Sidley Austin 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 ...
with approximately 2,000 lawyers in 20 offices worldwide. The firm's headquarters is at
One South Dearborn in
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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's
Loop
Loop or LOOP may refer to:
Brands and enterprises
* Loop (mobile), a Bulgarian virtual network operator and co-founder of Loop Live
* Loop, clothing, a company founded by Carlos Vasquez in the 1990s and worn by Digable Planets
* Loop Mobile, an ...
.
The firm specializes in a variety of areas in both litigation and corporate practices.
History
Origins in Chicago
The firm that was to become Sidley Austin was formed in Chicago in 1866 by Norman Williams and John Leverett Thompson as the partnership of Williams & Thompson. Among the firm's first clients were the
Pullman Company
The Pullman Company, founded by George Pullman, was a manufacturer of railroad cars in the mid-to-late 19th century through the first half of the 20th century, during the boom of railroads in the United States. Through rapid late-19th century d ...
, the manufacturer of specialty sleeping railway cars, and former first lady
Mary Todd Lincoln, then the widow of President
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...
. Other early clients included
Western Union
The Western Union Company is an American multinational financial services company, headquartered in Denver, Colorado.
Founded in 1851 as the New York and Mississippi Valley Printing Telegraph Company in Rochester, New York, the company chang ...
Telegraph Company, which moved its Midwest headquarters from Cleveland to Chicago in 1869. After the
Great Chicago Fire
The Great Chicago Fire was a conflagration that burned in the American city of Chicago during October 8–10, 1871. The fire killed approximately 300 people, destroyed roughly of the city including over 17,000 structures, and left more than 10 ...
of 1871, the firm represented numerous insurance companies including
Equitable Life Assurance Society. In 1892, William Pratt Sidley joined the firm after having earned an
LLB
Bachelor of Laws ( la, Legum Baccalaureus; LL.B.) is an undergraduate law degree in the United Kingdom and most common law jurisdictions. Bachelor of Laws is also the name of the law degree awarded by universities in the China, People's Republic ...
from Union College of Law and a
M.A. from
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School (Harvard Law or HLS) is the law school of Harvard University, a private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest continuously operating law school in the United States.
Each class ...
. By 1913, the firm's name was changed to Holt, Cutting & Sidley, although Sidley would be the guiding personality for the Chicago firm through the 20th century. Three years later—the firm then fifty years old—had four partners, four clerks (associates), and ten staff employees with gross income of around $100,000 (roughly $1.9 million in 2008 dollars).
Buffeted by the
Great Depression
The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
, the firm experienced a dramatic fall in revenues until the
New Deal
The New Deal was a series of programs, public work projects, financial reforms, and regulations enacted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the United States between 1933 and 1939. Major federal programs agencies included the Civilian Cons ...
in the 1930s reinvigorated the capital markets. The firm represented
Halsey, Stuart & Co., a Chicago-based
underwriter in one of the first transactions under the
Securities Act of 1933
The Securities Act of 1933, also known as the 1933 Act, the Securities Act, the Truth in Securities Act, the Federal Securities Act, and the '33 Act, was enacted by the United States Congress on May 27, 1933, during the Great Depression and after ...
. In 1944, the name was changed to Sidley, Austin, Burgess & Harper and shortened to Sidley & Austin in 1967.
Towards a national firm
After the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, Sidley & Austin began expanding beyond its Chicago roots as many of its clients entered new markets. In 1963, its
Washington, D.C.
)
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branch was established which would soon become an important player in that city's legal market through its representation of the
American Medical Association
The American Medical Association (AMA) is a professional association and lobbying group of physicians and medical students. Founded in 1847, it is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Membership was approximately 240,000 in 2016.
The AMA's state ...
,
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 ...
and the International Minerals & Chemical Corporation. The firm developed strengths in antitrust and the representation of clients in front of the
Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is an independent agency of the United States government whose principal mission is the enforcement of civil (non-criminal) antitrust law and the promotion of consumer protection. The FTC shares jurisdiction ov ...
