Foley & Lardner LLP (often referred to simply as "Foley") is an international law firm headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded in 1842, it was ranked 45th by revenue on The American Lawyer's 2025 AmLaw 100 rankings of U.S. law firms, with $1.28 billion gross revenue in 2024.[3]
| Headquarters | U.S. Bank Center Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
|---|---|
| No. of offices | 27 |
| No. of attorneys | 1,050 |
| No. of employees | 1,003 (2021) |
| Major practice areas | General practice |
| Key people | |
| Revenue |  US$1.28 billion (2024) |
| Date founded | 1842 |
| Founder | |
| Company type | Limited liability partnership |
| Website | www |
History
editThe oldest and largest law firm in Wisconsin, it was established in 1842 as Finch & Lynde.[4] Its founders were Asahel Finch Jr., a Republican and former Michigan state representative,[5] and William Pitt Lynde, a Democrat who later served in the United States House of Representatives, the Wisconsin state legislature, and as mayor of Milwaukee.[4][6][7] By 1970 the firm was beginning to grow substantially, and in 2001, after absorbing firms in Chicago and Washington, D.C., it was the 11th-largest firm in the United States.[8]
In 1969 the firm adopted the name Foley & Lardner LLP and launched a succession of acquisitions to become a national law firm.[9] The name refers to two name partners, both corporate lawyers: Leon Foley and Lynford Lardner Jr. Both Leon Foley and Lynford Lardner are credited with launching the law firm's large national expansion. Foley, who acted as a strategist in the development of Aurora Health Care System, which would become Wisconsin’s largest healthcare provider, died at 83 in 1978. Lardner, who also served as the president of the United States Golf Association, died after drowning in the Milwaukee River.[10] Lardner is survived by four grandchildren. When the firm merged with Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP in 2018, the plan (at least initially) was to use, in some cities, a firm name including the name partner name "Gardere".[11]
In 2020, Foley & Lardner partner Cleta Mitchell aided Donald Trump in his efforts to overturn the 2020 election and pressure election officials to "find" votes for him to defeat the then Democratic Party candidate and eventual President of the United States, Joe Biden.[12] Mitchell criticized Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, accusing him without evidence of saying things "that are simply not correct" about the presidential results in Georgia.[12] She also claimed without evidence that dead people voted in the election.[13] When confronted with why a Foley & Lardner partner was involved in aiding Trump in overturning the 2020 election, Foley & Lardner distanced itself from Mitchell.[14] On January 5, 2021, Foley & Lardner announced that Mitchell had resigned.[15]
In 2021 Foley & Lardner opened its 25th office, in Salt Lake City, Utah.[16] The firm opened its 26th office in Raleigh, North Carolina[17] in 2024, and its 27th office in Nashville, Tennessee in 2025.[18]
Foley & Lardner's primary practice areas include intellectual property, business law, litigation, and regulatory. Notable clients of the firm include Johnson Controls, CVS,[14] Harley Davidson, Major League Baseball,[4] and Acciona.
Notable current and former employees
editThis article needs additional citations for verification. (September 2014) |
- William M. Conley, U.S. District Court judge for the Western District of Wisconsin, was a partner in the Madison office[19]
- Jim Doyle, Former Governor of Wisconsin, is of counsel in the Madison office[20]
- Bob DuPuy, former president and chief operating officer of Major League Baseball, has been a partner in the Milwaukee and New York offices[21]
- Thomas E. Fairchild, Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals Judge and Wisconsin Supreme Court justice, was an associate in the Milwaukee office from 1945 to 1948[22]
- Russ Feingold, Former United States Senator from Wisconsin, was an associate in the Madison office[23]
- Brian Hagedorn, Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice, worked at the Milwaukee office
- William Isaac, Chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation from 1981 to 1985 and current Chairman of consulting firm LECG’s Global Financial Services
- Joan F. Kessler, Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judge, was a partner in the Milwaukee office
- Scott L. Klug, Former United States Congressman from Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district, is a public affairs director in the Madison office[9]
- Brett H. Ludwig, U.S. District Court judge for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, was a partner at the Milwaukee office[24]
- Marcia Morales Howard, U.S. District Court judge for the Middle District of Florida, was an associate in the Jacksonville office[25]
- Lisa S. Neubauer, Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judge and candidate for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, was a partner in the Milwaukee office[26]
- Ulice Payne Jr., Former CEO of the Milwaukee Brewers and first African-American CEO of a Major League Baseball franchise, was a partner in the Milwaukee office
- Fred Ridley, current Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club, is a partner in the Tampa office, former national chair of the Real Estate Practice, a member of the Hospitality & Leisure (former co-chair) and Sports Industry Teams, a member of the Transactions Practice, and a former member of the firm’s Management Committee.
