Skadden is a place to carve your path. Known for our innovative approach, Skadden attorneys work on the world's most complex matters, the types of deals and cases that earn headlines, move markets and shape the law. Collaboration and shared expertise across our offices enable us to provide unparalleled service to our clients. Our attorneys, spread among 21 interconnected offices around the world, are engaged in more than 60 practice areas, many of which are specialized.
Located in eight major cities across the U.S.— Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Palo Alto, Wilmington, Washington, D.C. — our U.S.-based attorneys advise on our clients' most important matters.
https://www.skadden.com/locations
Boston:
Our Boston office has represented national and international clients in corporate and litigation matters of critical importance for over 50 years. Working in conjunction with attorneys from Skadden’s 21 offices worldwide, we provide clients with a diverse range of legal specialties. Our attorneys primarily represent clients in corporate, litigation, investment management, and government enforcement and health care regulation matters, as well as in pro bono cases. In 2019, our Boston office was named a Massachusetts Powerhouse by Law360, a recognition received by only four standout firms with a strong presence in the region.
Chicago:
Skadden’s Chicago office, which opened in 1984, offers a variety of transactional, litigation and regulatory services to local, national and international clients doing business in the Midwest and around the globe.
We represent U.S. and international clients, including public and private entities, from a wide range of industries in connection with corporate matters, including those relating to mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructurings, capital markets, private equity, banking and investment management. We also advise clients in a wide variety of tax, real estate and REITs-related matters. Our litigation attorneys have a robust practice dedicated to representing a broad range of clients, including many in Chicago and throughout the Midwest, in an array of corporate, securities, products liability, bankruptcy, regulatory, white collar, intellectual property and other matters.
Houston:
Skadden, Arps opened its Houston office in 1993. The office principally services clients in the energy, financial and petrochemical industries in commercial and corporate transactions, as well as in all types of litigation and investigations. Our three practice groups — Energy and Infrastructure, Corporate and Litigation — often work together on matters to provide integrated service to clients, coordinating with resources in other Skadden offices as appropriate.
Los Angeles:
With more than three decades in Southern California, Skadden’s Los Angeles office represents U.S.-based and multinational clients, including a wide variety of California-based Fortune 500, middle-market and privately held companies in industries as diverse as the region, including technology, media/entertainment, retail/apparel, beauty/ personal care, food and beverage, aerospace, health care, gaming, real estate, manufacturing and private equity, among many others.
Our attorneys advise on a range of corporate matters, including mergers and acquisitions, capital markets and private equity. Our litigation practice includes a high-profile trial group and advises on securities, class and derivative actions, and white collar and government enforcement litigation. Additional areas of practice include banking, corporate restructuring, labor and employment law, and real estate. Through our collaboration with Skadden’s Palo Alto office, clients benefit from additional counsel in the areas of intellectual property transactions, executive compensation and benefits, IP litigation and tax, and we leverage the firm’s global network to meet client needs around the world and across the practices.
New York:
The New York office of Skadden, Arps is our largest office and headquarters of our broad-based international practice. Our clients are a substantial and diverse group, which includes nearly one-half of the Fortune 500 companies. The hallmark of our New York practice, and of our practice firmwide, is the pride we take in our work product and in providing the best possible legal services to our clients.
Palo Alto:
An impact player in Silicon Valley for two decades, our clients rely on our experience structuring deals, our trial firepower and our reputation for providing exceptional service to resolve our clients’ most complex matters.
Our Palo Alto attorneys:
• leverage our experience in some of the world’s largest, most innovative corporate transactions to provide efficient representation on deals of all sizes for all types of companies;
• are the trial lawyers companies call on to handle the highest-stakes litigation, from securities and M&A litigation to large-scale consumer and other class actions, white collar cases, and government and internal investigations;
• provide sophisticated representation in tax, intellectual property and executive compensation matters;
• are recognized by the most respected legal guides as being among the top practitioners in the Bay Area and nationwide. We offer clients the only corporate/M&A practice in the San Francisco Bay Area that has been repeatedly ranked in Chambers USA’s prestigious Band 1 in the category of Corporate/M&A: The Elite;
• speak and write on issues important to our clients, providing frequent seminars, white papers and other resources for our clients who seek to stay at the forefront of developments that affect their businesses; and
• are enthusiastic supporters of pro bono and community enhancement initiatives in the Bay Area and beyond.
Washington, D.C.:
Established in 1976, Skadden’s Washington, D.C. office is the firm’s second-largest office and home to many of our global regulatory-focused capabilities. With attorneys practicing in 30 different substantive areas, we handle the full range of legal issues that impact businesses and individuals, from transactional to litigation to regulatory matters. That knowledge is readily deployed domestically and internationally by teaming with attorneys in Skadden’s offices worldwide.
We represent U.S. and international clients from a wide range of industries in connection with mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance matters, financing arrangements and other transactional engagements. We also offer a full spectrum of defense services associated with complex criminal and civil litigation, including in connection with mass torts/product liability; consumer class action litigation; and appellate, antitrust and life sciences-related matters. We also defend clients in connection with governmental enforcement actions, including by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Department of Justice, Federal Trade Commission (FTC), state attorneys general, Congressional investigations, consumer financial services issues and white-collar criminal defense, among others. We represent individuals and corporations before a myriad of federal agencies and administrative tribunals, with deep experience in energy, tax, national security, international trade, and food and drug matters.
