Breaking Ground
{Skadden pioneered} a new, proactive and client-centric approach to the practice of law.
[The Wall Street Journal] lists Skadden as one of its {66 global Companies for the Future} — the only law firm included.
Skadden becomes first firm to hit {$1 trillion} in announced deals.
We become the first firm with a full-time executive partner, {Peter Mullen}, and managing director, {Earle Yaffa}.
In evolving from our unstructured past, lawyers had to give up some of their absolute individualism for the {greater good of the organization}.
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Law Schools
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Languages Spoken
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Lawyers
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States
Impacting Our Communities
Fellowship Foundation
The Fellowship Foundation — the first of its kind, offering two-year paid public interest legal fellowships — is launched to commemorate the firm’s 40th anniversary. The vast majority of the 900+ Fellows have remained in public service, most of them focusing on the same issues they first addressed in their projects — forming a “virtual public interest law firm” spanning the U.S.
1988
Susan Butler Plum named first Executive Director of the Fellowship Foundation
Pro Bono
Pro Bono Innovator
Inaugural class, Bloomberg Law
- Became first firm to perform 1 million+ pro bono hours. We have devoted nearly 2 million hours to pro bono work in last 10 years
- Included among the charter signatories of Pro Bono Institute’s Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge
- Participated in 20+ years of externship programs at the Legal Aid Society and Lawyers Alliance
- Established our Impact Project model — cutting edge collaborations between our firm, legal aid organizations and in-house lawyers. Aims to make pro bono outreach more efficient by creating partnerships where each group can bring their unique skill set to the table (started in D.C., 2012)
- Spearheaded the launch of the Law Firm Antiracism Alliance (2020), a partnership of more than 300 law firms and legal services organizations to address and dismantle systemic racism in the law
“We’ve always believed that pro bono work is part of the basic role of lawyers as members of our profession and as officers of the court.”
Bob Sheehan, Executive Partner 1994-2008
DEI
Diversity,Equity& Inclusion
Named the first-ever Law Firm of the Year by the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund
- Founded the Honors Program in Legal Studies at the City College of New York, which provides talented students from diverse backgrounds with law school preparatory coursework, mentoring, tuition assistance, intensive writing instruction and comprehensive LSAT preparation
- Established 1L Scholars Program; nearly half of 270 1L Scholars joined Skadden as associates
- 10+ Affinity Networks, including Asian and Pacific Islander (API), Black Lawyers for Diversity, FAM, First Gen, Latinx, LGBTQ+, Middle Eastern and North African, SkadVets, South Asian and Women’s Initiatives
Spreading Our Wings
Our firmwide collaboration and creative problem-solving has resulted in {groundbreaking deals and victories for our clients}.
Recognition Recognition
- Most Innovative Lawyers Financial Times
- America’s Best Corporate Law Firm Corporate Board Member
- More Practice Groups of the Year than any other firm Law360
- Dealmakers of the Year The American Lawyer
- Trailblazers The American Lawyer and The National Law Journal
- Law Firm of the Year Law360
- M&A Law Firm of the Year Chambers USA
- A Top Tier Firm for UK M&A The Legal 500 UK and IFLR1000
- Fearsome Foursome Elite Litigation Practice BTI
- International Team of the Year — M&A and International Capital Markets Firm of the Year China Law & Practice
- Americas Team of the Year: Financial Services Regulatory, Loans and Private Equity International Financial Law Review
- Competition Team of the Year Benchmark Litigation Europe, Legal Business and The Lawyer
- Tax Controversy Firm of the Year Chambers USA
- Americas Tax Firm of the Year International Tax Review
- Fintech Law Firm of the Year The Deal
- Power Players SportsBusiness Journal
- Litigation Department of the Year New York Law Journal
- Corporate Team of the Year The Lawyer
- International Law Firm of the Year Chambers Global
- America's Firm of the Year International Financial Law Review
- International Arbitration Team of the Year Legal Business
- Best International Law Firm China Business Law Journal
- Best Corporate Practice for International Firms in China Chambers Asia-Pacific
- Innovation in Finance Law Award Financial Times Asia-Pacific Innovative Lawyers
- Financial Services M&A Firm of the Year Mergermarket
- Transatlantic Teams of the Year: Antitrust, Banking, Investigations, International Litigation and Arbitration, Restructuring and Tax The American Lawyer and Legal Week
- Top Insurance Law Firm The Legal 500 US
- Top Law Firm for Real Estate and Financing Real Estate Finance & Investment
- Top International M&A Firm Latin Lawyer, Latinvex and Chambers Latin America
- White Collar/Regulatory Litigation Department of the Year The American Lawyer
What makes Skadden [Skadden]is our unwavering commitment to client service, innovation and securing great results for our clients. Being recognized for it is the icing on the cake.
Keys To Our Success
Eric Friedman, Executive Partner 2009-2024