transformative M&A, Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP is regularly turned to by an impressive roster of global household name companies across an array of industries, including retail, technology, consumer goods, entertainment, energy and life sciences. Benefitting from a deep bench of antitrust experts, the New York-based firm is also well placed to advise on spin-offs and joint ventures, and fields a wealth of experience in hostile takeovers, proxy contests and shareholder activist campaigns. Presiding partner Faiza Saeed is a reference in the market, given her involvement in market-shaping M&A transactions, most notably in the media, tech and biotech spaces. Mark Greene – head of the corporate department and the international practice – excels in cross-border M&A and private equity deals. Robert Townsend, who maintains a broad practice focused on M&A, corporate governance and activist defense, and George Schoen, who stands out for his track record in transactional work in the telecoms and media industries, are at the helm of the global M&A group. Leader of the EMEA M&A team Richard Hall is another name to note for multijurisdictional mandates. Ting Chen has taken a lead role in several high-value deals in the worlds of tech, media and entertainment spaces. Aaron Gruber and Keith Hallam are other key practitioners to note for activism defense, governance matters and M&A. Andrew Elken left the firm in August 2023.Practice head(s):
Faiza Saeed; Mark Greene; Robert Townsend; George Schoen; Richard Hall
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
AerCap
Amazon.com
Brookfield
Cowen
Global Blood Therapeutics
IBM
Johnson & Johnson
Texas Capital
Southwest Gas
Unilever
Viatris
The Walt Disney Company
Work highlights
- Representing Johnson & Johnson in its pending $16.6bn acquisition of Abiomed.
- Assisting Brookfield Renewable in its strategic partnership with Cameco to acquire Westinghouse for $8bn.
Tax > International tax Tier 1
The New York-based tax department at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP designs tax-efficient structures for an array of US and cross border transactions, including, mergers, spin-offs, joint ventures, private equity fund formations, acquisitions and internal restructurings. Lauren Angelilli heads the practice and focuses on advising clients on the tax and structuring aspects of M&A, joint ventures and SPACs. Ronald Creamer Jr. regularly counsels clients on the execution and IRS review of tax-efficient financing techniques and capital market strategies. Len Teti possesses expertise in connection with the execution of spin-offs and Christopher Fargo advises on tax issues in M&A transactions. Andrew Davis focuses his practice on private equity transactions as well as securities offerings, while Arvind Ravichandran advises on restructuring transactions and related financings. Stephen Gordon retired as a partner in 2022.
Practice head(s):
Lauren Angelilli
Other key lawyers:
Ronald Creamer Jr; Len Teti; Andrew Davis; Arvind Ravichandran; Christopher Fargo
Testimonials
‘Smart, technically competent tax professionals with good communication skills, business acumen and client relationship skills.’
‘Consistently higher quality partners and associates than competitors, speedy response rates to queries and thorough preparation and provision of tax advice.’
Key clients
AerCap
AngloGold Ashanti
Brookfield Renewable
Deutsche Telekom
Eurazeo
Johnson & Johnson
Micro Focus
RELX
RWE
SMBC Aviation
Unilever
The Walt Disney Company
Work highlights
- Advised Brookfield Renewable in connection with its strategic partnership with Cameco to acquire Westinghouse for $8billion.
- Provided tax advice to RWE in connection with its pending $6.8 billion acquisition of the Con Edison Clean Energy Businesses.
- Provided tax advice to SMBC Aviation Capital in connection with its pending $6.7billion acquisition of Goshawk Aviation.
Tax > US taxes: non-contentious Tier 1
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP designs tax-efficient structures across a broad range of domestic and cross-border transactions, including M&A, spin-offs, joint ventures, private equity fund formations, and restructurings. The group is the first port of call for a number of multinational giants, such as Amazon, Unilever and IBM. Recent work involves clients operating in the healthcare, life sciences, aviation, energy, fintech and financial services sectors; fresh additions include Global Blood Therapeutics and Texas Capital. In a notable highlight, Stephen Gordon and Christopher Fargo were involved in the advice to AerCap Holdings N.V. on its $30bn acquisition of GE Capital Aviation Services from General Electric. The practice is led by Lauren Angelilli, whose further expertise covers SPACs, IRS audits, securities offerings and other financing transactions. Among other key individuals are Ronald Creamer and Leonard Teti, both of whom are noted for their cross-border capabilities and dealings with the IRS. Andrew Davis and Arvind Ravichandran are also key names in the team. All named individuals are based in New York.Practice head(s):
Lauren Angelilli
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
ADT
Amazon
Atlas Air
BDT
Global Blood Therapeutics
IBM
Johnson & Johnson
Texas Capital
Thermo Fisher
Unilever
Valvoline
Vista Outdoor
The Walt Disney Company
Work highlights
- Assisting Johnson & Johnson with the pending separation of its Consumer Health business, in addition to its pending $16.6bn acquisition of Abiomed.
- Advised Global Blood Therapeutics on its $5.4bn acquisition by Pfizer.
Antitrust > Merger control Tier 2
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP handles merger counselling mandates, both pre- and post-notification, for major corporates in the US and internationally, as well as representing clients throughout high-stakes regulatory actions and litigation relating to mergers, offering deep agency expertise and strong connections with the firm’s market-leading corporate practice. The team advises clients in a wide range of industries, and continues to see success in clearing deals in industries facing significant regulatory scrutiny, including a high-profile victory for Illumina against the FTC challenge to its acquisition by GRAIL, a standout development for practice head Christine Varney , a ‘world class strategist’ and former FTC Commissioner. Elsewhere in the team, Maggie Segall is praised by clients as a ‘superstar’ and is prolific in securing clearances for high-value mergers, as well as advising clients on government investigations, while former FTC official Daniel Zach has great experience of merger litigation and successfully represented Louis Dreyfus Company against the DOJ’s challenge to the sale of subsidiary Imperial Sugar to US Sugar. Former FTC Commissioner Noah Joshua Phillips joined the firm as co-head of the antitrust practice in late 2022, expanding its regulatory expertise and resident in the firm’s Washington DC office. Lawyers are in New York unless otherwise stated.Practice head(s):
Christine Varney
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘They have built out a team of AT experts and US Agency experts, including two former FTC Commissioners, one of whom was also AAG for antitrust. They are a set of diverse men and women.’