Wilmington:
Skadden’s Wilmington office handles corporate transactions, litigations, reorganizations and restructurings for Fortune 500 companies and corporate clients. The scope of our practice is broad, and our attorneys generally work as primary counsel in transactions and litigations throughout the U.S. and internationally. The office has repeatedly been named a Delaware Powerhouse by Law360, a recognition received by a short list of standout firms with a strong presence in the region, in addition to being recognized as a top tier firm in Best Lawyers Best Law Firms. The Wilmington office also received the 2023 Christopher White Access to Justice Leadership Award for its work assisting victims of domestic violence with protection from abuse orders, contributing more than 500 hours over the past year.
SUMMER ASSOCIATE PROGRAM
Our Summer Associate Program — one of the most comprehensive available — drives our hiring efforts. The following are key highlights:
• Given our global platform, we typically accommodate requests for splitting summers between two Skadden offices.
• Our flexible program provides opportunities to learn first-hand about our extensive range of practices.
• Summer associates gain experience comparable to that of junior associates, including attending client meetings, traveling to client locations and assisting senior attorneys in addressing client needs.
• Summer associates working on corporate projects can expect exposure to drafting and negotiation sessions, while those in litigation will gain familiarity with depositions and court proceedings.
• Participants receive formal evaluations and reviews, and our attorneys provide informal feedback through everyday work experiences.
• In some offices, summer associates share office space with practicing lawyers, which offers additional opportunities for mentoring and professional development.
• The majority of our summer associates work on pro bono matters.
• Of course, we hold numerous social events to help our summer associates become acquainted with colleagues throughout the office.
TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT
Throughout your academic career, you have attended the best schools and studied under the best professors. So why should your professional career be any different? At Skadden you will continue to learn from the best. To inspire a culture of lifelong learning, Skadden provides attorneys with specialized training specifically tailored to their experience level throughout their careers – from summer associates to associates to partners to Skadden alumni.
Summer associates have the opportunity to participate in the Summer Program Associates' Comprehensive Education (SPACE) Program, which includes elements of our Associates' Comprehensive Education (ACE) Program that historically has been offered only to incoming associates. This robust training program provides summer associates with many of the fundamental skills of successful Skadden lawyers, better positioning them to hit the ground running after graduation. 1L Scholars will participate in select programs with the 2Ls and will also have additional program opportunities geared exclusively towards 1Ls. Below are examples of workshops and presentations offered during the summer.
Continuing on the foundation built in the summer, our junior associates participate in our full-time ACE Program, an intensive, full-time learning experience combining legal and professional skills training with a financial education which includes a business simulation. Associates participate in: technical skills trainings involving discussions with partners, counsel and senior associates; people and work management programs focusing on communication skills, team collaboration, time management, DE&I, well-being and ethics; group chats that emphasize our core values; and social events to build internal connections. The financial education builds business acumen (BA101) through an online learning platform. The BA101 course reviews strategy and financial management, valuation, income statement, balance sheet, discounted cash flow and EBITDA. Associates have the opportunity to opt in to advanced financial coursework, taking a deeper look at financial statements to determine red flags and financial risk, adding complexity to further develop strategic thinking skills. BA101 also includes a customized Skadden storyline that is designed to connect business terminology and financial concepts to the practice of law. The financial education culminates with a fun and competitive business simulation emphasizing problem solving, team work and strategy.
The learning journey continues after ACE as attorneys participate in the Attorney Learning Core Curriculum and Business Development Academy. Associates have opportunities throughout each year to attend Core Skills training that focuses on technical and people skills, work management and communications. Through the Business Development Academy, attorneys develop networking, active listening and marketing skills that help build long-term trust and foster successful client relationships.
MENTORING & FEEDBACK
To ensure personalized attention and support, summer associates are paired with attorney mentors. The program specifics differ slightly from office to office, but each program shares the same philosophy: An ample support network is essential to your success and development. When the summer program ends, former summer associates and newly hired incoming associates become a part of the Rising Associate Mentoring Program (RAMP). This program is designed to keep our incoming associates connected to the firm while they are finishing school and ease the transition from 3L to first-year associate. Upon joining the firm, they participate in Skadden's Formal Mentor Program which integrates new associates into Skadden’s culture by fostering long-term mentoring relationships with their partner and associate mentors. 3L hires, laterals, re-hires and transfers who did not have the chance to participate in the summer program participate in Skadden Integration + ("SI+"), a program that allows them to cultivate internal connections through peer mentoring and select workshops. Midlevel to senior associates participate in SkadUp, a program that supports and encourages continued informal mentoring after associates have transitioned out of the Formal Mentoring Program. The resources provided through these programs, as well as the social nature of the firm, allows associates to continually meet attorneys at various levels, including those in other practices and offices. In addition, Attorney Development Partners in each practice area support integration into groups, equitable distribution of work and timely development-related programming.
Informal feedback is given to summer associates through the everyday work experience and we provide formal feedback in mid-summer and exit meetings. Summer associates also have the opportunity to complete self-assessments as well as optional upward reviews.
Fostering candid communication between associates and firm leaders is critical to our ability to lead the industry in timely and relevant practices and programs. In addition to avenues for informal communication, our associates also have the opportunity to ask questions and share their views through our Associates Committees, Attorney Development Partners, Professional Development Managers and town halls with office and practice leaders. We are one of the few firms that solicits attorney feedback through engagement surveys to assist us in developing and assessing offerings and programs.