.
Sidley & Austin was among several law firms caught up in the
Savings & Loan Crisis and paid $7.5 million to settle
legal malpractice
Legal malpractice is the term for negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, or breach of contract by a lawyer during the provision of legal services that causes harm to a client.
Examples
A common example of legal malpractice involves the lawyer's mis ...
claims stemming from its representation of the
Lincoln Savings and Loan Association. Such legal work was profiled in the book by
Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader (; born February 27, 1934) is an American political activist, author, lecturer, and attorney noted for his involvement in consumer protection, environmentalism, and government reform causes.
The son of Lebanese immigrants to the Un ...
and Wesley J. Smith, ''No Contest: Corporate Lawyers and the Perversion of Justice in America''.
Expansion and consolidation
Sidley & Austin expanded significantly in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1972, the firm merged with the 50 lawyers of Chicago firm Leibman, Williams, Bennett, Baird & Minow. Additional offices were then established in London, Los Angeles, Singapore and New York.
In 2001, the firm merged with
Brown & Wood, a New York-based law firm established in 1914 with 400 attorneys and additional domestic offices in Washington, D.C., San Francisco and Los Angeles and overseas branches in London, Beijing and Hong Kong (where it practiced English law in addition to U.S. law). Brown & Wood was known for its
securities,
structured finance
Structured finance is a sector of finance - specifically financial law - that manages leverage and risk. Strategies may involve legal and corporate restructuring, off balance sheet accounting, or the use of financial instruments.
Securitization ...
and
securitization
Securitization is the financial practice of pooling various types of contractual debt such as residential mortgages, commercial mortgages, auto loans or credit card debt obligations (or other non-debt assets which generate receivables) and selling ...
practices. The firm's well-regarded publication, ''Accessing the U.S. Capital Markets: An Introduction to United States Securities Law'', continues to be updated annually today. Brown & Wood had offices in the
World Trade Center
World Trade Centers are sites recognized by the World Trade Centers Association.
World Trade Center may refer to:
Buildings
* List of World Trade Centers
* World Trade Center (2001–present), a building complex that includes five skyscrapers, a ...
. The firm was known as Sidley Austin Brown & Wood until the name was rebranded as Sidley Austin in 2006.
The firm recently announced plans to open its 21st office in Miami, F
Appellate practice group
In 1985,
U.S. Solicitor General
The solicitor general of the United States is the fourth-highest-ranking official in the United States Department of Justice. Elizabeth Prelogar has been serving in the role since October 28, 2021.
The United States solicitor general represent ...
Rex E. Lee
Rex Edwin Lee (February 27, 1935 – March 11, 1996) was an American lawyer and academic who served as the 37th Solicitor General of the United States from 1981 until 1985. He was responsible for bringing the solicitor general's office to the cent ...
founded Sidley Austin's Appellate Practice Group to represent clients in all appellate courts, including the United States Supreme Court, the federal courts of appeals, and state appellate and supreme courts. Following Lee's death, the group was led by Carter Phillips, who has argued more cases before the Supreme Court than any lawyer in private practice and who now chairs the firm's executive committee. The current co-chairs of the practice group are former Acting Attorney General
Peter Keisler
Peter Douglas Keisler (born October 13, 1960) is an American lawyer whose 2006 nomination by President George W. Bush to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit became embroiled in partisan controversy. He is a part ...
and former Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Joseph Guerra.
The Appellate Group has argued several landmark cases before the Supreme Court including ''
U.S. Term Limits, Inc. v. Thornton
''U.S. Term Limits, Inc. v. Thornton'', 514 U.S. 779 (1995), is a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision in which the Court ruled that states cannot impose qualifications for prospective members of the U.S. Congress stricter than those the Constituti ...
