Day Pitney
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| No. of offices | 13 |
|---|---|
| No. of attorneys | 300 |
| Major practice areas | General practice |
| Date founded | 2007 (merger) |
| Company type | Limited liability partnership |
| Website | www.daypitney.com |
Day Pitney LLP is a U.S. law firm with more than 300 attorneys spread across thirteen offices in five states and the District of Columbia. In 2011, Day Pitney ranked 139th on the National Law Journal's list of the 250 largest American law firms.[1][2][3]
The 2016 edition of Chambers USA recognized 46 Day Pitney lawyers and 15 practices as being top ranked in their field.[4]
History
Predecessors
Pitney & Hardin was founded in Newark, New Jersey in 1902, by attorneys John R. Hardin and John Oliver Halstead Pitney, the latter being a former member of the New Jersey legislature, and the brother of Supreme Court justice Mahlon Pitney.[5] William J. Brennan Jr., who would later become a Supreme Court justice himself, was hired by the firm, right out of Harvard Law School, in 1931. According to Kim Isaac Eisler, in The Last Liberal: Justice William J. Brennan, Jr. and the Decisions That Transformed America, the firm's clients, particularly Phelps Dodge, Western Electric and General Electric, were "some of the most notoriously antilabor corporations in the state of New Jersey."[5] Eisler asserted the anti-labor clients he worked for while at Pitney Hardin Ward & Brennan cemented the liberal outlook he would later bring to his Supreme Court opinions. In 1999, after several unsuccessful ventures into the New York market, Pitney Hardin LLP "finally established a beachhead in New York" by taking over the intellectual property firm of Kane, Dalsimer, Sullivan and Levy, absorbing eight attorneys and moving into the acquired firm's office space.[6]
Day & Berry was founded in Hartford, Connecticut in 1919, by attorneys Edward M. Day, Joseph F. Berry, and Lawrence A. Howard.[7][8] In 1922, the firm relocated its offices "to be close to one of its largest clients, Connecticut Bank and Trust" (CBT),[7] and in 1923, the firm combined with a firm headed by Harry W. Reynolds to form Day, Berry & Reynolds.[9] By the 1930s, the firm operated under the name, Day, Berry & Howard. The firm relocated to Constitution Plaza in 1963, again to stay close to CBT.[7] By 1977, Day, Berry & Howard was one of the largest in Connecticut, and established an office in Stamford, Connecticut.[10] By 1984, the firm had 120 attorneys and an equal number of staff, at which point it moved its headquarters to City Place I.[7] By the 2000s, Day, Berry & Howard LLP was one of the largest and most profitable firms in New England.
Merger and post-merger history
In October 2006, Pitney Hardin LLP and Day, Berry & Howard LLP announced that they were merging to form Day Pitney LLP. The law blog Above the Law, reviewing the announced merger in advance of its execution, questioned whether the move would be enough to give the new firm a foothold in New York.[11] The merger was carried out in January 2007.[12][13]
In 2015 the firm was one of two sued for allegedly overbilling a client in a major medical malpractice suit.[14] In 2016 and 2019, the firm expanded in the Florida market by merging with smaller boutique firms, Chapin, Ballerano and Cheslack,[15] and Richman Greer,[16] respectively.
In 2020 the firm employed 268 attorneys in 13 offices.[17] When the COVID-19 virus struck the United States, management imposed a 15 percent pay reduction on all staff. By October 2020. however, so many clients faced new legal difficulties due to the economic effects of the virus that business had increased to the point management restored full pay again.
Practice areas
The firm has practices in litigation, probate, trusts and estates, labor & employment, corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, municipal finance, real estate, bankruptcy and creditors' rights, tax law, insurance law, intellectual property, and energy law.[18] The firm's main client base consists of middle-market companies, but it also represents some of the larger companies of the Fortune 500 as well as individuals.[18]
Offices
The firm has offices in Boston, Connecticut (Greenwich, Hartford, New Haven, Stamford, and West Hartford), Florida (Miami, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton and Delray Beach), New York City, Parsippany, NJ, and Washington, D.C.[19]
Notable lawyers and alumni
- William J. Brennan Jr.: United States Supreme Court Justice, worked at predecessor firm Pitney Hardin.[20]
- Vanessa Lynne Bryant: Former associate at Day, Berry, & Howard, is a United States District Judge for the District of Connecticut.[21]
- Sam Caligiuri: Former Connecticut State Senator (R-16th dist.), is a former partner in Day Pitney's Hartford office. Mr. Caligiuri also served on the Board of Aldermen of Waterbury, Connecticut, and ran for the United States Congress in 2010.[22]
- John P. Cotter: Chief Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court, who oversaw the consolidation of the state court system into its current structure.[23]
- John A. Danaher III: Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Safety, former United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, worked at predecessor firm Day, Berry, & Howard.[24]
- Christopher F. Droney: Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. He was mayor of West Hartford, Connecticut, from 1985 to 1989.[25]
- Frederick R. Lehlbach: New Jersey politician who obtained his first legal experience in the office of Pitney & Hardin.[26]
- Kevin J. O'Connor: Current United States Associate Attorney General, worked at predecessor firm Day, Berry, & Howard.[27]
- Deval Patrick: Governor of Massachusetts, worked at predecessor firm Day, Berry, & Howard.[28]
- Edgardo Ramos: Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, former partner in Day Pitney’s White Collar Defense and Internal Investigations practice.
