General Information
Year founded:
1934
This is the year the firm (or its earliest predecessor entity) was founded.
Overview
Content is provided by the firm.
McDermott Will & Emery partners with leaders around the world to fuel missions, knock down barriers and shape markets. With more than 20 locations on three continents, the team works seamlessly across practices, industries and geographies to deliver highly effective — and often unexpected — solutions that propel success. More than 1,400 lawyers strong, the firm brings personal passion and legal prowess to bear in every matter for its clients and the people they serve.
Our lawyers practice around the world: Atlanta, Boston, Brussels, Chicago, Dallas, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Miami, Milan, Munich, New York, Orange County, Paris, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Washington, D.C. and Wilmington.
In word and deed, we value integrity, efficiency, diversity, and pro bono and community service.
Rankings
McDermott Will & Emery is nationally ranked in 36 practice areas and metro ranked in 48 practice areas. Best Law Firms rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process.
Read how Best Law Firms ranks firms"Law Firm of the Year" Awards
2025 "Law Firm of the Year" in Health Care Law
National Rankings
Tier 1
Tier 1 for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Tier 1 for Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice
Tier 1 for Commercial Litigation
Tier 1 for Corporate Law
Tier 1 for Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Metro Rankings
Atlanta
Tier 1 for Corporate Law
Tier 1 for Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law
Tier 1 for Litigation - Intellectual Property
Tier 1 for Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Tier 2 for Litigation - Patent
Firm Leadership
Highlighted Client Comments
All client comments represent the opinions of the people who provided them. All potential clients are urged to remember that no two cases are ever completely alike and that the result in one case does not guarantee a similar result in another case.
Tax Law
Incredibly talented. Easy to work with. Thoroughly research all issues. Written opinions are easy to read and understood, finely tune and thorough researched. You will not fine better written opinions. Committed to the best interest of my company. Always a joy to work with all members of the firm.
John Anspacher
– Johnson & Johnson
Trusts and Estates
MWE's attorneys are bright, talented and very knowledgeable in the estate and trust area. Their expertise covers all topics relevant to advising clients including owners of significant family businesses, family offices and wealthy individuals. They understand that different situations require different planning and they customize the planning to suit the needs of the client. They are capable of explaining things in "plain English", which is important to enabling a client to be comfortable implementing recommended planning. The firm has broad expertise in most areas and can assist clients across all their legal needs, which can be important in implementing estate planning , which often requires the application of many areas of law.
Jeffrey Brodsky
– BDT & Company, LLC
Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
The depth of expertise at McDermott Will & Emery is critical for our company to move efficiently and thoroughly on issues. We also appreciate the forward thinking and thought leadership from the team.
Pam Orvis
– Help at Home, LLC
Antitrust Law
I have worked with and had MWE represent my organization in healthcare matters for over 20 years. MWE has represented my organization in an antitrust case that started over 8 years ago, I an pleased with the representation that I have received from my MWE antitrust team; it has my sincere respect. This case is now on appeal after receiving a summary judgment in our favor. My antitrust team continues to do excellent work on the appeal.
William F. Sherwood,
Vice President, General Counsel (1998)
– SOUTHERN ILLINOIS HEALTHCARE
Litigation - Health Care
I have used MWE for a variety of health care matters including Certificate of Need litigation, self-disclosure protocols, regulatory matters, and general healthcare legal advice for over 20 years. I have an excellent working relationship with the attorneys in the MWE’s healthcare group and I couldn’t be more satisfied with the legal services that I have received.
William F. Sherwood,
Vice President, General Counsel (1998)
– SOUTHERN ILLINOIS HEALTHCARE
Criminal Defense: White-Collar
McDermott Will & Emery is diligent, creative, and thorough. In addition to superb legal counsel, they provide humane, practical wisdom.
Labor Law - Management
McDermott Will & Emery has been a strong partner and provided outstanding representation to us on labor-related issues.
FDA Law
McDermott Will & Emery is my go-to firm for FDA and healthcare matters. They really know the latest developments and do a great job identifying issues that are most important to me as an investor.
Administrative / Regulatory Law
McDermott Will & Emery listens to the client's needs and adapts the representation effectively and efficiently. They can be trusted with both minor matters and matters of great importance.
Tax Law
McDermott Will & Emery's DC office gives us easy access to the tax expertise we need to be safe in our planning and to partner to find solutions to our problems. They invest the time to understand the company, our planning style, and our issues while still keeping the bills reasonable as big firms go.
Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
We have used five of McDermott Will & Emery's attorneys over the past year for different employee law issues. Without exception, they were all very responsive and very well prepared. We received excellent legal counsel, and all matters were handled in an efficient matter. The five McDermott Will & Emery attorneys we worked with were Diane Morganthaler, Jacob Mattinson, Rachel Cowen, Joe Mulherin, and Kevin Connelly.
Tim Gasparich
– Triangle Package Machinery Company
Corporate Law
The primary two partners I have worked with at McDermott Will & Emery are simply outstanding in terms of knowledge, advice, responsiveness, and the customer experience
Alan I. Edrick
– OSI Systems, Inc.
Trusts and Estates
The trust and estate team at McDermott Will & Emery is first rate. Our company has benefited greatly over the years from their expertise and deep bench of knowledge.
Kelly Escobedo
– Blue Haven Initiative, LLC
Trusts and Estates
McDermott Will & Emery is the best law firm on the planet for Trusts and Estates, period. Special shout out to the Boston office for their expertise in the complex of world of irrevocable life insurance trusts!
Jack Gallagher
– Globe Corporation
Health Care Law
My experience with McDermott Will & Emery has been consistently outstanding every year for the last 15 years in every category listed. The team is professional, informed, articulate, responsive, and fun to work with. They are trusted advisers that I turn to whenever I have important business or strategy development needs and am looking for sound guidance.
Elizabeth Liebow
– Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Health Care Law
McDermott Will & Emery has been our "go to" outside counsel for complex health care related matters for 19 years. I have full and complete confidence in the MWE legal work product and highly value the opinions of their attorneys.
Kim Nelson,
Chief Legal Officer
– Atrius Health
Nonprofit / Charities Law
This is truly a "best in class" practice. I use McDermott Will & Emery as the "general counsel's counsel." When the stakes are high or consequences significant, you want this team with you. Their expertise is quite deep and they provide wise counsel.
Timothy Phillips,
Chief Counsel
– American Cancer Society Inc.
Commercial Litigation
I go to the team at McDermott Will & Emery for "bet the company" and significant reputation stakes matters. They are zealous advocates for our cause.
Timothy Phillips,
Chief Counsel
– American Cancer Society Inc.
Trusts and Estates
McDermott Will & Emery strives for the highest standards of professionalism. They ask the right questions, listen, strategize and then provide thoughtful advice to best guide their clients.
Rick Pomeroy
– BMO Family Office
Health Care Law
McDermott Will & Emery is a top-notch international law firm with great expertise across the very complex healthcare ecosystem. The firm is particularly strong in the digital health space and providing counsel and expertise regarding the various emergent issues raised by artificial intelligence, telemedicine, interoperability, privacy, and a myriad of other digital health-related technologies and solutions.
Rene Quashie
– VP, Consumer Technology Association
Health Care Law
We have relied heavily on Eric Gordon and Gary Gertler in McDermott's Health Law Practice. I have worked with Eric for over a decade and he is, without question, the best attorney I have ever consulted on health care compliance and reimbursement matters. Gary earns similar marks on the transactional front.
Both Eric and Gary are extremely knowledgeable regarding the law and dynamics in the health care industry, exceedingly responsive to clients, and very clear and practical in their guidance. They can effectively and efficiently tackle any matter, no matter how legally complex or politically charged. I cannot recommend either highly enough.
Max Reynolds
– John Muir Health
Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Our relationship with McDermott Will & Emery has been wonderful. They provide timely, thoughtful and thorough responses to all of our inquiries. Todd Solomon and Judith Wethall are deeply knowledgeable in ERISA law, and lead a great team. Lisa Linsky, as the relationship manager, is always accessible to us for needs specific to ERISA law and all other sub-specialties within MWE. Can't say enough about the entire team. We are quite fortunate to have found a firm that is so uniquely suited to our needs.
Pauline Sobelman
– Risk Strategies Company
Corporate Law
I have worked with McDermott Will & Emery for over 15 years, and it has been a pleasure. They always produce great work: prompt, meticulous, and courteous.
Ray Chen
– Lubax
Litigation - Labor and Employment
The McDermott Will & Emery team has handled some of our most significant litigation, including wage and hour litigation. They provide great strategy and legal advice.
Dorothy Capers,
Senior Vice President of Legal and General Counsel
– National Express LLC
Administrative / Regulatory Law
McDermott Will & Emery attonreys are great people; professional but approachable. They know their stuff and have an awesome work ethic but with great humility as well.
Sam Calagione
– Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Inc.
Health Care Law
McDermott Will & Emery is the leader in the healthcare space. They are our "go-to" for complex, brand sensitive issues. They exhibit high ethics and creative problem solving.
Stacy Bratcher,
Associate General Counsel for Health Sciences
– University of Southern California
Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
The ERISA team at McDermott Will & Emery has been partner to Acushnet Company for nearly 10 years. The team offers prompt, professional service on any and all benefit and wellness matters. If we need information related to non-ERISA topics (compensation, tax regulations, etc.), the ERISA team also helps us navigate these matters by partnering with another of their internal topic specialists. I have spoken with Partners, Associates, and Professional Advisers, and all deliver the highest quality of service. For me, this means topic matter experts (each question is researched and answered thoroughly) who are interested in understanding the culture and concerns of the company, and who are willing to help us find the right sized legal solution that best meets our needs. That isn't always the first answer...but we always get where we need to be through partnering. I feel comfortable, and protected, when I act upon the advice provided by the MWE team.
Dorothy Bouley
– Acushnet
Tax Law
McDermott Will & Emery is my go-to firm for all tax questions. They understand the rules, the market and the clients. They are efficient, practical and very smart.
Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
McDermott Will & Emery is my go-to firm for a number of deeply technical subject areas, including executive compensation, not-for-profit, and perquisites. Also my first stop for training new matters and issue spotting.
Tax Law
McDermott Will & Emery are very knowledgeable. Thorough understanding of the issues and transactions, including the underlying economics and business concerns.
Trusts and Estates
McDermott Will & Emery take a team approach to servicing our account providing excellent service and have demonstrated the ability to add value by using attorneys with specialized knowledge when needed.
Health Care Law
I have worked closely with attorneys from McDermott Will & Emery for a number of years and hold their team in the highest regard. Their health care attorneys have deep and broad expertise in the areas needed by our organization, they provide incredibly prompt service and are highly responsive to our requests. The training and resources offered by MWE, in addition to the exceptional legal expertise, are second to none. I would and do recommend MWE to my in-house colleagues when faced with thorny issues.
Trademark Law
McDermott Will & Emery attorneys have a wonderful work ethic. They demonstrate tremendous substantive knowledge. They are easy to work with. They are always available.
Employment Law - Management
Our McDermott Will & Emery team is incredible. They make us feel like we are their top priority and have always done so. Our clients ask that we hire this team. They are experts in all areas of California laws and we have yet to stump them on any legal issue. We also appreciate the fact that they listen carefully to and take into account the business concerns.
Securitization and Structured Finance Law
The transactional lawyers at McDermott Will & Emery are exceptional. The lawyers are skilled in their areas of expertise and also have a deep understanding of a wide range of financial products and activities.
Trusts and Estates
McDermott Will & Emery is an outstanding firm! I have tremendous respect for all of their attorneys especially their estates practice. They have great emotional intelligence and are responsive, creative, and very talented. They also explain things in an un-complicated manner which is important for my clients!
Litigation - Intellectual Property
The team at McDermott Will & Emery, and more specifically the partner and associates that I work with as a client, have provided outstanding service and become a true partner in our intellectual property strategy for the company moving foward. They have made a concerted effort from the beginning to know who we are and what our objectives are for the company to better understand what our IP portfolio needs. They bring personal experience in the industry and technologies and bring it to the table in every conversation. They provide practical and actionable solutions and are mindful of not only the short-term deadlines in front of the client but also the long-term positioning of the actions. They are true professionals and turn around excellent work on tight deadlines, always delivering with patience and insights to the best options for the portfolio.
Tax Law
McDermott Will & Emery has been a long-standing trusted tax adviser to the company and knows our tax issues and structure well, making them the most effective adviser in particular on US tax reform issues. They are the only firm that is able to help us on a timely basis to do scenario planning based on our very specific, factual situations, enabling the company to be ahead of peers and even other advisers in making decisions regarding investments, planning, and advocacy.
Trademark Law
Joanne Ludovici, of McDermott Will & Emery, has served as the National Museum of Women in the Art's Global Trademark and Domain Name Counsel since 2009. She has brought her tremendous global trademark talents and passion for the arts to work (tirelessly) for us, on everything from global trademark counseling and portfolio management to enforcement matters, including cross-border analysis and coordination of a trademark infringement action. Joanne and her team (based in DC and Los Angeles) have also been instrumental in guiding the expansion of the Museum from its roots in Washington, DC to Europe and South America and in the related protection of our brands in those jurisdictions. Finally, on the transactional side, Joanne and her team work with our affiliate committees on licenses and use guidelines that allow them to use the Museum's valuable brands.
Ilene Gutman,
Deputy Director
– National Museum of Women in the Arts
Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
The two things that I would say about McDermott Will & Emery in our situation is that they handled a very broad assignment involving the sale of the company and integrated the ERISA work into the project very effectively. So not only did they understand the ERISA issues, they we able to handle the nuances of how they interacted with the overall transaction. They functioned very well internally in their service to us.
John Russell
– Morton Buildings, Inc.
Commercial Litigation
Miller Baker of McDermott Will & Emery is an excellent appellate specialist.
Tax Law
McDermott Will & Emery provided excellent advocacy and knowledge around an important state tax law dispute. I highly recommend Steve Kranz and Diann Smith.
Health Care Law
McDermott Will & Emery’s Ira Coleman is the best health care attorney in the country.
Stephen Milstein, M.D.,
CEO
– Ascent Health Partners
Tax Law
I've been very impressed with our partner, Stephen Kranz. He takes a personal interest in his clients and I always feel like he's an unshakable advocate for my company. He also has the unique ability to explain difficult legal concepts in terms that non-attorneys can easily understand. I'm very pleased to work with Stephen and his staff at McDermott Will & Emery.
Tax Law
I have worked with Steve Kranz of McDermott Will & Emery for many years, and highly respect his technical expertise in state tax law. He goes above and beyond to get to the right answer for us, efficiently and effectively.
Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Erin Turley and her attorneys at McDermott Will & Emery are excellent resources in this area. We have been using Erin in this area for years.
Tax Law
Peter Faber at McDermott Will & Emery is a clear top tax lawyer. He brings wisdom, federal and state tax expertise, as well as business acumen. Unique in perspective from complex tax technical and theory as well as controversy matters.