‘Christine Varney is a world-class strategist. And Maggie Segal is a superstar.’
Key clients
AerCap Holdings N.V.
Afterpay Limited
Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc.
Global Blood Therapeutics, Inc.
Illumina, Inc.
Louis Dreyfus Company, LLC
Micro Focus International plc
National Grid plc
Unilever
Viatris Inc.
Work highlights
- Sucessfully represented Illumina in rejecting the FTC’s high-profile challenge to the company’s $8 billion acquisition of GRAIL.
- Represented Louis Dreyfus Company and its subsidiary Imperial Sugar, defeating the DOJ’s attempt to block Louis Dreyfus’s sale of Imperial Sugar to U.S. Sugar.
- Represented AerCap Holdings N.V. on antitrust issues in connection with its $30 billion acquisition of GE Capital Aviation Services from General Electric.
Finance > Capital markets: equity offerings
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP has an outstanding record in big-ticket equity offerings for domestic and international issuers. The firm is rated for both issuer and underwriter engagements and has a wealth of senior talent that operates across the debt and equity offering spheres. It is especially well known for industrial IPOs and has further strength in financial services and insurance offerings. With fewer IPOs in the market, the capital markets team has worked more intensively with M&A colleagues, particularly in relation to corporate separations and spin-offs. It represented the underwriters in two registered offerings of depositary shares representing preferred stock of The PNC Financial Services Group, totalling $2.25bn. William Fogg and Andrew Pitts have outstanding reputations, along with Nicholas Dorsey and Scott Bennett. Michael Mariani and Daniel Haaren are also increasingly prominent. Douglas Dolan has been promoted to partner.Practice head(s):
Craig Arcella; William Fogg; Andrew Pitts
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
ADT
Burford Capital
Hain Celestial
IsoPlexis
Robotic Research
Swvl
Vaxxinity
White Mountains
Various financial institutions
Work highlights
- Represented the underwriters in two registered offerings of depositary shares representing preferred stock of PNC, totalling $2.25bn.
- Represented the underwriter in the $1.3bn registered secondary common stock offering of The Mosaic Company.
- Represented ADT in its $1.2bn equity tender offer to be funded by the proceeds from State Farm’s equity investment.
Finance > Capital markets: high-yield debt offerings
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP is a longstanding leader in high-yield debt, with an especially strong record in underwriter-side engagements. It managed a series of impressive deals in 2022, including advising the initial purchasers on the $1.54bn 144A/Reg S high-yield senior secured notes offering by CHS/Community Health Systems. Joseph Zavaglia, head of leveraged finance at the firm, is noted for his major focus on high-yield debt transactions. Craig Arcella, co-head of finance, is another prominent figure in underwriter-side high-yield debt engagements. Andrew Pitts, William Fogg and Scott Bennett are also key members of the capital markets group, all of whom have a track record in high-yield debt matters.Practice head(s):
Craig Arcella; William Fogg; Andrew Pitts
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
Burford Capital
Enerflex
US Foods
Various financial institutions
Work highlights
- Represented the initial purchasers in the $1.5bn high-yield senior secured notes offering of United Rentals (North America), proceeds of which were used to finance the acquisition of Ahern Rentals.
- Represented the initial purchasers in the $1.54bn 144A/Reg S high-yield senior secured notes offering of CHS/Community Health Systems.
- Represented Enerflex in its $625m 144A/Reg S high-yield senior secured notes offering, proceeds of which were used to finance the acquisition of Exterran.
Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: litigation Tier 2
The New York-based team at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP handles antitrust, IP and securities disputes for a variety of clients including major broadcasting and digital gaming companies. In addition, investigatory expertise at the firm allows them to advise media companies facing investigation or to conduct internal investigations on behalf of media companies when issues such as sexual harassment or sexual misconduct are alleged. The practice is jointly led by experienced lawyers Gary Bornstein and Kevin Orsini , the former is known for his cross-examination expertise while the latter is currently representing Light & Wonder, Inc. in several individual and putative class action lawsuits concerning automatic card shufflers. Further recommended is Wes Earnhardt, who advocated on behalf of Starz Entertainment in a case against MGM Domestic Television Distribution in which his arguments pertaining to the scope of copyright protection won praise from peers in the legal industry. Antitrust litigator Katherine Forrest departed the firm in January 2023.Practice head(s):
Gary Bornstein; Kevin Orsini
Other key lawyers:
Katherine Forrest; Wes Earnhardt; Lauren Moskowitz
Key clients
Boston Red Sox Baseball Club LP
Epic Games, Inc.
Home Box Office, Inc.
Light & Wonder, Inc.
Meta Platforms, Inc.
Starz Entertainment, LLC
Independent Directors of Viacom Inc.
The Walt Disney Company
Warner Media, LLC
Word Collections, Inc.
Work highlights
- Secured a precedential Ninth Circuit decision in favor of Starz Entertainment in a copyright infringement and breach of contract action against MGM.
- Representing Epic Games as plaintiff in two separate antitrust actions against Apple and Google, alleging that the companies are engaged in anticompetitive behavior.
- Representing Meta in putative class action and individual antitrust litigation filed throughout the country related to the multi-billion-dollar digital advertising industry.
