Litigation: General Commercial: The Elite | USA

Cravath, Swaine & Moore possesses an esteemed civil litigation practice, highly sought after for sophisticated business disputes and securities actions. The firm fields a strong bench of market-leading attorneys, known for their extensive courtroom experience on behalf of household-name clients in the financial services and broader corporate sector. Its litigators have a dominant presence in defending against shareholder derivative actions relating to M&A and securities fraud class actions. The firm wins plaudits for its significant commercial litigation practice, drawing on broad expertise in areas such as bankruptcy, intellectual property and mass tort cases.

Kirkland & Ellis possesses an eminent team offering expertise across an impressive range of civil disputes, including major M&A and shareholder litigation. The firm fields significant experience representing both companies and individual directors in class actions and wider securities disputes. Its lawyers regularly act for private equity firms and pharmaceutical, education and technology corporates, fielding deep industry expertise and notable trial and appellate experience.

Paul, Weiss is universally recognized as a preeminent litigation firm with first-class expertise across civil and criminal disputes. The firm houses an enviable bench of outstanding courtroom advocates who act on market-leading litigation, drawing on strength in areas such as product liability, IP, antitrust and wider commercial claims. It also boasts a dominant securities litigation practice that attracts leading financial institutions, alongside multinational corporates from a breadth of industries.

Quinn Emanuel possesses a dominant commercial litigation team that consistently demonstrates leading courtroom expertise for both plaintiffs and defendants. The firm's broad civil capabilities include notable strength in product liability, intellectual property and antitrust disputes. The team is also highlighted for its strong securities practice, fielding experience in bringing high-value claims against financial institutions on behalf of institutional plaintiffs. Draws from its expert appellate practice to handle state and federal appeals, including extensive experience appearing before the US Supreme Court.

Skadden fields a bench of expert litigators who are frequently retained to handle major commercial disputes at trial and appellate level. The firm acts for an impressive list of major global corporations, financial institutions and underwriters on securities litigation, including shareholder derivative suits and M&A disputes. Recent caseload includes excellent results in major antitrust cases, as well as significant fintech and cryptocurrency disputes.

Sullivan & Cromwell consistently demonstrates its first-class command of complex financial services litigation, acting for leading market players on precedent-setting securities disputes and regulatory concerns. The firm is also noted for its broad commercial litigation practice, which draws on extensive industry expertise in areas such as manufacturing, energy and wider technology sectors. Its litigation team offers considerable strength at trial and in appellate matters, often handling cases covering the breadth of the country.

Susman Godfrey is an expert commercial litigation boutique offering deep expertise in representing plaintiffs and defendants in high-stakes disputes across a range of industries, including the financial services, energy and technology sectors. The firm fields a strong group of trial lawyers who regularly appear in bench and jury trials, as well as alternative dispute resolution and appellate proceedings. Its lawyers possess extensive experience advising on financial fraud disputes, antitrust matters and wider high-value class action claims.

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton has an accomplished practice that combines extensive experience in securities disputes with notable commercial litigation capabilities. Its litigators have deep expertise in a broad range of civil disputes, including significant class actions and bankruptcy-related litigation. The firm is highlighted for its impressive global reach, which allows it to regularly act on cross-border investigations and civil disputes. The group counts a number of leading banks and wider financial institutions among its illustrious client base, alongside roles acting for major corporates and senior officers and directors.

Davis Polk & Wardwell is a first-class player across an impressive breadth of big-ticket disputes, acclaimed for its standout reputation in defending suits brought against issuers, auditors and financial institutions in securities matters. The group demonstrates excellent abilities in wider commercial litigation, frequently acting on multibillion-dollar breach of contract claims as well as matters such as malpractice suits and class actions. The firm calls upon a formidable roster of talented litigators, offering extensive expertise in trial and appellate proceedings.

Debevoise & Plimpton has a distinguished litigation practice that offers extensive civil and criminal litigation capabilities. The firm is a go-to for major disputes in fields as diverse as education, energy and pharmaceuticals, fielding particular strength in the representation of insurance companies and private equity funds. The litigation group also demonstrates excellent capabilities in healthcare-related disputes. It offers expert handling of SEC investigations complemented by significant experience in securities class actions and M&A litigation. The firm counts a number of former governmental luminaries among its impressive stable of litigators.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher boasts a preeminent litigation practice that offers top-quality work on an impressive range of bet-the-company civil and securities disputes. The firm is much admired for its experienced bench of litigators, fielding extensive trial and appellate expertise. Its lawyers act in major commercial litigation, including consumer class actions, large contract disputes and cross-border cases. The group regularly handles high-stakes securities disputes such as M&A and takeover litigation, as well as advising public companies on derivative suits and class actions. The firm acts for an impressive roster of clients, including industry-leading technology companies and financial institutions.

