Go to Dashboard

Skadden

Interesting selling points

  • Strong commitment to pro bono services with projects including the Afghan Pro Bono Initiative, Domestic Violence Impact Project Group and the Tahirih Justice Center 
  • Works for a range of exciting high-profile clients including the Renault Group, Mars, BlackRock and Activision Bilzzard. 
  • Strong global presence, with 22 offices across four continents, including offices in Toronto, Seoul and Munich.
  • Received the highest ranking of "Band 1" from Chambers and Partners for its International Arbitration practice, among other recognised areas.
  • Reputation for investment in technology to enhance client service and efficiency, with the firm being a founding member of the Reynen Court consortium, which supports legal technology innovation and adoption.
  • The firm’s ability to remain at the forefront of technology is demonstrated by it setting up a dedicated blockchains and digital assets practice, as well as a cybersecurity, privacy and sensitive technologies team.

We cover these selling points in more detail below, alongside other relevant firm facts and characteristics.

Practice areas / services

Skadden is a full-service law firm, with a broad range of practice areas including:

  • Antitrust/Competition
  • Banking
  • Blockchains and Digital Assets
  • Capital Markets
  • Corporate Governance 
  • Corporate Restructuring
  • Cybersecurity, Privacy and Sensitive Technologies
  • Energy
  • Environmental
  • Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)
  • Executive Compensation and Benefits
  • Financial Services
  • Government Enforcement and White Collar Crime
  • Intellectual Property and Technology
  • Investment Management 
  • Labor and Employment Law
  • Litigation/Controversy
  • Mergers and Acquisitions
  • Political Law
  • Private Clients/Trust and Estates
  • Private Equity 
  • Real Estate
  • Tax

Chambers and Partners, leading analyst of the legal market, has awarded Skadden its highest ‘Band 1’ ranking for the department of Dispute Resolution: International Arbitration. 

Key sectors / industries

Skadden services a broad range of industries, with some of its highest-value clients operating in the following sectors:

Chambers and Partners, a leading analyst of the legal market, has awarded Skadden its highest ‘Band 1’ ranking for its International Arbitration: Commercial Arbitration department. See here for more information

Work

Skadden consistently advises on high-profile, cross border matters. Some examples of its recent work include:

  • Renault Group: Skadden advised the Renault Group on its sale of 195 million shares of Nissan Motor Co.Ltd to Nissan for $552 million, representing 5% of Nissan’s capital. 
  • Mars: The firm advised Mars on its acquisition of Kellanova for approximately $35.9 billion. 
  • BlackRock: Skadden advised BlackRock on its acquisition of Preqin at an enterprise value of £2.55 billion.
  • Activision Blizzard: The firm advised major video game production house Activision Blizzard in connection with its ~$70 billion acquisition by Microsoft. 

Offices / global footprint / expansion

Headquarters: New York, 1 Manhattan West

Offices: Skadden has a total of 22 offices across 4 different continents, including offices in Toronto, Seoul, Munich and Moscow.

Insights, internships and other opportunities

Skadden offers a number of opportunities for individuals wishing to gain experience in the legal industry and learn more about life at the firm. Opportunities for interested applicants include: a programme of open days, both virtual and in person, during which students can learn more about life in the firm’s London office; and Skadden’s spring and two summer vacation schemes, which enable successful applications to participate in training workshops, insight sessions and a group-based research task, alongside supporting supervisors with client matters. Note that, at least at the time of writing, training contracts are only available following a vacation scheme.

Training contract

The Skadden training contract consists of four six-month seats, with mandatory seats in corporate transactions and litigation/international arbitration during the first year. The second year of training then provides the opportunity for trainees to gain exposure in other offices and practice areas. Besides direct client-facing experience, trainees can also expect a comprehensive training schedule featuring weekly seminars and workshops, as well as an intensive four-week program in New York upon qualification.

In 2020, Skadden established the ‘Justice First Skadden Trainee Programme’, a training contract administered in partnership with the Legal Education Foundation’s Justice First Fellowship. Skadden sponsors one trainee each year to pursue a career in social welfare law, providing funding and ancillary support to the trainee throughout their training. 

Secondments

Skadden offers select trainees one of three opportunities for an international secondment: a seat in Brussels, in Competition; a seat in New York, in Corporate; or a seat in Hong Kong, in Banking.

Technology and innovation

Skadden is committed to utilising technology to provide clients with flexible and innovative legal services, with related initiatives including:

  • Blockchain & Fintech: as part of the firm’s investment in providing leading advice in the innovative fields of Blockchain & Fintech, partner Jessie Liu spoke in 2021 at Harvard Law School’s Blockchain & Fintech Conference.
  • BTI Legal Innovation Outlook: Skadden’s commitment to innovation and technology was recognised in BTI Consulting Group’s 2019 Legal Innovation and Technology Outlook, in which Skadden was ranked in the top 2 percent of all firms for its commitment to innovation.
  • Innovation in Pro Bono: Brenna DeVaney, counsel at Skadden, has spoken about the impact of technology and innovation on the provision of pro bono services across the firm, including helping to ensure a more efficient allocation of projects and lawyers.

Corporate social responsibility

Skadden views pro bono work as a ‘core aspect’ of its culture and accordingly invests ample resources in charitable endeavors. Some examples of its diverse and far-reaching pro bono work include: 

  • Afghan Pro Bono Initiative: The firm helps the Afghan Pro Bono Initiatives, which helps Afghans relocate to the UK following the Taliban’s takeover of the country.
  • Domestic Violence Impact Project Group: Skadden’s Domestic Violence Impact Project Group worked in partnership with pro bono lawyers from five other law firms to launch a Family Law and Domestic Violence Advice Clinic in Bethnal Green which is jointly run by Account3 and the Legal Advice Centre. 
  • Tahirih Justice Center: The firm assists with the Tahirih Justice Center, a US nonprofit dedicated to supporting immigrant survivors of gender-based violence.

Diversity and inclusion

Skadden believes diversity, equity and inclusion are ‘fundamental’ to its success. To this end, the firm has a number of initiatives in place to foster a welcoming work environment, including: 

  • Affinity Networks: The firm has 10 affinity networks which are open to all lawyers who are interested in participating. The networks facilitate relationship building and provide an additional forum for professional and leadership development. 
  • Global Women’s Initiatives Committee: Skadden has a Global Women’s Initiatives Committee which runs a variety of initiatives including the Women’s Leadership Forum, the Women’s Midlevel Associates Conference and the Skadden series for Women lectures. 
  • Career Sponsorship Program: This program provides a framework to help more of its partners ("sponsors") and associates and counsel ("protégés") forge and sustain connections through client work and other developmental interactions.