It’s a good time for a changing of the guard because Boies Schiller has found its footing again, after several rocky years (especially 2020, when its revenue and headcount shrank dramatically amid massive partner departures). Boies’s leadership proved especially problematic after his personal brand, burnished by celebrated cases like the Microsoft antitrust battle and the fight for marriage equality in California, got tarnished by his controversial representations of convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein and defunct blood-testing company Theranos.įinally, after several unsuccessful transition attempts, the 82-year-old Boies has announced that he’ll step down as chair at the end of 2024, as reported by Erin Mulvaney of the Wall Street Journal. Boies has led BSF since launching it in 1997 after leaving Cravath, and his unwillingness to give up the helm contributed to the departures of rainmakers who were likely future leaders-including Karen Dunn, now litigation co-chair at Paul, Weiss (and my latest podcast guest) Nick Gravante, now litigation co-chair at Cadwalader and Natasha Harrison, now founding and managing partner of Pallas Partners. So I can understand why superstar litigator David Boies has had a hard time relinquishing leadership at the litigation powerhouse of Boies Schiller Flexner (where I spoke this past May for AAPI Heritage Month-my policy is to disclose paid speaking engagements if they’re within the past year). Many founders find it difficult to step away from leading what they founded, not wanting to entrust someone else with their “baby.” I had this challenge with the modest enterprise of Above the Law, which I founded in 2006 and didn’t leave until 2019-and looking back now, perhaps I should have left earlier than I did. I expect to do some writing over the next few days, but given the upcoming holiday and shortened week, it might be lighter than usual (and I might skip next weekend’s Judicial Notice). Is everyone ready for Thanksgiving? We’re staying local, going to my parents’ place in Bergen County, 45 minutes to the north. You can learn more about Original Jurisdiction by reading its About page, and you can email me at This is a reader-supported publication you can subscribe by clicking here. Welcome to Original Jurisdiction, the latest legal publication by me, David Lat. David Boies leaves a big chair to fill at Boies Schiller Flexner (photo by David Lat).
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