'' (constitutionality of state-imposed term limits on members of Congress), ''
Missouri v. Jenkins
''Missouri v. Jenkins'', 515 U.S. 70 (1995), is a case decided by the Supreme Court of the United States, United States Supreme Court. On June 12, 1995 the Court, in a 5–4 decision, overturned a district court ruling that required the state of Mi ...
'' (proper role of federal courts in imposing desegregation remedies), and ''
United States v. Lopez
''United States v. Alfonso D. Lopez, Jr.'', 514 U.S. 549 (1995), was a landmark case of the United States Supreme Court concerning the Commerce Clause. It was the first case since 1937 in which the Court held that Congress had exceeded its power ...
'' (Commerce Clause challenge to a federal statute prohibiting the possession of firearms within 1,000 feet of a school). Directly or indirectly, Sidley Austin plays a role in 40 percent of the cases the Supreme Court hears every term. Over the last 30 years, its lawyers have argued 115 high court cases.
Rankings and recognition
Sidley Austin is currently the eleventh-largest U.S.-based corporate law firm, with approximately 2,000
lawyer
A lawyer is a person who practices law. The role of a lawyer varies greatly across different legal jurisdictions. A lawyer can be classified as an advocate, attorney, barrister, canon lawyer, civil law notary, counsel, counselor, solic ...
s
and annual revenues of approximately three billion dollars. The firm is one of the highest-paying companies in the U.S. (with a base salary of $215,000 for first year associates and $415,000 for eighth year associates; equity partners saw a profit per partner of more than $3.0 million in 2020). Sidley currently maintains offices in 20 cities worldwide, with the most recent addition being
Munich
Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...
in 2016.
Sidley has received the most First-Tier National Rankings a total of eight times since the inception of the ''
U.S. News & World Report'' Best Law Firms Survey in 2010. The 2020 ''U.S. News'' Survey also named Sidley as the "Law Firm of the Year" in FDA Law and Securities Litigation. As of 2019, it was the eighth largest law firm in the world (and sixth in the US) by revenue.
The firm frequently appears at the top of various industry rankings. In 2020, the BTI Consulting Group named Sidley to its BTI Client Service A-Team—one of only three law firms to rank in BTI's Client Service Top 30 for 19 consecutive years. The firm earned the top spot in ''Asset-Backed Alerts 2019 league tables for most active underwriter counsel in U.S. asset- and mortgage-backed securitization transactions. Other honors include the American Bar Association's 2019 Champions for Disability Inclusion in the Legal Profession Award, conferred in recognition of the firm's measurable progress in recruiting, retaining, and advancing to leadership lawyers with disabilities, and being named a 2019 "Litigation Department of the Year" finalist by ''The American Lawyer''.
The firm is particularly known for its securities practice
and its international trade practice,
both of which have consistently ranked first in the respective specialty rankings of Chambers and Partners. The trade group currently represents the
Airbus
Airbus SE (; ; ; ) is a European Multinational corporation, multinational aerospace corporation. Airbus designs, manufactures and sells civil and military aerospace manufacturer, aerospace products worldwide and manufactures aircraft througho ...
/European Communities side in the ongoing
WTO
The World Trade Organization (WTO) is an intergovernmental organization that regulates and facilitates international trade. With effective cooperation
in the United Nations System, governments use the organization to establish, revise, and e ...
dispute with
Boeing
The Boeing Company () is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product ...
/US. The group was named a 2019 International Trade Group of the Year by ''Law360'' and has been honored as "Law Firm of the Year" in Trade & Customs by ''Who's Who Legal'' for 15 consecutive years. Its appellate and
US Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point of ...
practice is also particularly well known and has been featured in
''USA Today'',
''BusinessWeek'', the
''American Lawyer'', the
''Legal Times'', and the
''National Law Journal''.
