Sullivan & Cromwell: The Go-To Law Firm for Fortune 500 Companies

Summary

Sullivan & Cromwell LLP is one of the most prestigious and successful law firms in the United States. This law firm, founded by Algernon Sydney Sullivan and William Nelson Cromwell in 1879, is known for its international legal services, and is considered to be one of the most influential law firms in the world today.


Sullivan & Cromwell LLP is based in New York City and is renowned for its corporate and international corporate legal services. It is one of the largest international law firms, with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Washington, DC, London, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Paris, Frankfurt, Brussels, and Singapore. It has an impressive client base of Fortune 500 companies in numerous industries, including banking, finance, and private equity.

Sullivan & Cromwell has a unique corporate culture that sets it apart from other law firms. It emphasizes values such as respect for the individual and their contribution to the firm's mission. It also encourages a “team” approach to solving clients' legal issues. Sullivan & Cromwell also has several initiatives that focus on corporate social responsibility, such as its “Next Generation Initiative” which provides opportunities for young attorneys to gain experience in the firm's legal practice.

Sullivan & Cromwell is a leader in the legal field and provides a range of services, including mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, restructuring, securities and banking litigation, investment management, tax, and restructuring. It is well-known for its “one-stop shop” approach to legal services, which allows its clients to access the entire range of services under one roof.

Sullivan & Cromwell has a strong commitment to providing its clients with excellent legal advice and superior service. It is proud of its attorneys who have achieved success in their practice areas, which range from antitrust and securities law to corporate finance and intellectual property law.

Sullivan & Cromwell is one of the top law firms in the United States, offering a wide range of legal services to its clients. The firm's culture encourages collaboration, respect for the individual, and corporate social responsibility. It has offices in the US and abroad, and its attorneys are experienced in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, restructuring, securities and banking litigation, investment management, tax, and restructuring.
 

Sullivan & Cromwell: A Firm with a Rich History

Sullivan & Cromwell is one of the world's leading law firms, boasting a rich history that dates back to 1879. Founded in New York City by William M. Evarts, Algernon Sullivan, and William Nelson Cromwell, the firm has grown significantly since its inception, now with offices spanning the entire world. Its attorneys provide a wide variety of legal services, such as corporate, litigation, taxation, intellectual property, and environmental law. On top of that, Sullivan & Cromwell has gained a reputation for being at the forefront of many legal changes within the United States. The firm has played crucial roles in the transformation of many aspects of the U.S. legal system, particularly in laws concerning corporate activities. Since its early days, Sullivan & Cromwell has been involved in landmark cases that have shaped the direction of American law.
 

Sullivan & Cromwell's Early Days

Since its founding in 1879, Sullivan & Cromwell has quickly become a leader in the US legal system. The firm was founded by three lawyers: William M. Evarts, Algernon Sullivan, and William Nelson Cromwell. The firm's initial focus was on the corporate law, particularly the areas of corporate mergers and acquisitions, banking, finance, and securities. Over time, the firm has added many other areas of expertise such as litigation, taxation, intellectual property, and environmental law. Notable clients of the firm have included corporations such as IBM, AT&T, and United Technologies, as well as President Teddy Roosevelt.
 

Sullivan & Cromwell's Legal Expertise

Sullivan & Cromwell has built a formidable reputation for its legal expertise, having been involved in landmark cases that have shaped American law. The firm served as counsel in the 1930s when a heated debate was underway over the dissolution of corporate giants such as the DuPont Corporation. It has also been involved in many significant antitrust cases, helping to secure the landmark U.S. v. AT&T settlement in 1984. More recently, the firm was involved in the 2000 Florida election recount, helping the Bush campaign secure a victory in the election.
 

Sullivan & Cromwell's Global Reach

The Sullivan & Cromwell has become a global firm, with offices spanning the world. These include offices in the United States, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Sullivan & Cromwell also holds a strong presence in the major financial centers of the world, such as New York, London, Frankfurt, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Dubai. The firm's attorneys practice in a diverse array of legal fields, offering guidance and support to clients in many areas of law worldwide.
 

Sullivan & Cromwell's Reputation

For more than 140 years, Sullivan & Cromwell has built a reputation for excellence in the US legal system. It has become a leader in the corporate law field, offering services to some of the world's largest corporations. The firm has also helped shape the development of American law through its participation in landmark cases, providing legal advice to clients in the US and abroad. As a result of its reputation and worldwide reach, Sullivan & Cromwell remains one of the most sought-after law firms in the world for legal guidance and advice. This is a true international law firm, as the majority of its offices are overseas in major markets such as London, Paris, Frankfurt, Melbourne, Sydney, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Beijing. The U.S. offices, in addition to New York, are located in Washington, DC, Los Angeles, and Palo Alto. Despite this disparity, S&C is no lightweight domestically, considering that Vault has ranked the firm third overall in the U.S. (for 2003) and within the top 10 in the practice areas of Securities, Corporate, Mergers & Acquisitions, Antitrust, and Tax.

The firm is famous for its many high-profile deals involving mergers and acquisitions. Following its inception in 1879, S&C assisted in the creation of Edison General Electric in 1882 and U.S. Steel in 1901. Today, the firm works on deals that are front-page news, such as the $1.5-billion transaction involving online auction leviathan eBay's acquisition of electronic payment service PayPal. Additionally, S&C represented alleged Arthur Andersen document-shredder David Duncan in the Enron case.

Only the best of the best law students are offered employment at S&C. The firm, just as one would expect from a renowned, traditional law firm, puts great emphasis on grades. One must be a "superstar" to even be considered. However, if one is extended an offer, he/she should expect to be compensated at or near the top of the scale. Furthermore, S&C has been known to give enormous bonuses, especially in the early part of this decade, but these have since returned to more reasonable levels.

Because their first-year associates are being paid big money, the firm expects them to assume big responsibility immediately, unlike most other firms. The associates are charged with counseling clients and representing their interests from day one. S&C believes this sink-or-swim mentality will serve to strengthen attorneys' mettle and hasten their development.

This is a firm known for its high level of service. This may be daunting to new hires, who have no basis for comparison. However, the firm itself is not as stuffy and old-fashioned as it may seem. The work environment is actually quite friendly and laid-back. Even though S&C does not focus on face time, if one wants to make partner, he/she should be available to clients at all times. One interesting fact is that associates don't really need to keep track of how many hours they bill due to the fact that there is no billable hours requirement. It is not even a criterion for making partner. Long and unpredictable hours are a given. What matters is the service provided to the clients. In that sense, creativity, skill, and professionalism are valued most. Correspondingly, most associates will need seven or eight years' experience to make partner.

The only complaints center on the lack of space and the outdated décor of the New York office. Junior associates must be masters of organization in order to have access to all their relevant paperwork, as space is at a premium. As for the décor, it is best described as dark and solemn. All things considered, S&C is one of the best law firms in the country for which to work. Autonomy, excellent compensation, and important work are available to all S&C attorneys.