- Manuel Rocha, Former U.S. Ambassador to Bolivia (2000–02), is a Senior Advisor on International Business in the Miami office. Arrested on December 1, 2023 on charges of spying for Cuba.[27]
- Cleta Mitchell, attempted to overturn the 2020 presidential election and subsequently resigned.[28]
- Antonin Scalia, United States Supreme Court Justice, was a summer associate in the Milwaukee office[29]
- Dennis Cardoza, Former United States Congressman from California's 18th congressional district, in a public affairs and lobbying role.[30]
- Chris Kise.[31]
References
edit- ↑ Olson, Elizabeth (January 26, 2022). "Foley & Lardner's New Chair Sees Focus on Fast-Changing Sectors". Bloomberg Law.
- ↑ Nick Manes (May 2, 2022). "Q&A: New Foley & Lardner CEO takes helm amid fever-pitched fight for talent". Crain Communications.
- ↑ "Foley & Lardner LLP profile". law.com. ALM. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
- 1 2 3 Schmid, John. "As it looks to future, Foley & Lardner commemorates 175 years of shaping Milwaukee's economy". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
- ↑ Asahel Finch, Jr. Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine, Dictionary of Wisconsin History (Wisconsin Historical Society).
- ↑ "William Pitt Lynde," Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine, Dictionary of Wisconsin History (Wisconsin Historical Society).
- ↑ Judy Slinn, "Foley and Lardner: Attorneys at Law, 1842-1992" (book review), Business History (Frank Cass, pub.), January 1, 1994.
- ↑ Adrienne Drell, "Longtime law firm here joins megamerger trend", Chicago Sun-Times, February 5, 2001.
- 1 2 "Foley & Lardner History", FundingUniverse.com (accessed 2013-04-12).
- ↑ "Lardner's Death Labeled Drowning"[dead link], Milwaukee Journal, October 17, 1973.
- ↑ Chanen, Jill (March 30, 2018). "Foley & Lardner LLP and Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP Complete Combination". Foley & Lardner LLP.
Foley & Lardner LLP and Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP today announced the successful combination of the two firms, effective April 1, 2018. [...] The combined firm will be known as Foley Gardere in Austin, Dallas, Denver, and Houston and as Foley Gardere Arena in Mexico City. All other offices will operate as Foley & Lardner LLP. With joint revenues of $830 million, the combined firm will be among American Lawyer's Top 50 U.S. law firms.
- 1 2 "'I just want to find 11,780 votes': In extraordinary hour-long call, Trump pressures Georgia secretary of state to recalculate the vote in his favor". The Washington Post. 2021.
- ↑ Joseph, Samantha (2020). "'Dead People Having Voted': Foley Lardner Partner Says Trump Has Proof of Illegal Ballots". Law.com. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
- 1 2 Schmidt, Michael S.; Vogel, Kenneth P. (January 5, 2021). "Trump Lawyer on Call Is a Conservative Firebrand Aiding His Push to Overturn Election". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
- ↑ Opfer, Chris; Strom, Roy (January 6, 2021). "Trump's Georgia Call Lawyer Blames 'Leftist Groups' for Exit (1)". Bloomberg Law. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
- ↑ "Foley Opens Salt Lake City Office with Addition of Intellectual Property Litigation Team | Foley & Lardner LLP". www.foley.com. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
- ↑ "Foley Expands Health Care Capabilities with National Team of Corporate and Regulatory Lawyers, Simultaneously Opens Office in Raleigh". Foley & Lardner LLP. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
- ↑ "Foley Opens Nashville Office with Addition of Three Corporate Partners". Foley & Lardner LLP. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
- ↑ "United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees: William Conley" (PDF).
- ↑ Paul Gores, "Doyle joins Foley & Lardner law firm", Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, January 17, 2011.
- ↑ "DuPuy rejoins Foley & Lardner", Milwaukee Business Journal, February 7, 2011.
- ↑ Joan H. Lefkow, "Thomas E. Fairchild: A Judge's Legacy" Archived 2010-06-12 at the Wayback Machine, 2007 Wis. L. Rev 1, 4.
- ↑ Sanford D. Horwitt, Feingold: A New Democratic Party (Simon & Schuster, 2007), ISBN 978-1416546184, pp. 80-82. Excerpts available at Google Books.
- ↑ "United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees: Brett Ludwig" (PDF).
- ↑ "Morales Howard gets District Court appointment"[dead link], Financial News & Daily Record, February 20, 2007.
- ↑ , Wisconsin State Journal, May 9, 2018.
- ↑ "Former US ambassador arrested in Florida, accused of serving as an agent of Cuba, AP source says". AP News. December 3, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
- ↑ Dye, Liz (January 4, 2023). "Trump Lawyer Cleta Mitchell Let Her Freak Flag Fly In Jan. 6 Committee Deposition - Above the Law". Retrieved January 11, 2024.
- ↑ Ben Poston, "At new hall, Scalia stresses teaching", Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, September 8, 2010. ("Scalia, who once clerked at Foley & Lardner in Milwaukee between his second and third years at Harvard Law School, joked that Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson had named him an 'honorary cheesehead.'")
- ↑ "Dennis A. Cardoza | People".
- ↑ "Trump Bolsters Legal Team With Former Foley Lawyer Chris Kise". National Law Journal. Retrieved January 11, 2024.