Media, technology and telecoms > Technology transactions Tier 2
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP is praised for bringing ‘significant experience that uniquely adds traditional intellectual property and commercial data licensing and privacy to provide full service, experienced counsel on modern issues‘. The firm’s market leading M&A practice invariably leads to a significant amount of corporate transactional support, with deals such as advising CyrusOne on its $15 billion takeover by KKR and Global Infrastructure Partners. The firm’s capacity for more pure technology transactional matters can be seen in its advice to IBM on its agreement with McDonald’s to accelerate the development and deployment of its Automated Order Taking technology in a deal which involved the acquisition of McD Tech Labs. IP co-head David Kappos combines well with global co-head George Schoen to form a compelling offering. Corporate partner Keith Hallam is another key name within the team.Practice head(s):
David Kappos; George Schoen
Other key lawyers:
Keith Hallam
Testimonials
‘Cravath’s team brings significant experience that uniquely adds traditional intellectual property and commercial data licensing and privacy to provide full service, experienced counsel on modern issues.’
‘The individuals have sufficient experience that I believe they have seen all issues before – so we do not have to train them on technology transactions.’
Key clients
ADT
Afterpay
Amazon.com
IBM
Just Eat Takeaway.com
Light & Wonder
Micro Focus
Pitney Bowes
Qualcomm
RELX
Robotic Research
Swvl
Thermo Fisher
Work highlights
- Represented Scientific Games (n/k/a Light & Wonder) in the $6.05 billion sale of SG Lottery to Brookfield and the $1.2billion sale of OpenBet to Endeavor.
- Represented Robotic Research in its $228million Series A financing round, consisting of a private placement of class A preferred shares led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2.
- Representing Just Eat Takeaway.com in its commercial partnership with Amazon.
Media, technology and telecoms > Telecoms and broadcast: transactions Tier 2
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP advises on the full range of transactions across the telecoms and broadcast space, focusing on the corporate aspect of business-critical M&A and financing mandates for major companies and investors active in the sector. The firm’s market-leading M&A practice is well-equipped to represent clients on complex, high-value, cross-border transactions, with further strengths in tax, corporate governance, and intellectual property. The New York-based practice is co-headed by Robert Townsend III, whose extensive expertise in all types of M&A and corporate governance has resulted in a track record of advising on a number of high-profile telecoms deals. Also active in this space is Andrew Elken, whose recent work includes advising Rogers Communications on its pending C$26bn acquisition of Shaw Communications, and representing Cyrus in its $15bn acquisition by KKR and Global Infrastructure Partners.Practice head(s):
Robert I. Townsend III
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
Cable One
Crown Castle
CyrusOne
Deutsche Telekom
Disney
QUALCOMM
Quibi
Rogers Communications
Syniverse
U.S. TelePacific Corp
Yell Holdco
Work highlights
- Representing Rogers Communications in its pending C$26 billion acquisition of Shaw Communications.
- Represented CyrusOne in its $15 billion acquisition by KKR and Global Infrastructure Partners.
- Represented Disney in the sale of a majority stake in Fox TeleColombia& Estudios TeleMexico to ViacomCBS.
Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense Tier 3
With ‘the broadest possible experience in all facets of government investigations’, Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP is sought out by corporations, executives, and board of directors for its strengths in crisis management, enforcement actions, and white-collar litigation. Thanks to its offices in New York, London, and Washington DC, the firm is ideally situated to assist multinational clients on cross-border investigations and compliance issues. John Buretta, who handles internal investigations and civil litigation for clients in industries such as banking, communications, and technology, leads the practice. ‘Practiced and polished attorney’ Rachel Skaistis focuses on representing management in the context of investigations, as well as FCPA and False Claims Act matters, amongst others. Evan Chesler and Benjamin Gruenstein are further key practitioners within the group. All named attorneys are based in New York.Practice head(s):
John Buretta
Other key lawyers:
Rachel Skaistis; Benjamin Gruenstein; David Stuart; Evan Norris
Testimonials
‘Phenomenal team! They are the best out there.’
‘Just a great team. They are the ones you want on your side on bet-the-company matters!’
‘Very experienced, very knowledgeable, and very responsive.’
‘Rachel Skaistis is an practiced and polished attorney. A commercial thinker who analyze and articulates risks without stoking fear.’
‘Evan Norris and John Buretta are top-tier white collar lawyers. They are careful, precise, thoughtful, and brilliants strategic. Would want them in my corner on any complex matter.’
‘The Cravath investigative team is exceptional. They have the broadest possible experience in all facets of government investigations and have the ability to staff matters to account for any conceivable issue that may arise. They have deep knowledge of how the relevant agencies work thereby situating them to provide the best advice to their clients.’
‘Ben Gruenstein is an exceptional attorney and, in my view, should be the first call for any corporation in any investigative matter. He is the total package—a wonderful strategic thinker who is fabulous with clients.’
Key clients
PG&E Corporation
Warner Media, LLC
Special Committee of the Board of Twitter, Inc.
Biogen Inc.
Prudential Financial, Inc.
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
Work highlights
- Represented Pacific Gas and Electric Company, and its parent company, PG&E Corporation through every facet of PG&E’s response to the 2017 and 2018 California wildfires—including multiple investigative, criminal and regulatory dimensions.
- Representing a Special Committee of the Board of Twitter, Inc. in connection with a shareholder litigation demand letter.
- Represented Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation in a qui tam action pending in the Southern District of New York, alleging violations of the False Claims Act and Anti-Kickback Statute and several state analogues resulting from Novartis’s promotion of the Multiple Sclerosis drug Gilenya through the use of paid speaker programs.