- Michael P. Shea: Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut
- James J. Tancredi: United States Bankruptcy Judge for the District of Connecticut [29]
- Stanley A. Twardy Jr.: Member of the firm's White Collar Defense and Internal Investigations practice, is a former Chief of Staff to Connecticut Gov. Lowell P. Weiker, Jr. and served as United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut from 1985 to 1991.[30]
- Stefan R. Underhill: Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut.[31]
- Shawn T. Wooden: Connecticut State Treasurer.[32]
References
- ^ "350 Largest Law Firms in the US (2019) - PublicLegal". www.ilrg.com.
- ^
Kenneth R. Gosselin (2006-11-01). "Berry to merge, change its name". Hartford Courant. Retrieved 2020-10-19.
Both firms have long histories, with Pitney Hardin being the oldest, founded in 1902.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^
"Day Pitney LLP: Merger Magic - Bringing A Valuable Resource To Corporate Counsel". Corporate Counsel Business Journal. 2006-12-01. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ http://www.chambersandpartners.com/USA/firm/65855/day-pitney/
- ^ a b
Kim Isaac Eisler (2003). The Last Liberal: Justice William J. Brennan, Jr. and the Decisions That Transformed America. Beard Books. pp. 32–35, 38, 52–53. ISBN 9781587982712. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
It is often reported that Pitney, Hardin & Ward, now located in Morristown, New Jersey, was founded by one Supreme Court justice and produced another. But it is not true. Mahlon Pitney had little to do with the firm. It was Mahlon's brother, John, who built up the law firm that later became known as Pitney, Hardin Ward & Brennan.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Tim O'Reiley, "Pitney, Hardin law firm takes on the Big Apple", Morristown Daily Record (November 23, 1999), p. 41.
- ^ a b c d Charles McCollum, "Law Firm Opens New Offices", Hartford Courant (February 21, 1984), p. B1, B4.
- ^ Hartford Courant (May 2, 1919), p. 22.
- ^ "Three to be members of Day & Berry film", Hartford Courant (March 30, 1923), p. 13.
- ^ "Fairfield Firms Attract Lawyers", Hartford Courant (December 18, 1977), p. 15C.
- ^ Lat, David (November 3, 2006). "Law Firm Merger Mania: Pitney Hardin, Day Berry". Above the Law.
- ^ "Law.com". Law.com.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-09-23. Retrieved 2013-09-23.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Mayko, Michael P. (December 25, 2015). "Law firms accused of overbilling area family". Connecticut Post.
- ^ https://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/news/2015/10/19/day-pitney-to-merge-with-south-florida-law-firm.html
- ^ Zimmerman, Kevin (January 2, 2019). "Stamford's Day Pitney expands in Florida via merger with Richman Greer".
- ^
"Big Law Is Doing Better Than Expected—But Mostly Because Businesses Are Tanking". Law.com. 2020-10-01. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
For instance, Day Pitney, a law firm with 268 attorneys in 13 offices, has reversed the 15% across-the-board reduction...
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b "Services & Industries | Day Pitney LLP". www.daypitney.com.
- ^ "Offices | About | Day Pitney LLP". www.daypitney.com.
- ^ Greenhouse, Linda (July 25, 1997). "William Brennan, 91, Dies; Gave Court Liberal Vision" – via NYTimes.com.
- ^ "Vanessa L. Bryant | District of Connecticut | United States District Court". www.ctd.uscourts.gov.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-09-29. Retrieved 2013-09-23.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Press, The Associated (March 18, 1993). "Justice John P. Cotter Dies at 82; Centralized Courts in Connecticut" – via NYTimes.com.
- ^ "Governor Rell: Governor Rell Nominates Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Danaher III for Public Safety Commissioner". www.ct.gov.
- ^ "Hon. Christopher F Droney". www.ca2.uscourts.gov.
- ^ "A Wilmingtonian Honored", Delaware Gazette and State Journal (December 25, 1902), p. 2.
- ^ "Office of the Associate Attorney General". www.justice.gov. August 6, 2014.
- ^ "Charter Day 2008 Keynote Speech - Howard University". www.howard.edu.
- ^ "Bankruptcy Judge James J. Tancredi | District of Connecticut | United States Bankruptcy Court". www.ctb.uscourts.gov.
- ^ "Stanley A. "Stan" Twardy, Jr. Lawyer Profile on Martindale.com". www.martindale.com.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-01-29. Retrieved 2013-09-23.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Wooden Sworn in as Connecticut's 83rd State Treasurer" (PDF). Office of the State Treasurer. January 9, 2018.