Commercial Litigation
McDermott Will & Emery is an excellent firm. They are very responsive and creative and work very well with joint defense groups. I highly recommend the firm.
FDA Law
McDermott Will & Emery works extremely well with our in-house department to effectively handle many of our regulatory needs.
Trusts and Estates
The team at McDermott Will & Emery are true leaders and subject-matter experts in the Trust & Estates and Income Tax structuring areas. They have outstanding knowledge base of all areas impacting family office clients.
Tax Law
Peter Faber and Alysse McLoughlin of McDermott Will & Emery's New York City office, consistently provide timely advice concerning highly-technical and frontier state and local tax issues. My relationship with these two, and McDermott Will & Emery, spans well over twenty-years. Without reservation, I view Peter and Alysse as key practitioners within the state and local tax community, as well as partners to help navigate complex matters to arrive at technically-grounded solutions.
Health Care Law
I can’t imagine using any other Health Care Law firm for any complex issue or transaction in Massachusetts than McDermott Will & Emery. Chris Jedrey and Charlie Buck and their entire MWE team were all were remarkably focused, timely and extraordinarily committed. They are a remarkable Health Care Law practice.
Banking and Finance Law
My team of attorneys at McDermott Will & Emery are experts in their field and are helpful in helping to structure new transactions. They are responsive and at the same time, sensitive to costs.
Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
McDermott Will & Emery offers simply superb work and willingness to support the board at all hours of the day, seven days a week.
Leonard Schlesinger
– Restoration Hardware
Trusts and Estates
McDermott Will & Emery is very professional and has most advanced ideas in the industry.
Mike Olsen,
CFO
– Globe Corporation
Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Erin Turley and Allison Wilkerson at McDermott Will & Emery are two of the best, most conscientious attorneys I have had the pleasure to work with.
Steve Moore
– Parman Energy Corp
Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law
I have used McDermott Will & Emery exclusively for 8 years. They are a great firm to work with.
David Malizia,
Managing Partner
– Westshore Capital Partners
Health Care Law
Our organization's experience with McDermott Will & Emery in Boston is consistently outstanding. The partners have a deep understanding of our industry, our business model, and our mission and values. Their legal, regulatory, and strategic advice is unparalleled. Not only do they consistently meet our needs, but they also help advance our thinking with their top-tier strategic thinking and awareness of market trends.
Elizabeth Liebow
– Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Tax Law
McDermott Will & Emery is one of the best US tax law firms.
Pierre Lamouroux
– Faurecia
Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy)
McDermott Will & Emery has a very strong health care industry experience and depth of knowledge in the team we normally use; also the firm is able to tap preeminent subject matter experts in other substantive areas when needed.
Neil Kunkel
– CleanSlate Centers
Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
McDermott Will & Emery always "gets it." They understand what we are trying to do and if our proposed solution doesn't work, they will make an effort to find one that will rather than simply advise us not to pursue that avenue. They speak a language we understand rather than legalese. They are good listeners and not above acknowledging that non-lawyers have valid input. They work with us to set a timeline for projects so we are not scrambling before a deadline. In essence, they form a partnership with the client that ensures success.
Deborah Kluska
– Gerresheimer
Administrative / Regulatory Law
The attorneys at McDermott Will & Emery are an excellent resource for alcoholic beverage law advice on a nationwide level. They are very responsive to clients, have great customer service, and are on track with timing on deliverables.
Commercial Litigation
Andrew Kratenstein and the rest of the litigation team at McDermott Will & Emery did a great job of helping us navigate through a very complicated litigation brought against us by a much larger multi-billion dollar organization. Through their guidance and direction we obtained summary judgment, a very positive outcome that saved our organization a significant amount of both time and money.
Drew Walk
– Soleo Health
Information Technology Law
McDermott Will & Emery attorneys were true subject matter experts and business partners.
Patent Law
We have been impressed by the professionalism and efficiency of the McDermott Will & Emery. We have also enjoyed our interactions with all of the different staff members at the firm.
Tax Law
I have been extremely impressed with the state and local tax expertise of the tax partners we have met at McDermott Will & Emery. They are very knowledgeable, professional and always responsive to our requests for assistance.
Aaron Rubinstein
– Standard Chartered Bank
Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
We've partnered with McDermott Will & Emery on executive compensation matters for several years; the firm, particularly Andrew Liazos, continues to be an exceptional resource for our company. Their expertise is first-rate, and their guidance has proven invaluable. They are incredibly easy to work with.
Jim Jensen
– Premier, Inc.
Mergers and Acquisitions Law
McDermott Will & Emery is very professional and on the ball. They are a top-notch team!
Gary Ross
– PIRA Energy Group
Trusts and Estates
The trusts and estates practice in the Chicago office of McDermott Will & Emery is excellent. I have worked with several of the members of that practice area and they are excellent. I have been more impressed with that group of attorneys than any other law firm that I have worked with. They are "top notch" in all respects.