M&A/corporate and commercial > Shareholder activism Tier 3
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP utilises its team's familiarity with the playbook of key activist investors such as Corteva, Ancora, Corvex, Elliott, Starboard, Third Point, and ValueAct to successfully navigate campaigns when representing large conglomerates such as The Walt Disney Company. Co-head of the firm’s global M&A practice Robert Townsend focuses on all types of M&A, corporate governance matters and activist defense. The multi-disciplinary team works with clients from a diverse range of sectors such as including leisure, entertainment and gas. Mark Greene is a key practitioner and is head of the firm’s corporate department, alongside firm presiding partner Faiza Saeed, who recently led a case in which the group acted for Hasbro, Inc. in its successful proxy contest against Alta Fox Capital Management LLC.Practice head(s):
Faiza Saeed; Mark Greene; Robert Townsend; George Schoen; Richard Hall
Other key lawyers:
Daniel Cerqueira
Key clients
Cano Health
Hasbro
Southwest Gas
ViewRay
The Walt Disney Company
Work highlights
- Represented Hasbro, Inc. in its successful proxy contest against Alta Fox Capital Management LLC.
- Represented The Walt Disney Company in its support agreement with Third Point LLC.
- Represented Southwest Gas Holdings, Inc. in its proxy fight and settlement agreement with, and its response to an unsolicited tender offer from Carl Icahn.
Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: transactional Tier 3
The corporate expertise at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP enables the firm to handle high-value acquisitions such as Amazon’s recent $8.45bn acquisition of MGM, closed in March 2022, in which the practice represented the acquirer. The team also frequently advises the likes of Yell Holdco Limited and Quibi Holdings on banking matters, restructurings and winding down processes. Faiza Saeed leads the practice from New York and has extensive experience of crisis management and M&A- in a recent highlight she represented Disney in a support agreement with Third Point.Practice head(s):
Faiza Saeed
Key clients
Amazon
Cable One
DreamWorks
Disney
Gannett
Hasbro
Quibi
Scientific Games
Rogers Communication
Univision
Yell
Work highlights
- Representing Rogers Communications in its pending C$26 billion acquisition of Canadian connectivity company Shaw Communications.
- Represented The Walt Disney Company in connection with its support agreement with Third Point LLC.
- Represented Amazon.com, Inc. in its $8.45 billion acquisition of MGM Studios.
Dispute resolution > Appellate: courts of appeals / Appellate: supreme courts (states and federal) Tier 4
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP routinely appears before state and federal appellate courts across the country, where it represents both appellants and appellees in complex IP, securities, antitrust and class action-related cases, among others. The group is often involved in appeals for which it handled the preceding trial litigation, but it also picks up a significant volume of new mandates at appellate level. Litigation co-head Gary Bornstein is noted for his focus on antitrust, M&A and securities work; he co-steers the practice alongside Kevin Orsini–both are based in New York.Practice head(s):
Gary Bornstein; Kevin Orsini
Other key lawyers:
Yonatan Even; Antony Ryan; Evan Chesler; Lauren Moskowitz
Key clients
Alarm.com Inc.
American Express Company
Boston Red Sox Baseball Club LP
Colgate-Palmolive Company
Epic Games, Inc.
Louis Dreyfus Company, LLC
Morgan Stanley
PG&E Corporation
Robinhood Markets, Inc.
Starz Entertainment, LLC
Work highlights
- Secured a precedential Ninth Circuit decision for Starz Entertainment, affirming that the Copyright Act did not impose a time-based bar on damages for copyright infringement claims separate from the three-year statute of limitations.
- Successfully represented American Express at the Second Circuit, when it secured a decision affirming the dismissal of antitrust claims relating to AmEx’s anti-steering rules.
- Secured a victory for Alarm.com before the Federal Circuit in litigation against the USPTO.
Intellectual property > Patents: litigation (full coverage) Tier 4
Intellectual property is an integral practice area at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, with a team of IP practitioners who are adept at handling matters involving patents, trade secrets, copyrights, and trademarks, as well as commercial litigation related to IP matters including antirust claims. In addition to national IP work, the team is capable of advising on global strategy, and benefits from close collaboration with other departments in the firm, including corporate and broader commercial litigation. Keith Hummel and David Kappos co-chair the practice out of the firm’s New York office, regularly acting on complex patent litigation. In the same office, Sharonmoyee Goswami is integral to the team, as the go-to attorney for Alarm.com and often representing Abiomed.
Practice head(s):
Keith Hummel; David Kappos
Other key lawyers:
Sharonmoyee Goswami
Testimonials
‘The Cravath team is just the best!’
‘Cravath is a top notch law firm with many areas of expertise. They have a “team” concept. Our company has a good working relationship with the Cravath team. In the area of IP particularly in our case which is about the manufacturing of chemicals. Cravath has provided lawyers and consultants who are knowledgeable about chemistry.’
‘Our lead lawyer is Keith Hummel, he is well known and represented many large company. He has good industry contacts and a well respected colleague at Cravath. We are very happy for him to represent us in litigation.’
Key clients
Abiomed Inc.
Alarm.com Inc.
Amgen Inc.
Axalta Coating Systems, LLC
CRISPR Therapeutics
Illumina, Inc.
Truist Bank
Vitaworks IP, LLC
Work highlights
- Represented Alarm.com in patent infringement litigation brought by Vivint over interactive security and home automation technology.
- Representing Abiomed in two patent infringement suits against Maquet regarding patents relating to guidance systems used to place intravascular blood pumps.
- Representing Truist Bank in patent infringement litigation brought by United Services Automobile Association concerning patents that relate to remote check deposit for mobile banking.
Finance > Financial services regulation Tier 5
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP’s bank regulatory offering is led by David Portilla, and handles matters encompassing matters relating to banking, cryptoasset, digital currency and M&A transactions. The firm’s reach was further enhanced by the opening of a new office in Washington DC led by Jelena McWilliams, who joined in July 2022 from her previous role as the chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. In August 2022, Elad Roisman joined the firm from the SEC, bringing with him extensive knowledge of reporting and disclosure obligations and corporate governance.Practice head(s):
David Portilla
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Government experience & ability to understand and adapt to the client’s specific needs. Also availability to deal with any type of problem with thoughtful advice.‘
Key clients
Afterpay
Cowen
Credit Suisse
Dfinity
ECN
Financial Services Forum
GreenSky
Morgan Stanley
Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association
Silicon Valley Bank
Texas Capital Bancshares
Westpac
Work highlights
- Advising to Cowen in connection with its pending $1.9bn acquisition by TD Bank.