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In 2020, Sidley was named "Firm of the Year" in Capital Markets (Overseas); Corporate Compliance; Healthcare, Pharma and Life Sciences; and Real Estate and REIT by China Business Law Journal. In 2018, Sidley was named Competition & Regulatory Team of the Year at The Lawyer Awards in London.
Notable people and alumni
*
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...
, former
President of the United States
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...
(summer associate in the firm's Chicago office)
*
Michelle Obama
Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama (born January 17, 1964) is an American attorney and author who served as first lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017. She was the first African-American woman to serve in this position. She is married t ...
, former
First Lady of the United States
The first lady of the United States (FLOTUS) is the title held by the hostess of the White House, usually the wife of the president of the United States, concurrent with the president's term in office. Although the first lady's role has never ...
*
James M. Cole, current partner at the firm; former
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
The United States deputy attorney general is the second-highest-ranking official in the United States Department of Justice and oversees the day-to-day operation of the Department. The deputy attorney general acts as attorney general during the ...
and author of the
Cole Memorandum
The Cole Memorandum was a United States Department of Justice memorandum issued August 29, 2013, by United States Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole during the presidency of Barack Obama. The memorandum, sent to all United States Attorneys, gov ...
*
Joseph D. Kearney
Joseph Dinneen Kearney is Dean and Professor of Law at Marquette University Law School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He is a scholar of civil litigation practice and procedure.
Biography
Kearney graduated valedictorian at St. Ignatius College Prep ...
, Dean of
Marquette University Law School
*
Mike Lee, current United States Senator from
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
*
Rex E. Lee
Rex Edwin Lee (February 27, 1935 – March 11, 1996) was an American lawyer and academic who served as the 37th Solicitor General of the United States from 1981 until 1985. He was responsible for bringing the solicitor general's office to the cent ...
, former
Solicitor General of the United States and the 10th
President of Brigham Young University
The following people have served as presidents of Brigham Young University and principals of Brigham Young Academy, which split to become Brigham Young University and Brigham Young High School in 1903. This list does not include presidents of B ...
*
Chris Lu
Christopher P. Lu (; born June 12, 1966) is a Chinese American political advisor who serves as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations for Management and Reform. He is also an alternative representative to the United Nations General Assembly d ...
, former
United States Deputy Secretary of Labor and current U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations for Management and Reform
*
Victor Marrero
Victor Marrero (born September 1, 1941) is a United States federal judge, Senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Education and career
Marrero was born in Santurce, San Juan, ...
, Senior United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the
Southern District of New York
*
Newton N. Minow
Newton Norman Minow (born January 17, 1926) is an American attorney and former Chair of the Federal Communications Commission. He is famous for his speech referring to television as a " vast wasteland". While still maintaining a law practice, Mi ...
, former Chair of the
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains jurisdiction ...
during the Kennedy Administration
*
Peter Roskam, current partner at the firm; former U.S. Representative for
Illinois's 6th congressional district
Illinois's 6th congressional district covers parts of Cook, DuPage, Lake, Kane and McHenry counties. It is represented by Democrat Sean Casten since 2019.
Geographic boundaries 2011 redistricting
As of the 2011 redistricting which followed ...
*
Andy Strenio
Andrew John Strenio, Jr. (born April 3, 1952), known as Andy Strenio, is a retired American attorney and author who served as a member of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) from 1986 to 1991. A Democrat, he previously served as a member of the Int ...
, former member of the
Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is an independent agency of the United States government whose principal mission is the enforcement of civil (non-criminal) antitrust law and the promotion of consumer protection. The FTC shares jurisdiction ov ...
*
David S. Tatel, United States Circuit Judge of the
United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
*
John D. Zeglis, former Chief Executive Officer of
AT&T Wireless
*
J.D. Vance, United States senator elect from Ohio
See also
*
References
External links
Official website*
{{Authority control
Law firms established in 1866
Law firms based in Chicago
Foreign law firms with offices in Hong Kong
Foreign law firms with offices in Japan
1866 establishments in Illinois