Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP

Davis Polk & Wardwell is a New York-headquartered law firm with approximately 1,240 attorneys and offices in major financial centers worldwide. Founded in 1849, Davis Polk is one of the most established Wall Street firms and has long been a trusted advisor to leading financial institutions, corporations, and governments. The firm generates profits per partner of approximately $9.8 million and is known for its depth in capital markets, financial regulatory work, and white-collar defense.

Davis Polk holds Band 1 rankings in Chambers USA for Tax, Corporate/M&A, Banking & Finance, White-Collar Crime, Restructuring, and Capital Markets. The firm is the go-to advisor for major SEC-regulated transactions, having handled more IPOs than any other firm over extended periods. Its tax practice is considered one of the top two or three in the country, and its white-collar and government investigations practice has represented clients in the most consequential enforcement actions in recent years. Davis Polk's restructuring and capital markets teams are deeply integrated into the firm's corporate platform.

Davis Polk uses a rotation-based associate development program, and it is one of very few elite firms that imposes no billable hour requirement. Chambers Associate rates Davis Polk as a Strong Performer for Quality of Life, and associates consistently praise the firm's culture. Associates describe the environment as friendly and supportive, noting that they receive significant responsibility from early on and that the firm invests in their development. The firm achieved Mansfield Certification for diversity, and launched an Affinity Group Mentorship Program pairing junior associates with senior lawyers. The summer class is approximately 191 associates.

Notable alumni include Grover Cleveland (who later became U.S. President), John W. Davis (Democratic presidential nominee in 1924 and the most-argued attorney before the Supreme Court in the 20th century), and numerous leaders in government and finance. Davis Polk's absence of a billable hour requirement is unusual at its level and is frequently cited by associates as a meaningful quality-of-life differentiator.