- Advising Texas Capital Bank in connection with the $3.4bn sale of BankDirect Capital Finance to Truist.
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP > Firm Profile
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP has been known as one of the premier US law firms for over two centuries. Each of the firm’s practices is highly regarded, and Cravath lawyers are recognized for their commitment to the representation of their clients’ interests in the US and throughout the world.
International experience: Cravath is committed to an international practice of the highest quality. Its lawyers regularly advise clients based outside the US on a wide range of international transactions, including cross-border mergers and acquisitions, international capital markets and bank financings, and general corporate and SEC compliance matters. The firm’s investigations team has expertise conducting cross-border internal and government investigations involving companies subject to multiple government authorities operating under differing regulatory regimes. Cravath represents clients in litigation in US courts and in arbitrations and investigations conducted throughout the world.
Main areas of practice
Corporate: Cravath’s work with many of the world’s most significant companies has enabled it to develop a broad-based corporate practice. Clients repeatedly choose Cravath for their largest and most complex matters. The firm’s corporate lawyers represent companies and boards in their most critical needs across the full spectrum of corporate transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, spin-offs and joint ventures, as well as in high-stakes corporate situations, including hostile takeovers, proxy fights and shareholder activist campaigns. The firm has one of the most respected capital markets practices in the world. The practice is balanced between representing issuers and underwriters on debt, equity and convertible offerings. Cravath’s banking and credit lawyers regularly represent major financial institutions and borrowers on acquisition financings and lending transactions ranging from routine working capital facilities to multicurrency and highly structured financings. The financial institutions group (FIG) counsels financial institutions, fintechs and other non-bank firms in transactional, regulatory, supervisory, enforcement and governance matters. Cravath provides corporate governance advice to clients facing difficult choices and evaluates complex and often unprecedented transactions under the most demanding circumstances. The financial restructuring and reorganization practice addresses a wide range of financial distress situations involving both chapter 11 cases and out-of-court workouts. Cravath’s corporate IP lawyers advise clients in connection with issues relating to patents, trademarks, copyrights, data, trade secrets, privacy and information security. The firm’s highly regarded environmental lawyers focus on environmental issues across a broad range of business transactions, and on matters associated with ESG, sustainability concerns and climate change.
Litigation: Clients turn to Cravath to handle their most significant and sensitive disputes and investigations across a broad range of practice areas and industries. The firm’s litigators are routinely called upon to represent clients in trials and appeals in federal and state courts, in domestic and international arbitrations, before administrative agencies and regulatory authorities, and in many other types of proceedings, including internal and government investigations and enforcement actions. The firm has extensive experience in such diverse areas of the law as antitrust, bankruptcy, corporate governance, employment, general commercial, IP, investigations and regulatory enforcement, M&A and securities. Companies, boards and board committees regularly rely on the firm to handle contested transactions and guide them through the intricacies of shareholder litigation and investigations, as well as complying with applicable laws and regulations. In addition to handling antitrust litigation, the firm advises on business conduct or potential investments to ensure compliance with antitrust laws and represents clients in securing regulatory approvals. With respect to IP, the firm handles critical litigation involving patents, trade secrets, copyright and trademarks in industries as wide-ranging as technology, pharmaceuticals and financial services. Cravath also frequently advises clients on national and worldwide IP strategy and the identification of IP assets that can be used effectively for offensive or defensive purposes. In the area of securities litigation, the firm is widely recognised for handling complex and often precedent-setting cases. The firm’s white collar team of seasoned litigators and corporate advisory lawyers brings extensive experience from the government and private sectors to a wide variety of investigations, disputes and corporate matters.
Tax: Cravath’s tax department designs tax-efficient structures for US and cross-border transactions, including mergers, spin-offs, joint ventures, SPACs and private equity fund formations and acquisitions, as well as capital markets offerings and credit facilities. Clients rely on Cravath’s tax lawyers for their extensive legal knowledge, practical and sound business judgment and ability to explain complicated issues in a clear and understandable way.
Executive compensation and benefits: Cravath’s ECB department brings experience and judgment to its clients’ employee benefits and compensation matters, which are often central concerns in corporate transactions. The firm’s ECB lawyers advise companies, boards of directors, compensation committees and members of senior management in a variety of compensation and benefit arrangements as well as legal compliance concerns.
Trusts and estates: Cravath’s trusts and estates lawyers represent domestic and international private clients and their families, including successful entrepreneurs and founders of companies, senior executives and family offices. We help our clients realize their estate planning and philanthropic goals by advising them on the creation and administration of trusts, estates and charitable foundations.
