Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP

Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP is a New York-based international law firm, founded in 1888 by the renowned jurist and statesman Charles Evans Hughes. The firm consistently earns top rankings for its pro bono work and for diversity. It was the first major New York firm to make an African-American woman a partner and to be chaired by a woman.

Main areas of practice
Anti-corruption and internal investigations: conducting investigations in more than 60 countries and six continents over the past two years, Hughes Hubbard lawyers have served as corporate compliance counsel; served as government decision-makers responsible for bringing civil and criminal enforcement actions; served as the first World Bank integrity compliance officer; and represented parties involved in criminal and administrative enforcement actions.

Antitrust and competition: counseling clients on all aspects of antitrust law, including in cartel-related criminal grand jury investigations, class action litigation, and representing parties before government enforcement agencies (both US and EU) in conduct-related investigations, the firm provides antitrust advice to clients in connection with M&A and compliance issues including on pricing, distribution, and standard-setting and other IP-related issues.

Aviation: representing leading airlines, investment banks, leasing companies, hedge funds, and other financial institutions in both domestic and cross-border transactions, the firm possesses a deep understanding of all manner of aviation finance structures and has been involved in many ‘first-in-kind’ transactions.

Corporate reorganization and bankruptcy: representing clients in judicial and out-of-court restructurings, insolvency matters and related litigation, the breadth of the practice is reflected in the significant matters on which the group has advised, including the bankruptcy liquidations of Lehman Brothers Inc. and MF Global Inc., the largest and eighth-largest bankruptcies respectively in US history, and its landmark victories before the UK Supreme Court.

Corporate: Hughes Hubbard has a strong M&A practice that represents public and private companies in stock and asset acquisitions and dispositions, including the full range of public company matters such as hostile takeovers and proxy fights. Lawyers in the M&A practice also represent special committees of boards of directors in connection with exploration of strategic alternatives and review of going private and related party transactions. The firm’s private client services group helps clients manage their wealth with comprehensive and convenient solutions. The team provides personalized and sophisticated advice on, among other things, business succession planning, charitable planning and foundations, estate planning/trust and estate administration, and fiduciary litigation. Hughes Hubbard’s Private Funds practice represents institutional investors in all stages of their business, including fund formation, domestic and cross-border structuring, compliance program development and day-to-day trading and operations advice. The team also represents corporate boards and executives on various complex matters, including responses to government examinations and investigations, investor litigation and fiduciary and auditor independence issues.

Intellectual property: providing global experience in patent, trade secret, copyright, trademark and related competition law matters, Hughes Hubbard’s intellectual property practice has successfully argued patent and trademark cases in numerous federal courts including the US Supreme Court, the US ITC, and the US PTO.

International arbitration: recognized globally by the world’s leading legal publications, the firm’s arbitration lawyers often become involved with clients well before a dispute has arisen, working to draft appropriate arbitration or mediation clauses for contracts. Once a dispute arises, the lawyers act as advocates and as arbitrators in commercial and investment treaty arbitration and other dispute resolution proceedings throughout the world.

International trade: advising on matters involving the entire spectrum of trade and investment issues faced by governments, multinational corporations and trade associations, the group’s practice includes: export controls and economic sanctions, trade remedies, market access, customs counseling, antidumping and countervailing duty proceedings, WTO and NAFTA dispute avoidance and resolution, investment arbitration and state-to-state arbitration.

Litigation: litigation is a cornerstone of Hughes Hubbard’s practice. The firm has the resources to play virtually any role in major litigation including trials, appeals and class actions. Hughes Hubbard brings national coordinating experience in many complex cases. Much of the firm’s litigation involves cross-border elements.

Media, technology and commercial transactions: combining the resources and experience of a traditional law firm with an understanding and passion for today’s cutting-edge technologies, the practice assists clients on matters in the areas of digital media and the internet, entertainment and technology and information security.

Tax and employee benefits: lawyers are involved in complex cross-border transactions, including M&A, multinational joint ventures, and financings. The firm’s employee benefits lawyers handle all aspects of employee pensions, executive compensation and ERISA work.