Tom Estes
– Manier & Herod
Nonprofit / Charities Law
McDermott Will & Emery and its lawyers deserve the highest ranking for service, expertise, understanding and civility and are excellent in all those spheres.
Vijay Dandapani
– Hotel Association of New York City, Inc.
Criminal Defense: White-Collar
I had the privilege of working with McDermott Will & Emery on a Supreme Court amicus brief. They exhibited exactly what lawyers should strive to be. The professionalism, intelligence, creativity, and ability to work under extreme time pressures are just a few of their highest qualities. In addition, they were forthcoming with ideas, open and accepting of critiques or criticism, in the goal of the best product. In addition to the stellar quality of their work, the lawyers were all a true pleasure to work with.
Sara Dill
– American Bar Association
Tax Law
The tax team in McDermott Will & Emery's DC office are very impressive. They offer a great mix of practical and technical tax expertise. They staff projects leanly and are very efficient. Tim Shuman and Mike Wilder are two of the best technical tax lawyers with whom I have worked. Tim is my go-to lawyer for sub-C questions. Mike has a broad expertise in international tax, consolidated returns and any of a number of highly technical matters. Caroline Ngo and Dave Noren are great in international matters.
David Ware
– Tyco International
Health Care Law
As the Chief Legal Officer for Atrius Health, a $1.8B tax-exempt health care system, I am frequently in need of outside expert advice on a range of areas including Stark, Anti-kickback, tax-exempt issues, transactions, HIPAA, CMP, etc. McDermott Will & Emery has been my "go-to" firm for over 15 years because the support, advice, and responsiveness we receive, whether the matter is complex or straightforward, has always been extraordinary.
Kim Nelson,
Chief Legal Officer
– Atrius Health
Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law
I always have confidence in the quality of McDermott Will & Emery's work product. Their attorneys are great people. I highly recommend the firm.
Kenneth Ali
– Rock Gate Partners
Banking and Finance Law
McDermott Will & Emery offers exceptional, practical, and responsive service. They are always accessible at all levels.
Michael Heather
– Prime Healthcare
Litigation and Controversy - Tax
McDermott Will & Emery attorneys have great expertise at federal and state tax matters. The team of lawyers brings different skill sets but certainly complement each other.
Philip Graham,
Senior Vice President Corporate Tax
– FMR LLC
Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law
McDermott Will & Emery provides outstanding service and a complete understanding of the facts. Their advice is beyond legal, which is the real value added.
David Malizia,
Managing Partner
– Westshore Capital Partners
Litigation - Antitrust
I have used McDermott Will & Emery as outside counsel for over 18 years for areas of the law in which I need additional proficiency. The depth of the expertise the firm can call on is exceptional. Its attorneys are able to quickly grasp the issues I bring to them and their responsiveness is outstanding.
William F. Sherwood,
Vice President, General Counsel (1998)
– SOUTHERN ILLINOIS HEALTHCARE
Litigation - Intellectual Property
McDermott Will & Emery’s patent litigation team is highly experienced and is able to render advice on imminent issues (such as decisions to make on pending motions) with a long term view of anticipated future steps or events in the proceeding. The IP litigation team also is able to help the client keep a potential exit plan, or a business solution, along with the substantive matters. Also, the team does not look at just one type of proceeding before the client (typically a district court proceeding) but considers and advises on different types of proceedings (district court, IPR, and ITC) that can be anticipated, or can be planned in advance, or should be avoided by different preemptive activities. The firm provides accurate budget plan for handling matters. McDermott teams have been especially helpful in accurately anticipating different variations of each proceeding that will have material impacts on the client's litigation budget.
Yuichiro Takayanagi
– Panasonic
Trademark Law
McDermott Will & Emery provided excellent service and highly valuable strategic counsel.
Charlotte (“Char”) Whitaker
– Dow Corning Corporation
Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
McDermott Will & Emery has a great team; very proactive on developing matters and creative in resolving compliance items.
Paul Wittig
– Federal Signal Corporation
Health Care Law
McDermott Will & Emery has a very strong and deep knowledge of health care law and a clear go to. Robust team with a clear firm wide mission to serve its clients. Highly commercial in their application of their legal knowledge to specific situations.
Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
McDermott Will & Emery provides outstanding customer experience and a deep knowledge of their field.
Insurance Law
McDermott Will & Emery has a top-notch legal team capable of handling the largest, most complicated insurance matters.
Securities / Capital Markets Law
McDermott Will & Emery is outstanding in all respects.
Tax Law
McDermott Will & Emery are total experts in their field but they also anticipate client needs and take initiative better than any firm we work with.
Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
McDermott Will & Emery are incredible business partners and have significant depth in all areas of ERISA law.
Government Relations Practice
McDermott Will & Emery is very experienced in dealing with protests concerning GSA . We were impressed with their knowledge and expertise.
Tax Law
McDermott Will & Emery offers exceptional service; a product of their considerable expertise in the derivative arena and goal oriented approach to tax planning. Their advice has been comprehensive and creative, supported by thorough, multifaceted tax analysis.
Mergers and Acquisitions Law
McDermott Will & Emery takes a commercial and practical approach to resolving matters. They take into consideration the key needs of clients and are flexible on approach accordingly.