Main Contacts
Department | Name | Telephone | |
---|---|---|---|
Presiding Partner | Faiza J Saeed |
Lawyer Profiles
Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
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Mr Michael Addis | Michael P. Addis primarily focuses his practice on complex civil litigation related… | View Profile | |
Ms Lauren Angelilli | Lauren Angelilli is a partner at Cravath and serves as Head of… | View Profile | |
Mr Craig Arcella | Craig F. Arcella is a partner in Cravath’s Corporate Department and serves… | View Profile | |
Mr Jin-Kyu Baek | Jin-Kyu Baek focuses his practice on mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and… | View Profile | |
Mr Peter Barbur | Peter T. Barbur handles a wide variety of antitrust, intellectual property and… | View Profile | |
Mr Robert Baron | Robert H. Baron has handled major commercial cases brought as individual and class… | View Profile | |
Mr D Scott Bennett | Scott Bennett is a partner in Cravath’s Corporate Department. His practice primarily… | View Profile | |
Mr Matthew Bobby | Matthew J. Bobby is a partner in Cravath’s Executive Compensation and Benefits… | View Profile | |
Mr Gary Bornstein | Gary A. Bornstein is Co-Head of Cravath’s Litigation Department. He handles a… | View Profile | |
Mr John Buretta | John D. Buretta is Chair of Cravath’s Investigations and Regulatory Enforcement Practice… | View Profile | |
Mr Stephen Burns | Stephen L. Burns is a partner in Cravath’s Corporate Department and serves… | View Profile | |
Mr Timothy Cameron | Timothy G. Cameron focuses his practice on a broad range of litigation… | View Profile | |
Mr Daniel Cerqueira | Daniel J. Cerqueira focuses his practice on mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance,… | View Profile | |
Ms Ting Chen | Ting S. Chen is a partner in Cravath’s Corporate Department. Her practice… | View Profile | |
Mr Evan Chesler | Evan R. Chesler is widely recognized as one of the country’s leading… | View Profile | |
Mr Justin Clarke | Justin C. Clarke focuses his practice on litigation concerning mergers and acquisitions,… | View Profile | |
Mr Ronald Creamer Jr. | Ron Creamer is a seasoned tax practitioner in all types of acquisitions… | View Profile | |
Mr Andrew Davis | Andrew T. Davis is a partner in Cravath’s Tax Department. He focuses… | View Profile | |
Ms Karin DeMasi | Karin A. DeMasi is Managing Partner of Cravath’s Litigation Department. Her practice… | View Profile | |
Mr Douglas Dolan | Doug Dolan focuses his practice on representing corporate issuers and investment banking… | View Profile | |
Mr Nicholas Dorsey | Nicholas A. Dorsey is a partner in Cravath’s Corporate Department. His practice… | View Profile | |
Mr Thomas Dunn | Thomas E. Dunn is a partner in Cravath’s Corporate Department. His diverse… | View Profile | |
Mr Wes Earnhardt | Wes Earnhardt has significant experience leading critical matters for clients in all… | View Profile | |
Mr Wes Earnhardt | Wes Earnhardt has significant experience leading critical matters for clients in all… | View Profile | |
Mr Yonatan Even | Yonatan Even has a broad litigation practice, with a particular focus on… | View Profile | |
Mr Christopher Fargo | Christopher K. Fargo is a partner in Cravath’s Tax Department. His practice… | View Profile | |
Mr Peter Feist | Peter Feist is Co-Head of Cravath’s Private Equity Practice and focuses on… | View Profile | |
Mr David Finkelstein | David S. Finkelstein is a partner in Cravath’s Trusts and Estates Department.… | View Profile | |
Mr Maurio Fiore | Maurio A. Fiore focuses his practice on mergers and acquisitions, private equity… | View Profile | |
Mr William Fogg | William V. Fogg is a partner in Cravath’s Corporate Department and serves… | View Profile | |
Ms Helam Gebremariam | Helam Gebremariam’s practice focuses on complex civil litigation related to antitrust, contractual… | View Profile | |
Ms Amanda Gold | Amanda Gold focuses her practice on executive compensation matters including designing, drafting… | View Profile | |
Ms Sharonmoyee Goswami | Sharonmoyee Goswami focuses her practice on intellectual property, antitrust and litigation involving… | View Profile | |
Mr Mark Greene | Mark I. Greene is the Head of Cravath’s Corporate Department and the… | View Profile | |
Mr Aaron Gruber | Aaron M. Gruber is a partner in Cravath’s Corporate Department. His practice… | View Profile | |
Mr Benjamin Gruenstein | Benjamin Gruenstein is a member of Cravath’s Investigations and Regulatory Enforcement practice.… | View Profile | |
Mr C Daniel Haaren | C. Daniel Haaren is a partner in Cravath’s Corporate Department. He focuses his… | View Profile | |
Mr Richard Hall | Richard Hall is the Head of Cravath’s Mergers and Acquisitions practice for… | View Profile | |
Ms Damaris Hernández | Damaris Hernández focuses her practice on complex civil litigation related to antitrust,… | View Profile | |
Mr Eric Hilfers | Eric W. Hilfers is a partner and Head of Cravath’s Executive Compensation… | View Profile | |
Mr Keith Hummel | Keith R. Hummel is Co-Chair of Cravath’s Intellectual Property Practice. He has… | View Profile | |
Mr Matthew Jones | Matthew G. Jones is a partner in Cravath’s Corporate Department. He represents… | View Profile | |
Mr David Kappos | David J. Kappos is a partner at Cravath. He is widely recognized as… | View Profile | |
Mr Jonathan Katz | Jonathan J. Katz is a partner in Cravath’s Executive Compensation and Benefits… | View Profile | |
Mr Christopher Kelly | Christopher J. Kelly has a broad banking practice, with experience in syndicated… | View Profile | |
Mr Matthew Kelly | Matthew M. Kelly is a partner in Cravath’s Corporate Department. He represents… | View Profile | |
Ms Lauren Kennedy | Lauren R. Kennedy focuses her practice on complex civil litigation related to… | View Profile | |
