- Executive Partner: Eric J Friedman
- Number of US partners: : 342
- Number of other US lawyers: Approximately 1,200
Firm Overview:
Serving clients in every major financial center, Skadden is one of the world’s leading law firms, with 23 offices and approximately 1,800 attorneys. The firm’s diversified practice enables it to offer solutions to the most challenging legal issues in virtually every area of corporate law, providing the specific legal advice clients need to compete most effectively in a global business environment. With more than 40 distinct areas of practice, the firm’s attorneys provide a broad range of legal services across a spectrum of industries. Skadden represents a wide range of clients including approximately 50 percent of the Fortune 250 industrial and service corporations, as well as financial and government entities, start-up companies and nonprofits. For more than 60 years, the firm has advised such entities in many of the most significant corporate and litigation matters worldwide.
Main Areas of Practice:
Antitrust/Competition:
Skadden has broad experience counseling clients on antitrust and competition matters in connection with highly complex mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures. The firm’s attorneys appear regularly before the US Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general in connection with proposed business combinations. They also obtain clearance from agencies around the globe, including in the EU and China, for highly complex mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures.
Banking & Finance:
Skadden represents lenders and borrowers on some of the largest and most complex financings and related transactions worldwide. The firm’s clients include some of the world’s largest commercial banks, investment banks, insurance companies, public and private pension funds, finance companies, investment and merchant banking firms, private investment funds, and other institutional lenders and investors, as well as LBO sponsors, private equity funds, hedge funds, strategic buyers, borrowers and issuers of securities.
M&A/Corporate:
Skadden is a global leader among law firms involved in mergers and acquisitions and other corporate transactions. The firm’s transactional experience and breadth of practice, as well as the geographic reach of its offices, have allowed Skadden to maintain its leadership position, representing a broad array of public and private companies, private equity firms and financial sponsors, investment banks, government entities, and other institutions and individuals in almost every type of M&A situation.
Corporate Restructuring:
Skadden serves corporations and their principal creditors and investors by providing innovative, practical legal solutions to clients involved in distressed company situations. The firm’s goal is to give effective and expedient solutions, which allow clients to minimize costs, enhance value and properly position themselves for the future. Skadden has advised on some of the most widely publicized corporate restructurings and also has a substantial practice in advising clients in nonjudicial restructurings.
International Arbitration:
With attorneys admitted to practice in more than 30 countries and territories, Skadden has established itself as a leading firmin the area of international arbitration. It has advised clients involved in international arbitrations under all major rules systems and before every major arbitral institution. The firm’s international arbitration attorneys, many of whom are bilingual, also serve on international arbitration tribunals and advise clients with respect to foreign arbitral awards.
Energy/Project Finance:
Skadden represents energy producers, transporters, marketers, distributors and users worldwide. The firm’s attorneys provide clients with a full range of legal services — such as corporate, project finance, government regulatory, litigation and legislative services — relating to oil, natural gas, electric power, renewable power and other energy sources.
Litigation/Controversy:
Skadden's global litigation/controversy practice encompasses a broad range of general commercial litigation, securities litigation, government enforcement and white collar crime, mass torts, arbitration, trade cases and M&A-related matters. The firm is widely recognized for its experience representing clients in connection with large-scale, bet-the-company matters and other critical litigation issues.
Real Estate:
Skadden counsels developers, lenders, investment banks, pension funds, real estate investment trusts, US and international investors, and major corporations in transactions involving the purchase, sale, construction, financing, development and management of, as well as investment in, commercial, retail, lodging, industrial and residential projects throughout the US, Europe, South America and Asia.
Tax:
Skadden's tax attorneys are experienced in virtually every type of matter, US or international, that presents significant tax issues for clients. The Group assists corporations, partnerships, estates, individuals and government entities in finding creative and value-added tax solutions and resolving high-stakes, complex tax controversies.
Other Areas of Practice:
Environmental law, health care, insurance, intellectual property, international trade and labor and employment.