Simpson Thacher & Bartlett

Infobox Law Firm
firm_name = Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
firm_
headquarters =
num_offices = 8 total, 4 international
num_attorneys = 817 (2007)
num_employees =
practice_areas = General practice
key_people = Richard I. Beattie, Chairman [ [http://www.stblaw.com/bios/RBeattie.htm Beattie's firm bio] ]
revenue = $801 million
date_founded = 1884
founder =John W. Simpson, Thomas Thacher and William M. Barnum
company_type = Limited liability partnership
homepage = [http://www.stblaw.com/ www.stblaw.com]
dissolved =

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP is one of the oldest and most prestigious law firms in the United States. Its headquarters are located in New York. This full service firm employs over 800 attorneys in 8 offices. Simpson Thacher is renowned for its litigation and corporate practices, with special attention focused on its mergers and acquisitions specialty. The firm has particularly important relationships with private equity firms such as the Blackstone Group and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts. In 2007, the partnership earned $2,875,000 profits per partner. ["The Full Profits Picture," 6/2007 AMLAW 151]

Overview

Simpson Thacher is consistently among the most profitable large law firms in the world on a per-partner basis according to the "American Lawyer's" annual AmLaw 100 Survey. The firm also ranks near the top of other various surveys, including the Vault.com Associates Survey, and is generally considered one of the most difficult law firms at which to get a job.

History

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP celebrated its 125th year in 2008. John W. Simpson, Thomas Thacher and William M. Barnum organized the firm as "Simpson Thacher & Barnum" on January 1, 1884, with offices at 10 Wall Street. The three were formerly law clerks at the old-line firm Alexander & Green.

In 1889, the name was changed to "Reed Simpson Thacher & Barnum" when former U.S. House Speaker Thomas Brackett Reed joined the firm. Mr. Reed died in 1902 and the name was soon changed to Simpson Thacher Barnum & Bartlett. The final change came in 1904 when it was amended to its current name of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett.

From its original location at 10 Wall Street, the firm has operated at many offices throughout New York City until finally settling at its present location at 425 Lexington Avenue opposite Grand Central Terminal. The firm also has offices at the Chrysler Building across the street.

Pro Bono work

Simpson Thacher’s commitment to pro bono representation has been well recognized over the years. Recently, Simpson Thacher secured a significant victory for the Campaign for Fiscal Equity when the trial judge in the long-running litigation ordered a $5.6 billion increase in operating aid for the New York City schools and a substantial capital funding increase, following the recommendations of a panel of special masters. This decade-long case represents one of the largest and most successful pro bono initiatives of any major law firm.

Associate Compensation

In 2007, Simpson Thacher led the market by raising the base salary for first-year associates to $160,000 per year. [Anthony Lin, " [http://www.law.com/jsp/nylj/PubArticleNY.jsp?hubtype=TopStories&id=1169473047881 Simpson Hikes Pay; First Years Go to $160,000] ", New York Law Journal, January 23, 2007] In the process, it established the market salary for all of its peer firms in New York City. [David Lat, " [http://www.abovethelaw.com/2007/01/breaking_simpson_thacher_raise.php Breaking: Simpson Thacher Raises Associate Base Salaries!!!] ", , January 22, 2007] [David Lat, " [http://www.abovethelaw.com/2006/12/associate_bonus_watch_willkie_1.php Associate Bonus Watch: Willkie Matches, and the Simpson Memo] ", , December 15, 2006]

In April 2007 Simpson Thacher & Bartlett increased the bonus paid to incoming judicial clerks to $50,000. [http://www.abovethelaw.com/2007/05/clerkship_bonus_watch_sullivan.php#more]

Rankings

*For 2006, Simpson was [http://thevault.com/nr/lawrankings.jsp?law2007=2&ch_id=242&top100=1 ranked #6] on The Vault's Top 100 Most Prestigious Law Firm Rankings, and [http://thevault.com/companies/company_main.jsp?product_id=419&ch_id=242&co_page=2&v=1 #4 in New York City] .
*It was the [http://www.stblaw.com/siteContent.cfm?contentID=3&itemID=74&focusID=514 number one legal advisor] for US announced and completed mergers and acquisitions during 2005.
*The American Lawyer named it a finalist for [http://www.alm.com/pressRelease.asp?record=193 Litigation Department of the Year] in 2006.
* [http://www.thelawyer.com The Lawyer] , a UK publication, named Simpson Thacher & Bartlett the [http://www.thelawyer.com/lawyerawards/2006/cat_26.html US Law Firm of the Year] in 2006.
*It was named [http://www.stblaw.com/siteContent.cfm?contentID=3&itemID=75&focusID=305 Leading Law Firm in New York] by [http://www.whoswholegal.com/ The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers] in 2005.

Notable Alumni

Simpson Thacher lawyers have included U.S. Senators, Solicitors General, a Speaker of the House of Representatives, a Secretary of State, a Secretary of the Army, Ambassadors, Judges on U.S. Circuit and District Courts and the New York State Court of Appeals, presidents of the American Bar Association, and presidents of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York.
*Guido Calabresi (Summer Associate)
*Cyrus Vance
*Karenna Gore Schiff
*Thomas D. Thacher
*Thomas Brackett Reed
*Dennis G. Jacobs
*Whitney North Seymour
*Wendell Lewis Willkie II
*Suzanne Nora Johnson
*Anne-Marie Slaughter
*Dwight Morrow

Offices

North America

*New York City
*Los Angeles
*Palo Alto
*Washington, D.C.

Europe

*London

Asia

*Hong Kong
*Tokyo
*Beijing

outh America

*Sao Paolo (announced, not yet open) [http://www.stblaw.com/siteContent.cfm?contentID=3&itemID=74&focusID=1281]

ee also

*White shoe firms
*Magic Circle (law)

References

External links

* [http://www.stblaw.com/ Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP]
* [http://www.lawperiscope.com/profiles/224.html LawPeriscope Profile]
* [http://biz.yahoo.com/ic/41/41496.html Yahoo! - Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP Company Profile ]