Mr Stephen Kessing | Stephen M. Kessing is a partner in Cravath’s Corporate Department and serves as Practice… | View Profile | |
Mr David Korn | David H. Korn focuses his practice on complex litigation, particularly in the… | View Profile | |
Ms Tatiana Lapushchik | Tatiana Lapushchik is a partner in Cravath’s Corporate Department. Her practice focuses… | View Profile | |
Ms Vanessa Lavely | Vanessa Lavely handles a wide variety of litigation cases, including antitrust, intellectual… | View Profile | |
Mr G.J. Ligelis Jr. | G.J. Ligelis Jr. is a partner in Cravath’s Corporate Department. His practice… | View Profile | |
Mr Michael Mariani | Michael E. Mariani is a partner in Cravath’s Corporate Department. His practice… | View Profile | |
Mr David Marriott | David R. Marriott focuses his practice on litigating complex disputes, particularly in… | View Profile | |
Mr Darin McAtee | Darin P. McAtee has handled a wide variety of litigation cases, including… | View Profile | |
Mr Matthew Morreale | Matthew Morreale is a partner in Cravath’s Corporate Department and leads its… | View Profile | |
Ms Lauren Moskowitz | Lauren A. Moskowitz has a broad practice with a particular focus on… | View Profile | |
Mr Omid Nasab | Omid H. Nasab is a trial lawyer who represents clients in high-stakes… | View Profile | |
Mr Evan Norris | Evan Mehran Norris, a former federal prosecutor, focuses his practice on advising… | View Profile | |
Ms Julie North | Julie A. North has a broad litigation practice that encompasses general commercial,… | View Profile | |
Mr Kevin Orsini | Kevin J. Orsini is Co-Head of Cravath’s Litigation Department. He regularly plays… | View Profile | |
Mr Michael Paskin | Michael A. Paskin focuses his practice on class actions and other complex… | View Profile | |
Mr Ryan Patrone | Ryan J. Patrone focuses his practice on representing issuers and investment banking… | View Profile | |
Mr David Perkins | David J. Perkins is a partner in Cravath’s Corporate Department. His diverse… | View Profile | |
Ms Bethany Pfalzgraf | Bethany A. Pfalzgraf focuses her practice on public and private mergers and… | View Profile | |
Mr Andrew Pitts | Andrew J. Pitts is a partner in Cravath’s Corporate Department and serves… | View Profile | |
Mr Matthew Ploszek | Matthew L. Ploszek focuses his practice on mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance… | View Profile | |
Mr Arvind Ravichandran | Arvind Ravichandran is a partner in Cravath’s Tax Department. He advises clients… | View Profile | |
Mr Michael Reynolds | Michael T. Reynolds represents a broad range of public and private companies as… | View Profile | |
Ms Claudia Ricciardi | Claudia J. Ricciardi focuses her practice on public and private mergers and… | View Profile | |
Ms Lauren Rosenberg | Lauren M. Rosenberg focuses her practice on a broad range of litigation,… | View Profile | |
Ms Sasha Rosenthal-Larrea | Sasha Rosenthal-Larrea is a partner in Cravath’s Corporate Department. She represents financial institutions… | View Profile | |
Mr Antony Ryan | Antony L. Ryan handles a wide variety of litigation matters, focusing on… | View Profile | |
Ms Faiza Saeed | Faiza J. Saeed is Cravath’s Presiding Partner. She advises public companies, boards… | View Profile | |
Mr George Schoen | George F. Schoen is a partner in Cravath’s Corporate Department. His practice… | View Profile | |
Ms Margaret Segall | Maggie Segall is a member of Cravath’s Antitrust Practice. Her practice focuses… | View Profile | |
Ms Rachel Skaistis | Rachel G. Skaistis focuses her practice on advising boards of directors and… | View Profile | |
Mr Daniel Slifkin | Over the course of Daniel Slifkin’s 30 years at Cravath, he has… | View Profile | |
Ms Kelly Smercina | Kelly M. Smercina focuses her practice on representing corporate clients and investment… | View Profile | |
Mr Richard Stark | Richard J. Stark is a partner in Cravath’s Litigation Department. He is… | View Profile | |
Mr David Stuart | David M. Stuart represents and advises public and private companies, executives and… | View Profile | |
Ms Brittany Sukiennik | Brittany L. Sukiennik focuses her practice on general commercial litigation. | View Profile | |
Ms Annmarie Terraciano | Annmarie M. Terraciano is a senior attorney in Cravath’s Corporate Department. She advises… | View Profile | |
Mr J Leonard Teti II | J. Leonard Teti II is a partner in Cravath’s Tax Department. He… | View Profile | |
Mr Robert Townsend III | Robert I. Townsend, III is the Head of Cravath’s Mergers and Acquisitions… | View Profile | |
Mr Minh Van Ngo | Minh Van Ngo is a partner in Cravath’s Corporate Department. His practice… | View Profile | |
Ms Christine Varney | Christine A. Varney is Chair of Cravath’s Antitrust Practice. Ms. Varney has… | View Profile | |
Mr Andrew Wark | Andrew M. Wark focuses his practice on public and private mergers and… | View Profile | |
Mr John White | John W. White is a partner in Cravath’s Corporate Department and serves… | View Profile | |
Mr Michael Zaken | Michael J. Zaken has a broad litigation practice, with a particular focus… | View Profile | |
Mr Joseph Zavaglia | Joseph D. Zavaglia is a partner in Cravath’s Corporate Department. He is… | View Profile | |
Mr George Zobitz | Jed Zobitz is the Managing Partner of Cravath’s Corporate Department. He works… | View Profile | |
Mr Paul Zumbro | Paul H. Zumbro is a partner in Cravath’s Corporate Department and serves… | View Profile |
Staff Figures
Number of Partners : 97 Number of Lawyers : 375Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP > Firm Profile
The firm: For over two centuries, Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP has been known as one of the world’s preeminent law firms. Each of the firm’s practices is highly regarded, and Cravath lawyers are recognised for their commitment to the representation of their clients’ interests in Latin America and throughout the world.
Main areas of practice
Corporate: Cravath regularly represents clients across numerous industries in international transactions, including cross-border and U.S.-inbound mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, spin-offs, joint ventures and strategic investments. Structuring complex cross-border merger and acquisition transactions has historically been a significant part of the firm’s Latin American practice and Cravath is often tapped for the largest and most sophisticated transactions in the region. In addition to—and often alongside—the transactions that the firm handles, Cravath is also a leading legal advisor for companies and boards in high-stakes corporate situations, including hostile takeovers and shareholder activism defense. Cravath’s tax department is known for their expertise in designing tax‑efficient structures for an array of US and non‑US transactions, including mergers, spin‑offs, joint ventures and private equity acquisitions. The firm’s executive compensation and benefits lawyers advise clients in a variety of compensation and benefit arrangements as well as legal compliance concerns. Its environmental lawyers advise and support clients on environmental matters in connection with corporate transactions and the challenges and opportunities associated with environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) issues and climate change. Cravath’s intellectual property lawyers advise clients in many corporate contexts, including acquisitions and divestitures, multiparty joint ventures and strategic investments, licensing agreements and portfolio development and exploitation.
Finance: Cravath has one of the most respected financing practices in the world. Its capital markets lawyers represent both issuers and investment banks in all types of US and non-US offerings. The firm’s US and foreign private issuer clients rely on Cravath’s expertise to resolve their most challenging issues before the SEC. Cravath’s banking and credit lawyers regularly represent major financial institutions and borrowers on acquisition financings and lending transactions ranging from routine working capital facilities to complex multicurrency, multijurisdictional and highly structured financings.
Financial restructuring and reorganisation: Companies facing their most important and challenging cases and transactions due to bankruptcy, restructuring or reorganisation often rely upon Cravath’s deep understanding of the business dynamics involved in finance and restructuring. The firm has significant experience handling litigation related to alleged breaches of fiduciary duty by officers and board members of distressed companies, disputes arising out of lender claims, alleged breaches of contract and alleged fraudulent conveyances. Its lawyers also have substantial expertise in debtor and creditor‑side engagements, debtor-in-possession (DIP) and exit financing, advising independent directors and boards of directors, distressed and bankruptcy M&A (in court and out of court), advising bondholder and other ad hoc creditor groups and municipal and sovereign restructuring.
Investigations and white-collar criminal defence: Clients turn to Cravath to handle their most significant and sensitive disputes and investigations across a broad range of practice areas and industries. Cravath advises corporations, boards and executives in significant white-collar defence and regulatory enforcement matters, government and internal investigations, and monitorships around the globe involving a variety of issues, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and foreign anti-corruption laws, trade sanctions and export controls, accounting fraud, antitrust, insider trading, tax evasion, cyber intrusion and money laundering. The firm also assists clients in conducting fact-finding exercises with respect to shareholder demands and advises on compliance obligations, potential areas of exposure and preventive measures. Its investigations team includes attorneys who have spent portions of their careers at US government agencies.
Cravath’s litigation department is staffed by trial lawyers with broad courtroom experience in complex litigation across all industries in such diverse areas of the law as antitrust, bankruptcy, general commercial, intellectual property, M&A, securities and white-collar. The firm’s litigators routinely represent clients in trials and appeals in federal and state courts, domestic and international arbitrations, before administrative agencies and regulatory authorities, and in many other types of proceedings, including investigations.
Clients: Along with governments and multinational institutions, the firm’s client base includes some of the world’s best known companies and financial institutions, including Anheuser-Busch InBev, Axtel, Banco Santander, Buscapé, Casa Cuervo, Cemex, Cholula, Coteminas, Cutrale Group, GP Investments, Grupo Carso, Grupo Gigante, Grupo Lala, Grupo Lamosa, Grupo Modelo, JBS, Magnesita Refratários, OCCEL, Office Depot de México, OLX, Panamco, Republic of Argentina, Sadia, Safra Group, San Antonio Internacional, Univision, Vitro and YPF. In recent years, the firm has participated in matters involving companies based in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela.
Main Contacts
Department | Name | Telephone | |
---|---|---|---|
Corporate | David Mercado |
Staff Figures
:Other
:Comparative Guides
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United States: Bribery & Corruption
Published: June 2023
Authors: John D. Buretta
This country-specific Q&A provides an overview of Bribery & Corruption laws and regulations applicable in United States.
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United States: Litigation
Published: July 2023
Authors: Timothy G. Cameron
This country-specific Q&A provides an overview of Litigation laws and regulations applicable in United States.
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United States: Blockchain
Published: November 2023
Authors: David J. KapposD. Scott BennettMichael E. MarianiSasha Rosenthal-LarreaArvind RavichandranRyan J. Patrone
This country-specific Q&A provides an overview of Blockchain laws and regulations applicable in United States.
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United States: Mergers & Acquisitions
Published: March 2024
Authors: Richard HallDaniel J. Cerqueira
This country-specific Q&A provides an overview of Mergers & Acquisitions laws and regulations applicable in United States.
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Post-Crispo World
Published: April 2024
Authors: Richard Hall Daniel J. Cerqueira
- Antitrust > Civil litigation/class actions: defense
- Dispute resolution > Financial services litigation
- Dispute resolution > General commercial disputes
- Dispute resolution > Leading trial lawyers
- Dispute resolution > M&A litigation: defense
- Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: defense
- Environment > Environment: transactional
- Finance > Capital markets: debt offerings
- Finance > Capital markets: global offerings
- Finance > Commercial lending
- Finance > Fintech
- Labor and employment > Employee benefits, executive compensation and retirement plans: transactional
- M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: large deals ($1bn+)
- Tax > International tax
- Tax > US taxes: non-contentious
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Antitrust > Merger control
- Finance > Capital markets: equity offerings
- Finance > Capital markets: high-yield debt offerings
- Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: litigation
- Media, technology and telecoms > Technology transactions
- Media, technology and telecoms > Telecoms and broadcast: transactions
Firm Rankings
- Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense
- M&A/corporate and commercial > Shareholder activism
- Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: transactional