Sullivan & Cromwell’s Washington office, established in 1977, is an integral part of the Firm. Its practice mirrors the Firm’s litigation, corporate finance, financial institutions and international investment and trade practices. The office is well established in the Washington legal, business and government communities. It is staffed by approximately 40 lawyers, including seven partners and twelve lawyers who are of counsel, special counsel or specialists. Given the integrated and international nature of the Firm’s practice, lawyers in the Washington office routinely work with lawyers in the Firm’s other offices both in the United States and abroad.

Litigation

The Washington office has a broad-based litigation practice. We represent both plaintiffs and defendants in a wide variety of civil litigation matters involving antitrust, securities, patents, trademark, copyright, employment and contract disputes. We act for our clients in both civil and criminal enforcement actions and other investigations brought by the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, other government agencies and congressional committees.

Corporate Law and Corporate Finance

Unique in Washington, our corporate practice is a true “Wall Street” practice. Lawyers in the Washington office are engaged in the Firm’s finance practice, including a capital markets practice that is distinguished in this city by its breadth and scope, as well as work in the fields of structured finance, leveraged finance, project finance, Latin American finance and derivatives. Our lawyers also participate in the Firm’s leading mergers and acquisitions practice and the firm’s private equity practice, and we regularly advise clients on broker-dealer and investment management issues as well as corporate governance matters. Lawyers in the Washington office also work on executive compensation and benefits issues. Our international and domestic clients include investment banks, commercial banks, participants in the commodities and derivatives markets, investment advisers, commercial and industrial corporations, multilateral financial institutions and governmental entities. Many of our clients operate in regulated industries, and, together with our other offices, we are intensely involved on their behalf with the federal regulatory agencies that are based in Washington.

Financial Institutions

The Washington office is extensively involved on an integrated basis with other Firm offices in representation of a wide variety of financial institutions, including major foreign and domestic investment firms, bank holding companies, private equity firms and advisors. The Firm is widely recognized as a global leader in this practice. Office lawyers involved in this practice have regular interaction with major Federal banking agencies and the U.S. Treasury, as well as other Federal and State regulatory authorities.

International Investment and Trade

Several lawyers in S&C’s Washington office handle matters related to foreign investment in and from the United States, including economic sanctions of the United States and review of transactions by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), international trade and export and import controls.