Dechert LLP () is an American multinational

law firm A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients (individuals or corporations) about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to r ...

of more than 900 lawyers with practices in corporate and securities, complex

litigation - A lawsuit is a proceeding by a party or parties against another in the civil court of law. The archaic term "suit in law" is found in only a small number of laws still in effect today. The term "lawsuit" is used in reference to a civil actio ...

finance Finance is the study and discipline of money, currency and capital assets. It is related to, but not synonymous with economics, the study of production, distribution, and consumption of money, assets, goods and services (the discipline of fina ...

and

real estate Real estate is property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this (also) an item of real property, (more general ...

financial services Financial services are the Service (economics), economic services provided by the finance industry, which encompasses a broad range of businesses that manage money, including credit unions, banks, credit-card companies, insurance companies, acco ...

asset management Asset management is a systematic approach to the governance and realization of value from the things that a group or entity is responsible for, over their whole life cycles. It may apply both to tangible assets (physical objects such as buildings ...

, and

private equity In the field of finance, the term private equity (PE) refers to investment funds, usually limited partnerships (LP), which buy and restructure financially weak companies that produce goods and provide services. A private-equity fund is both a ty ...

. In 2021, the firm raised revenues by 25%, with a total of $1.3 billion.

History

The firm's first predecessor, MacVeagh & Bispham, was formed in 1875 by Wayne MacVeagh and George Tucker Bispham. MacVeagh previously served as United States Ambassador to Turkey, and Bispham authored the treatise "Principles of Equity," which was considered the definitive work on the subject at the time. MacVeagh went on to become

United States Attorney General The United States attorney general (AG) is the head of the United States Department of Justice, and is the chief law enforcement officer of the federal government of the United States. The attorney general serves as the principal advisor to the p ...

under President

James Garfield James Abram Garfield (November 19, 1831 – September 19, 1881) was the 20th president of the United States, serving from March 4, 1881 until his death six months latertwo months after he was shot by an assassin. A lawyer and Civil War gene ...

, and then United States Ambassador to Italy in 1893. Bispham went on to become a professor at

University of Pennsylvania Law School The University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School (also known as Penn Law or Penn Carey Law) is the law school of the University of Pennsylvania, a private research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is among the most selective and olde ...

in 1884. The MacVeagh & Bispham's successor merged with another Philadelphia law firm, Dechert, Smith & Clark, in 1942. After undergoing several more name changes, the firm was known as Dechert Price & Rhoads for many years beginning in 1962, shortening its name to Dechert in 2000. In the 2018 AmLaw Global 200 survey, Dechert ranked as the 43rd highest grossing law firm in the world. In the same year Dechert reached a settlement with two former staffers over claims that it discriminated against certain staff members because of their sex and age. Two former payroll staffers at Dechert filed a complaint against Dechert in 2017, claiming they experienced a culture of bias against older and/or female employees at the firm that led to their firing in 2016. They also alleged there was a “boys club at the firm that gave beneficial treatment to younger male employees. Previously, on the eve of trial, the law firm and former associate Ariel Ayanna reached an eleventh-hour deal in a ‘Macho culture' retaliation case The attorney had claimed big-league firm Dechert fired him to get back at him for taking time off to care for his mentally ill wife and their newborn, the National Law Journal reported.

Financial Times The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and published digitally that focuses on business and economic current affairs. Based in London, England, the paper is owned by a Japanese holding company, Nik ...

ranked Dechert in the Top 10 ''Most Innovative Law Firms'' in 2019. In 2021, Dechert ranked 5th for the same recognition. Dechert and administrative services provider for the international law firm agreed in the same year to settle claims by a former site manager in Washington D.C. that he was subjected to discrimination and retaliation because he had a stroke, federal court records show. In 2022, Dechert’s UK unit agreed to pay £20 Million to a former client for compensations for damages caused by its former UK partner and white-collar crime head Neil Gerrard.The UK High Court found Neil Gerrard committed ‘gross and knowing breach of duty’ as he leaked confidential documents of his client. Furthermore, the UK Dechert unit was sued by former partner Monica Gogn for workplace discrimination due to race and sex. The employment tribunal filing document stated that the proceedings levelled against “Dechert LLP & Others” “dismissed following a withdrawal of the claim by the claimant”. Cira Centre, Philadelphia-east

Pro bono activities

Dechert has been recognized among the top 10 U.S. law firms for

pro bono ( en, 'for the public good'), usually shortened to , is a Latin phrase for professional work undertaken voluntarily and without payment. In the United States, the term typically refers to provision of legal services by legal professionals for pe ...

work in ''

The American Lawyer ''The American Lawyer'' is a monthly legal magazine and website published by ALM Media. The periodical and its parent company, ALM (then American Lawyer Media), were founded in 1979 by Steven Brill. The report confirmed that it remained the top law firm for international pro bono work. In August 2014, Dechert received the

American Bar Association The American Bar Association (ABA) is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. Founded in 1878, the ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of acad ...

Pro Bono Publico Award. In 2020, Dechert received the ABA Business Law Section National Public Service Award. In 2021, the firm was rated #1 for international pro bono work by ''

The American Lawyer ''The American Lawyer'' is a monthly legal magazine and website published by ALM Media. The periodical and its parent company, ALM (then American Lawyer Media), were founded in 1979 by Steven Brill.Harvey Bartle III Harvey Bartle III (born June 6, 1941) is a Senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Education and career Born in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, Bartle received a Bachelor of A ...

, chief judge of the United States District Court Eastern District of Pennsylvania *

Joseph S. Clark Joseph Sill Clark Jr. (October 21, 1901January 12, 1990) was an American writer, lawyer and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 90th Mayor of Philadelphia from 1952 to 1956 and as a United States Senator from Pennsylvani ...

, mayor of Philadelphia (1952–56) and United States senator for Pennsylvania (1957–69) *

Q. Todd Dickinson Q. Todd Dickinson (December 21, 1952 – May 3, 2020) was an Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). He was an executive director of the American Intellectual Pr ...

, former Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property * Steven Engel, deputy assistant attorney general in the Office of Legal Counsel under

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...

and United States Assistant Attorney General for the

Office of Legal Counsel The Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) is an office in the United States Department of Justice that assists the Attorney General's position as legal adviser to the President and all executive branch agencies. It drafts legal opinions of the Attorney ...

in the

Donald Trump administration Donald Trump's tenure as the 45th president of the United States began with his inauguration on January 20, 2017, and ended on January 20, 2021. Trump, a Republican from New York City, took office following his Electoral College victory o ...

* Glenn Fine, former inspector general for the

U.S. Department of Justice The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), also known as the Justice Department, is a federal executive department of the United States government tasked with the enforcement of federal law and administration of justice in the United State ...

Miriam González Durántez Miriam González Durántez, Lady Clegg (born 31 May 1968) is a Spanish international trade lawyer, vice chair of UBS Europe and founder of Inspiring Girls. She is the wife of Nick Clegg, who served as Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom ...

, head of international trade practice *

Paul G. Haaga, Jr. Paul G. Haaga Jr. is an American businessman who was the acting CEO of NPR. He is the former chairman and director of Capital Research and Management Company. He retired from Capital Group at the end of 2012. Haaga is also the chair of the Faceb ...

, vice chairman of Capital Research and Management Company, a constituent company of the Capital Group Companies *

David N. Kelley David N. Kelley (born December 1, 1959) is an American attorney and a former interim United States Attorney and Deputy U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY). He was also a co-chair of the United States Justice Department’s ...

, former United States Attorney and Deputy U.S. Attorney for the

United States District Court for the Southern District of New York The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (in case citations, S.D.N.Y.) is a United States district court, federal trial court whose geographic jurisdiction encompasses eight counties of New York (state), New York ...

Cheryl Ann Krause Cheryl Ann Krause (born January 1968) is a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Biography Early life and education Krause was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and grew up outside Philadelphia, Pe ...

, United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit *

Noyes Leech Noyes E. Leech (August 1, 1921 – July 1, 2010) was an American lawyer and professor. Early life and education Leech was born in Ambler, Pennsylvania, to Charles Sherman and Margaret (Reid) Leech. He attended Lower Merion High School (1939), an ...

(1921–2010), law professor at the

* Scooter Libby, chief of staff to Vice President

Dick Cheney Richard Bruce Cheney ( ; born January 30, 1941) is an American politician and businessman who served as the 46th vice president of the United States from 2001 to 2009 under President George W. Bush. He is currently the oldest living former U ...

(2001–2005)M. Leibovich. “In the Spotlight And on the Spot,” Washington Post, October 23, 2005
/ref> *

Edward A. McDonald Edward A. McDonald (born 1947) is an American criminal defense lawyer and actor. He practices law at the New York City branch of Dechert LLP, primarily working on white-collar crime and securities law. McDonald has appeared in ''Goodfellas'' an ...

, portrayed himself as a federal prosecutor in

Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November 17, 1942) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. Scorsese emerged as one of the major figures of the New Hollywood era. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominatio ...

's " Goodfellas" *

Mary A. McLaughlin Mary A. McLaughlin (born 1946) is an inactive Senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Education and career Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, McLaughlin received a Bach ...

, judge for the United States District Court Eastern District of Pennsylvania“Judge Profile: Mary A. McLaughlin,” The Legal Intelligencer
/ref> *

Lisa Scottoline Lisa Scottoline (; born July 1, 1955) is an American author of legal thrillers. Life Born in the Lower Moyamensing neighborhood of Philadelphia, Scottoline attended Lower Merion High School and then went on to earn a B.A. in English magna cum la ...

, ''New York Times'' best-selling author“Lisa Scottoline: A Legal Thriller!,” Penn Law Journal, Spring 2001
/ref> *

Norma Levy Shapiro Norma Sondra Levy Shapiro (July 27, 1928 – July 22, 2016) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Education and career Born Norma Sondra Levy in Philadelphia, Pennsylvan ...

, first woman partner and retired judge for the United States District Court Eastern District of Pennsylvania * Arlen Specter, United States senator for Pennsylvania (1981–2011)

References

External links

* *
Profile
from

LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell Martindale-Hubbell is an information services company to the legal profession that was founded in 1868. The company publishes the ''Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory'', which provides background information on lawyers and law firms in the United S ...

{{Philadelphia Corporations Intellectual property law firms Biopharmaceutical law firms Law firms based in Philadelphia Law firms established in 1875 1875 establishments in Pennsylvania Foreign law firms with offices in Hong Kong Partnerships

History

Pro bono activities

See also

References

External links