Tax Law
My multinational corporation needs a tax firm with the ability to provide outstanding analytical, research, tax technical and advisory services across a broad spectrum. McDermott Will & Emery's tax team easily delivers these needed services and does so in a creative, logical, and practical manner. Moreover, McDermott Will & Emery is exceptional at concisely communicating the most complex tax topics in the simplest of terms allowing tax and non-tax professionals to comprehensively understand key issues. This firm is best in class!
Corporate Law
MWE has assisted us on corporate matters large and small, from our initial restructuring through day-to-day corporate advisory. Their advice has always been sound, timely and practical.
Trusts and Estates
McDermott Will & Emery's Private Clients practice group includes nationally recognized experts and other incredibly talented attorneys, all of whom have the knowledge and experience required to deliver tax-effective results for their clients. What impresses me most, however, is their breadth of knowledge in related areas, including general taxation, investments and compliance, and practical focus in helping clients to choose and implement complex planning structures. As a private trust company operating as a single family office, we view our attorneys at McDermott Will & Emery as an extension of our team and can trust them to respond quickly, decisively and effectively.
Tax Law
The attorneys have dealt with at the firm are top class. They are knowledgeable, creative, reliable, fast and a pleasure to deal with. They know the law and assist in the application in a practical manner. They understand what the legislators are trying to achieve, and devise interesting planning strategies.
Rankings
"Law Firm of the Year" Awards
2025 "Law Firm of the Year" in Health Care Law
National Rankings
Tier 1
Tier 1 for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Tier 1 for Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice
Tier 1 for Commercial Litigation
Tier 1 for Corporate Law
Tier 1 for Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Tier 1 for Derivatives and Futures Law
Tier 1 for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Tier 1 for Health Care Law
Tier 1 for Insurance Law
Tier 1 for Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law
Tier 1 for Litigation - ERISA
Tier 1 for Litigation - Intellectual Property
Tier 1 for Litigation - Patent
Tier 1 for Litigation and Controversy - Tax
Tier 1 for Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Tier 1 for Patent Law
Tier 1 for Real Estate Law
Tier 1 for Securitization and Structured Finance Law
Tier 1 for Tax Law
Tier 1 for Trademark Law
Tier 1 for Trusts and Estates
Tier 2
Tier 2 for Antitrust Law
Tier 2 for Banking and Finance Law
Tier 2 for Employment Law - Management
Tier 2 for Litigation - Antitrust
Tier 2 for Litigation - Labor and Employment
Tier 2 for Litigation - Securities
Tier 2 for Natural Resources Law
Tier 2 for Oil and Gas Law
Tier 2 for Project Finance Law
Tier 3
Tier 3 for Energy Law
Tier 3 for Immigration Law
Tier 3 for Information Technology Law
Tier 3 for International Trade and Finance Law
Tier 3 for Litigation - Bankruptcy
Tier 3 for Securities Regulation
Regional Rankings
Atlanta
Tier 1 for Corporate Law
Tier 1 for Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law
Tier 1 for Litigation - Intellectual Property
Tier 1 for Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Tier 2 for Litigation - Patent
Austin
Tier 1 for Litigation - Intellectual Property
Tier 1 for Litigation - Patent
Tier 1 for Trademark Law
Tier 2 for Patent Law
Tier 3 for Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice
Boston
Tier 1 for Bet-the-Company Litigation
Tier 1 for Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice
Tier 1 for Commercial Litigation
Tier 1 for Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Tier 1 for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Tier 1 for Health Care Law
Tier 1 for Litigation - Health Care
Tier 1 for Litigation - Intellectual Property
Tier 1 for Litigation - Patent
Tier 1 for Patent Law
Tier 1 for Tax Law
Tier 2 for Employment Law - Individuals
Tier 2 for Nonprofit / Charities Law
Tier 2 for Privacy and Data Security Law
Chicago
Tier 1 for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Tier 1 for Bet-the-Company Litigation
Tier 1 for Commercial Litigation
Tier 1 for Corporate Law
Tier 1 for Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Tier 1 for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Tier 1 for Employment Law - Management
Tier 1 for Health Care Law
Tier 1 for Litigation - ERISA
Tier 1 for Litigation - Health Care
Tier 1 for Litigation - Intellectual Property
Tier 1 for Litigation - Trusts and Estates
Tier 1 for Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Tier 1 for Tax Law
Tier 1 for Trademark Law
Tier 1 for Trusts and Estates
Tier 2 for Banking and Finance Law
Tier 2 for Insurance Law
Tier 2 for Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law
Tier 2 for Litigation - Antitrust
Tier 2 for Litigation - Patent
Tier 2 for Litigation - Securities
Tier 2 for Patent Law
Tier 3 for Litigation - Bankruptcy
Dallas/Fort Worth
Tier 1 for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Tier 1 for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Tier 1 for Information Technology Law
Tier 1 for International Mergers and Acquisitions
Tier 1 for Litigation - Bankruptcy
Tier 1 for Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Tier 2 for Corporate Law
Delaware
Tier 1 for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Houston
Tier 1 for Natural Resources Law
Tier 2 for Litigation and Controversy - Tax
Tier 2 for Oil and Gas Law
Los Angeles
Tier 1 for Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Tier 1 for Employment Law - Management
Tier 1 for Health Care Law
Tier 1 for Litigation - Health Care
Tier 1 for Litigation - Labor and Employment
Tier 1 for Litigation - Trusts and Estates
Tier 1 for Trusts and Estates
Tier 2 for Banking and Finance Law
Tier 2 for Commercial Litigation
Tier 2 for Corporate Law
Tier 2 for Project Finance Law
Tier 2 for Securitization and Structured Finance Law
Tier 3 for Nonprofit / Charities Law
Tier 3 for Real Estate Law
Memphis
Tier 1 for Health Care Law
Miami
Tier 1 for Corporate Law
Tier 1 for Health Care Law
Tier 1 for Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law
Tier 1 for Litigation - Health Care
Tier 1 for Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Tier 1 for Real Estate Law
Tier 1 for Tax Law
Tier 1 for Trusts and Estates
Tier 2 for Commercial Litigation
Tier 2 for Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Tier 3 for Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
New York City
Tier 1 for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Tier 1 for Commercial Litigation
Tier 1 for Derivatives and Futures Law
Tier 1 for Health Care Law
Tier 1 for Insurance Law
Tier 1 for Litigation and Controversy - Tax
Tier 1 for Real Estate Law
Tier 1 for Securitization and Structured Finance Law
Tier 1 for Tax Law
Tier 1 for Trusts and Estates
Tier 2 for Antitrust Law
Tier 2 for Immigration Law
Tier 2 for Litigation - Trusts and Estates
San Francisco
Tier 1 for Employment Law - Management
Tier 1 for Labor Law - Management
Tier 1 for Tax Law
Tier 1 for Trusts and Estates
San Jose
Tier 1 for Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice
Tier 1 for Litigation - Intellectual Property
Tier 1 for Litigation - Patent
Tier 1 for Patent Law
Tier 1 for Trusts and Estates
Tier 2 for Corporate Law
Washington, D.C.
Tier 1 for Antitrust Law
Tier 1 for Energy Law
Tier 1 for Energy Regulatory Law
Tier 1 for Health Care Law
Tier 1 for Insurance Law
Tier 1 for International Trade and Finance Law
Tier 1 for Litigation - Antitrust
Tier 1 for Litigation - Trusts and Estates
Tier 1 for Tax Law
Tier 1 for Trusts and Estates
Tier 2 for Civil Rights Law
Tier 2 for Litigation - Insurance
Tier 2 for Litigation - Patent
Tier 2 for Trademark Law
Tier 3 for Commercial Litigation
Tier 3 for Litigation - Securities
Tier 3 for Securities Regulation
Practice Areas
The below are areas of legal specialty volunteered by the firm and do not designate a specialty in which a Best Law Firms ranking is held.
- Administrative / Regulatory Law
- Antitrust Law
- Banking and Finance Law
- Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- Bet-the-Company Litigation
- Commercial Litigation
- Corporate Law
- Criminal Defense: White-Collar
- Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
- Employment Law - Management
- Energy Law
- Environmental Law
- Food and Beverage Law
- Government Relations Practice
- Health Care Law
- Insurance Law
- Intellectual Property Law
- International Trade and Finance Law
- Litigation - Antitrust
- Litigation - Banking and Finance
- Litigation - Environmental
- Litigation - ERISA
- Litigation - First Amendment
- Litigation - Intellectual Property
- Litigation - Land Use and Zoning
- Litigation - Patent
- Litigation - Real Estate
- Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy)
- Litigation - Securities
- Litigation - Trusts and Estates
- Litigation and Controversy - Tax
- Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
- Media Law
- Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Patent Law
- Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
- Project Finance Law
- Real Estate Law
- Securities / Capital Markets Law
- Securities Regulation
- Securitization and Structured Finance Law
- Tax Law
- Trusts and Estates
- Venture Capital Law
Individuals Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America®
McDermott Will & Emery has 216 lawyers recognized for individual performance in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in
America®.
By receiving this Best Lawyers recognition from their peers for their professional excellence, these lawyers made McDermott Will & Emery eligible for evaluation for Best Law Firms rankings.
For almost two decades, Best Lawyers has awarded these singular accolades, making them the foundation of our Best Law Firms awards.
Read more about our Best Lawyers process here.
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Client Comments
All client comments represent the opinions of the people who provided them. All potential clients are urged to remember that no two cases are ever completely alike and that the result in one case does not guarantee a similar result in another case.
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Awards
Awards are self-reported by firms and are not verified by the Best Law Firms rankings.
- Named one of the “50 Best Law Firms for Women" by Working Mother and Flex-Time Lawyers
- Named one of the most innovative U.S. law firms by Financial Times “Innovative Lawyers Awards 2012"
- Named a "Go-To Law Firm" for Fortune 500 companies by Financial Times
- Ranked in the Top 10 for International Commitment to Pro Bono Matters, The American Lawyer
- Named One of “10 Best BigLaw Firms for Female Attorneys”, Law360
- Recognized as one of the Top Illinois Law Firms for LGBT Inclusiveness by Equality Illinois
- One of "10 Best BigLaw Firms for Female Attorneys", Law360 of "Powerhouse Firms"
- Named One of “50 Best Law Firms for Women”, by Working Mother and Flex-Time Lawyers
- “International Firm of the Year”, TrustLaw
- Honored by the International Trademark Association (INTA) as the sole recipient of its Volunteer Service Award (VSA) in the “Pro Bono Services Provided by Organizations” category
- Top Law Firm for Client Service – BTI Power Ranking
- Ranked Among Top 20 US Law Firm Brands – Acritas
- Law Firm of the Year for Health Care Law, Best Law Firms 2017
Main Location
Chicago,
IL
444 West Lake Street
Chicago, IL 60606-0029
United States
312-372-2000
Call our Chicago, IL location at 312-372-2000
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Office Locations
Irvine,
CA
18565 Jamboree Road, Suite 250
Irvine, CA 92612-2565
United States
949-851-0633
Call our Irvine, CA location at 949-851-0633
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Los Angeles,
CA
2049 Century Park East, Suite 3200
Los Angeles, CA 90067-3206
United States
310-277-4110
Call our Los Angeles, CA location at 310-277-4110
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Menlo Park,
CA
650 Live Oak Avenue, Suite 300
Menlo Park, CA 94025-4885
United States
650-815-7400
Call our Menlo Park, CA location at 650-815-7400
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San Francisco,
CA
415 Mission Street, Suite 5600
San Francisco, CA 94105-2616
United States
628-218-3800
Call our San Francisco, CA location at 628-218-3800
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Washington,
DC
The McDermott Building
500 North Capitol Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001-1531
United States
202-756-8000
Call our Washington, DC location at 202-756-8000
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Wilmington,
DE
The Brandywine Building, Suite 1400
1000 North West Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
United States
302-485-3900
Call our Wilmington, DE location at 302-485-3900
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Miami,
FL
333 Southeast Second Avenue, Suite 4500
Miami, FL 33131-2184
United States
305-358-3500
Call our Miami, FL location at 305-358-3500
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Atlanta,
GA
1180 Peachtree Street, NE, Suite 3350
Atlanta, GA 30309
United States
404-260-8535
Call our Atlanta, GA location at 404-260-8535
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New York,
NY
One Vanderbilt Avenue
New York, NY 10017-3852
United States
212-547-5400
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Memphis,
TN
TBD
Memphis, TN
United States
Call our Memphis, TN location at
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Austin,
TX
300 Colorado Street, Suite 2200
Austin, TX 78701
United States
512-726-2600
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Dallas,
TX
2501 North Harwood Street, Suite 1900
Dallas, TX 75201-1664
United States
214-295-8000
Call our Dallas, TX location at 214-295-8000
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Houston,
TX
Texas Tower, Suite 4000
845 Texas Avenue
Houston, TX 77002-1656
United States
713-653-1700
Call our Houston, TX location at 713-653-1700
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Brussels,
BE
Avenue des Nerviens 9-31
Brussels 1040
Belgium
32 2 230 5059
Call our Brussels, BE location at 32 2 230 5059
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Cologne,
DE
Erftstraße 15
Cologne 50672
Germany
49 221 4554 9800
Call our Cologne, DE location at 49 221 4554 9800
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Düsseldorf,
DE
Stadttor 1
Düsseldorf 40219
Germany
49 211 30211 0
Call our Düsseldorf, DE location at 49 211 30211 0
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Frankfurt/Main,
DE
Oberlindau 54-56
Frankfurt/Main 60323
Germany
49 69 951145 0
Call our Frankfurt/Main, DE location at 49 69 951145 0
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Munich,
DE
Nymphenburger Str. 3
Munich 80335
Germany
49 89 12712 0
Call our Munich, DE location at 49 89 12712 0
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Paris,
FR
23 rue de l'Université
Paris 75007
France
33 1 81 69 15 00
Call our Paris, FR location at 33 1 81 69 15 00
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London,
GB
22 Bishopsgate
London EC2N 4BQ
United Kingdom
44 20 7577 6900
Call our London, GB location at 44 20 7577 6900
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Milan,
IT
Via Dante 15
Milan 20123
Italy
39 02 36575701
Call our Milan, IT location at 39 02 36575701
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Singapore,
SG
10 Collyer Quay, #40-68/70 Ocean Financial Centre
Singapore 049315
Singapore
65 6979 9200
Call our Singapore, SG location at 65 6979 9200
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Management and Personnel
Chair
Ira Coleman
Contacts
Tax
Lowell Yoder
State & Local Tax
Jane May
Regulatory
Carolyn Gleason
Private Client
Carol Harrington
Intellectual Property
Sarah Columbia
Firm-Wide Pro Bono & Community Service
Elizabeth Lewis
Corporate & Transactional
Harris Siskind
Antitrust & Competition
Ray Jacobsen