Latham & Watkins consistently demonstrates strength in high-stakes civil litigation, including disputes arising out of M&A, major bankruptcy disputes and class actions. The firm attracts a strong roster of multinational corporates across a range of industries, as well as leading financial institutions. Its expert securities practice draws on extensive trial experience and regulatory capabilities, fielding particular strength in the representation of accounting and audit firms. Its lawyers also achieve excellent results on behalf of corporate issuers and financial institutions in a range of securities class actions and derivative claims. The New York practice group draws on an extensive nationwide footprint and broad subject matter expertise to offer adept handling of a range of disputes.

Weil, Gotshal & Manges possesses a long-standing commercial litigation practice that is held in high regard for the breadth of its industry expertise. Its lawyers act for clients such as insurers, media and entertainment companies and financial institutions on trade secrets disputes, IP litigation, antitrust proceedings and wider class actions. The firm offers a dedicated securities group whose expertise includes class actions, as well as M&A litigation and corporate governance disputes. Its litigators draw on a wealth of experience practicing before the Delaware Court of Chancery.

Cahill Gordon & Reindel possesses a strong litigation practice that is well equipped to handle major commercial proceedings, offering extensive insurance, antitrust and First Amendment expertise and notable experience acting for major financial services and telecommunications companies. The firm litigates securities cases involving RMBS, CDOs and rate-fixing issues for multiple financial institutions, as well as handling related government investigations. Its lawyers have impressive strength in large-scale class actions that sees them attract a top-notch financial client base, while also demonstrating strength in areas such as life sciences.

Friedman Kaplan Seiler & Adelman is a boutique litigation practice respected for its deep bench of experienced trial lawyers who frequently act across an impressive range of complex commercial disputes. The firm provides expert representation of financial services clients, as well as offering broad coverage in litigation arising from the entertainment, real estate and insurance industries. It also offers significant strength on both the plaintiff and defense sides.

Kasowitz Benson Torres is a specialized litigation firm, well regarded for its expert handling of sophisticated commercial claims. It acts on disputes such as market manipulation suits, antitrust conspiracy claims and creditors' actions brought against private equity firms. The firm has a respected practice acting for plaintiffs in complex securities cases, including matters arising from the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. It also represents hedge fund clients in significant opt-out disputes against issuers. Its diverse client base comprises senior professionals, private equity investors, governmental entities and multinational corporations.

Milbank has a high-level corporate litigation practice that offers deep understanding of complex financial markets and instruments. The firm acts for clients such as private equity funds, global investment banks and individual investors on a range of securities and commercial disputes, including cases involving asset-backed securities and CDOs. Its lawyers have notable strength in acting for groups of underwriters in complex claims. The group draws on excellent firmwide capability in creditor-side restructuring to handle sophisticated and often cross-border litigation in that area. It also offers notable capability handling complex multijurisdictional disputes.

Paul Hastings retains a reputation for expert representation in commercial disputes on a global scale, offering expertise in areas such as real estate and major financial disputes as well as additional capabilities in securities litigation. It acts for an enviable list of domestic and international clients, including major financial institutions and real estate companies. The firm is widely respected for its trial experience and oral advocacy capabilities.

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett boasts a dominant securities litigation group that is recognized for its representation of leading financial institutions and blue-chip corporations in big-ticket dispute work. The firm calls upon a deep bench of trial and appellate lawyers who are regularly retained to act on multibillion-dollar securities class actions and derivative suits. Its wider commercial litigation capabilities include strengths in bankruptcy disputes, insurance coverage matters and consumer class actions.

Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz has a strong presence in business-critical civil and criminal litigation, and highly regarded for its deep bench and expert representation of financial institutions and global corporations. The firm's preeminent M&A litigation capabilities is demonstrated by its frequent handling of high-stakes takeover and corporate governance disputes, with extensive experience appearing before the Delaware Court of Chancery. Its lawyers are also noted for their handling of cross-border mandates involving issues such as antitrust and securities fraud.

White & Case houses an established group of experienced litigators who regularly act on significant commercial disputes at trial and appellate level. Its broad civil litigation capabilities include a focus on bankruptcy disputes, consumer class actions and IP matters. The firm also handles major M&A litigation and securities class actions. It attracts an extensive roster of financial institutions and technology businesses, offering cross-border experience bolstered by a strong global network.

WilmerHale maintains an esteemed practice that regularly acts on big-ticket civil disputes, drawing on a strong global platform and notable trial skills. It has expert commercial litigation capabilities, offering experience in areas such as insurance matters and credit reporting disputes. The firm is also noted for its highly sophisticated practice in disputes arising out of bankruptcy proceedings. It boasts a strong bench of securities litigators who frequently defend against class actions and derivative suits arising in a wide range of industries.