General Information

Year founded: 1890
This is the year the firm (or its earliest predecessor entity) was founded.
Logo for Seward & Kissel LLP

Overview

Content is provided by the firm.

Seward & Kissel, founded in 1890, is a leading U.S. law firm with an international reputation for excellence. We have offices in New York City and Washington, D.C.

Our practice primarily focuses on corporate and litigation work for clients seeking legal expertise in the financial services, corporate finance and capital markets areas. The Firm is particularly well known for its representation of major commercial banks, investment banking firms, investment advisers and related investment funds (including mutual, hedge and private equity funds), broker-dealers, institutional investors and transportation companies (particularly in the shipping area).

The Firm’s attorneys are very experienced and highly regarded in their respective practice areas. Many have been with the Firm for most, if not all, of their legal careers. Our focus and expertise, combined with the Firm’s stability, have enabled us to create a work culture that is dedicated to professional excellence and sound judgment, and that is committed to providing our clients with effective, high quality, hands-on legal service.

Rankings

Seward & Kissel LLP is nationally ranked in 7 practice areas and metro ranked in 9 practice areas. Best Law Firms rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process.

Read how Best Law Firms ranks firms

National Rankings

Tier 1
Tier 1 for Admiralty and Maritime Law
Tier 2
Tier 2 for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Tier 2 for Private Funds / Hedge Funds Law
Tier 3
Tier 3 for Banking and Finance Law
Tier 3 for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law

Metro Rankings

New York City
Tier 1 for Admiralty and Maritime Law
Tier 1 for Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Tier 2 for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Tier 2 for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Tier 2 for Litigation - Labor and Employment

Select Clients

  • Bank of New York Mellon
  • Brigade Capital Management
  • Citigroup Global Markets
  • Deutsche Bank Trust Co
  • DryShips Inc.
  • Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc.
  • Goldman Sachs & Co.
  • Kingdon Capital Management
  • Law Debenture Trust Company of NY
  • Morgan Creek Capital Management
  • Scorpio Tankers, Inc.
  • Sprott Inc.
  • Tiedemann Investment Group
  • United Business Media
  • Wells Fargo Bank, NA

Rankings

National Rankings

Tier 1
Tier 1 for Admiralty and Maritime Law
Tier 2
Tier 2 for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Tier 2 for Private Funds / Hedge Funds Law
Tier 3
Tier 3 for Banking and Finance Law
Tier 3 for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Tier 3 for Mutual Funds Law
Tier 3 for Real Estate Law

Regional Rankings

New York City
Tier 1 for Admiralty and Maritime Law
Tier 1 for Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Tier 2 for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Tier 2 for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Tier 2 for Litigation - Labor and Employment
Tier 2 for Private Funds / Hedge Funds Law
Tier 3 for Real Estate Law
Washington, D.C.
Tier 2 for Mutual Funds Law
Tier 3 for Banking and Finance Law

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.
  • Admiralty and Maritime Law
  • Banking and Finance Law
  • Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
  • Corporate Law
  • Criminal Defense: White-Collar
  • Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
  • FinTech Practice
  • Labor and Employment Law - Management
  • Litigation - Labor and Employment
  • Mergers and Acquisitions Law
  • Mutual Funds Law
  • Private Funds / Hedge Funds Law
  • Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
  • Real Estate Law
  • Securities Regulation
  • Trusts and Estates

Individuals Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America®

Seward & Kissel LLP has 12 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 Seward & Kissel LLP 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.
  • Attorneys listed in Super Lawyers 2012 for New York - Metro Edition
  • Voted Best Onshore Hedge Fund law firm by Hedge Funds review magazine in global voting & US voting
  • Larry Rutkowski named as Top 10 Lawyer of 2012 in Lloyd's List - he is the only US based lawyer.
  • Voted Best North American Law Firm by Hedgeweek in their global survey of over 2000 readers.
  • Nick Katsanos is a winner of the 40 Under 40 East M&A Advisor Recognition Awards
  • Litigation partners rated Top Lawyers in 2012 Top Rated Lawyers Annual Guide to Business Litigation
  • John Tavss named a Leading Lawyer by Legal 500, for Investment Fund Formation & Management
  • Ranked in Chambers in Inv. Funds: Hedge Funds, Transportation: Shipping and Shipping: Litigation
  • Lawyers World Country Award Winner 2012 in Shipping & Maritime, North America
  • A winner in the DealMakers Corporate Finance Awards 2012
  • Attorneys listed in Super Lawyers 2012 Business Edition
  • Gene Souther received Fordham University School of Law's Lifetime Achievement Award
  • Fim wins Lloyd's List Maritime Deal of the Year Award
  • Firm named a Finalist by M&A Advisor for 2012 Law Firm of the Year
  • 3 Partners named as world's leading practitioners in Private Funds by Who's Who Legal: Private Funds
  • Recipient of the Custody Risk Americas Awards 2012 Legal Services Provider
  • Best investment funds law firm - USA, 2013 ICFM
  • inMotion's Committment to Justice Award recipient: Jack Yoskowitz
  • Ranked in Legal 500 for excellencein Capital Markets, Structured Finance, Inv. Fund Formation, M&A
  • M&A Deal of the Year Recognition from ACG
  • Firm named the Maritime & Transport Law Firm of the Year - USA, by Intercontinental Finance Magazine
  • 3 Seward & Kissel Deals win M&A Deal of the Year Recognition at 11th Annual M&A Advisor Awards Gala

Contacts

Senior Marketing Coordinator
Fiona Cotton
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