Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

Infobox Law Firm
firm_name = Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
firm_
headquarters =
foundation = 1965 | num_offices = 1
num_attorneys = 217
practice_areas = General practice
revenue = $474 million
date_founded = 1965 (New York City)
company_type = general partnership
homepage = [http://www.wlrk.com www.wlrk.com]

Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz is a prominent law firm located in New York City. Herbert Wachtell, Martin Lipton, Leonard Rosen, and George Katz founded the firm in 1965. [ [http://www1.excite.com/home/careers/company_profile/0,15623,1173,00.html The Scoop: Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz] ] It has for some time been the most profitable large law firm in the world on a per-partner basis according to the "American Lawyer's" annual AmLaw 100 Survey. The firm also ranks at the top of other various surveys, including the Vault.com Associates Survey and was ranked as the #1 Most Prestigious Law Firm to Work For by the AveryIndex. [ [http://www.averyindex.com/2007_best_work_prestigious.php 2007 Law Firm Rankings] ] Wachtell is generally considered one of the most difficult law firms at which to be hired: summer classes at Wachtell number in the low dozens and are composed of the strongest applicants from top law schools. Its associates are generally paid substantially more than associates at any other firm in the country. The firm is smaller, and has a lower associate-to-partner ratio, than its peer firms, such as Cravath, Swaine & Moore.

The firm is known for its skill in mergers and acquisitions. One of the founding partners, Martin ("Marty") Lipton invented the so-called "poison pill defense" during the 1980s to foil hostile takeovers. Working both sides of the mergers and acquisitions game, Wachtell Lipton has represented blue-chip clients like AT&T, Kraft, and JP Morgan Chase.

The firm is also known for its skill in business litigation. It has handled many of the precedent-setting Delaware corporate governance cases. One of their most recent clients was Larry Silverstein, owner of the two 110-story towers of the World Trade Center. Videos of another one of the founding partners, Herb Wachtell, arguing cases in the courtroom are shown in law school classes as examples of effective trial advocacy.

Famous alumni

*Bernard Nussbaum, partner — Former Counsel to the President of the United States under the Clinton Administration
*Chaim Fortgang, partner & former Head of the bankruptcy department - "involved in almost every headline bankruptcy of the [1990's] and beyond [cite web | title=The Sunbeam Boys: In Big Bankruptcy Battle It's Chaim Fortgang Vs. Harvey Millers| url=http://www.observer.com/node/44042
accessmonthday=April 17 | accessyear=2008 ] [cite web | title=Wharton’s Inaugural Restructuring Conference | url=http://clubs.wharton.upenn.edu/wrc/conference/2005/WRCC_attendee_guide.pdf |publisher=Wharton’s Inaugural Restructuring Conference |page=4
accessmonthday=April 17 | accessyear=2008 ]
*Elizabeth Holtzman, associate — former U.S. Representative and Brooklyn District Attorney
*John Coates, partner — Harvard Law School professor
*Jed Rubenfeld, associate — Yale Law School professor
*Peter Shuck — Yale Law School professor
*Janet Langford Kelly — General Counsel, ConocoPhillips
*George Postolos, associate — former President and CEO of Houston Rockets
*David Lat, associate — Blogger, Underneath Their Robes and Above the Law
*Samuel Rascoff, associate — NYU Law School professor

ee also

*White shoe firms
* The Magic Circle

References

External links

* [http://www.wlrk.com/ Official website]
* [http://www.lawperiscope.com/profiles/254.html LawPeriscope Profile]
* [http://legalweek.com/Articles/1022241/US+Top+50New+York+What+Marty+says%E2%80%A6.html "US Top 50/New York: What Marty says…"]
* [http://www.smartbrief.com/news/aia/industryBW-detail.jsp?id=E2AF7DA3-39E6-4D21-93B2-7C8C62F3B775 WLRK Named Top Law Firm for Prestige, Says New Top 100 Vault Guide; Firm Takes Top Ranking in BestSelling Vault Guide for Fourth Straight Year]
* [http://www.whoswholegal.com/firms/243/who30/wachtell-lipton-rosen-katz/ Profile: Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz]