With more than 1,700 attorneys in 22 offices on four continents, Skadden serves clients in every major financial center. Our strategically positioned U.S. and international locations allow us proximity to our clients and their operations and ensure a seamless and unified approach at all times.

For more than 70 years, Skadden has provided legal services to the business, financial and governmental communities around the world in a wide range of high-profile transactions, regulatory matters, and litigation and controversy issues. Our clients range from a variety of small, entrepreneurial companies to a substantial number of the 500 largest U.S. corporations and many of the leading global companies. We have represented numerous governments, many of the largest banks — including virtually all of the leading investment banks — and major insurance and financial services companies. The firm has more than 50 practice areas and advises clients in matters involving, among others, mergers and acquisitions, litigation and arbitration, corporate finance, corporate restructuring, securities law, banking, project finance, energy, antitrust, tax and intellectual property.

Rankings in Surveys

Skadden frequently is identified as one of the world’s leading law firms. For example:

• Skadden has been named the top corporate law firm in the United States in Corporate Board Member magazine’s annual survey of "America’s Best Corporate Law Firms" more than any other law firm.
• The survey asked directors of publicly traded companies to select "a firm they would most likely turn to for corporate legal matters."
• In 2019, for the ninth consecutive time, Skadden was named to the BTI Consulting Group’s list of top litigation law firms — The BTI Fearsome Foursome — and named as a Powerhouse for Securities and Finance Litigation in the BTI Litigation Outlook 2020. Skadden is the only firm named to both of these lists in every edition of the report.
• In the U.S. News — Best Lawyers Best Law Firms 2019 survey, Skadden was recognized as a leading firm in 176 separate practices and regions, receiving 145 Tier 1 rankings. We also were named Law Firm of the Year for Corporate Law and Tax Law.
• In Chambers USA 2019, we earned 76 practice and attorney Band 1 rankings. Additionally, in Chambers Global 2019, Skadden garnered 42 Band 1 practice and attorney rankings.
• Corporate counsel rank Skadden as the No. 1 firm to turn to in bet-the-company situations, according to the report "BTI Brand Elite 2019: Client Perceptions of the Best-Branded Law Firms." 

Skadden emphasizes a dedication to excellent client service and the highest ethical standards across a platform that fosters collaboration, creativity and effciency in all that we do. Our effort on behalf of clients is matched by our commitment to diversity and public service, both of which are core elements of life at the firm.

Diversity and Inclusion

• Named among the top 25 firms for minorities in the Vault 2019 Law Firm Diversity Rankings.
• For the ninth consecutive year, Skadden has received the Women in Law Empowerment Forum’s Gold Standard Certification. Gold Standard Firms are those that are committed to advancing the role of women in their U.S. leadership positions. Skadden is one of only 14 firms that have received the award every year since its inception.
• The firm received a perfect score for the 10th time in 11 years in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index of the "Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality," which evaluated LGBTQ-related policies and practices, including nondiscrimination workplace protections, domestic partner benefits, transgender-inclusive health care benefits, competency programs and public engagement with the LGBTQ community.
• Skadden was recognized as both a 2018 Top Performer and a 2018 Compass Award winner at the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity’s (LCLD) annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

Pro Bono and Public Service

•  In 2018, 77 percent of Skadden’s U.S. attorneys dedicated more than 20 hours to pro bono work. We have spent more than 1.8 million hours performing pro bono legal services firmwide in the last 10 years.
• The Skadden Fellowship Program offers a minimum of 25 two-year paid legal fellowships in the public interest sector each year. To date, 849 fellowships have been awarded.
• Skadden was recognized by The National Law Journal on its 2018 "Pro Bono Hot List" as one of the firms that "have taken on some of the biggest issues of our time." - We are a Charter Signatory to the Pro Bono Institute’s Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge.