Morgan, Lewis & Bockius

Morgan Lewis was founded in Philadelphia on March 10, 1873, by Civil War veteran Charles Eldridge Morgan, Jr., who later served as Philadelphia Law Academy's vice president,[5][6] and Francis Draper Lewis, son of a wholesale dry goods merchant, whose first cousin was William Draper Lewis,[7] the dean of University of Pennsylvania Law School.

In 1883, Morgan & Lewis hired Morris Rex Bockius, who had graduated in June of that year with Master of Arts and Bachelor of Law degrees from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.[8] He became a partner fifteen years after he joined the firm, which he then led until his death in 1939. The firm became Morgan, Lewis & Bockius in 1908, though is still commonly referred to by its sobriquet, "Morgan Lewis."[9][10]

The firm began representing the United Gas Improvement Company, later UGI, in 1882, which became the largest gas and electric utility company in the United States and which, well over a century later, remained a client of the firm. From the early 20th century, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius represented many other companies, including Philadelphia’s largest daily newspaper, Philadelphia Bulletin; Pennsylvania’s largest railroad, Baldwin Locomotive Works; Scott Paper; and several major banks and trust companies.[11][12]

In 1963, Morgan Lewis hired its first female law associate, Gail McKnight Beckman, daughter of Deputy Secretary of Banking of Pennsylvania Irland McKnight Beckman and family psychology author Elizabeth B. Hurlock,[13] and, in 1980, Stephanie Abramson, became its first female law partner; she is now Adjunct Professor of Clinical Law and Director of Law and Business Experiential Classes at New York University School of Law.[14]

Following the chairmanships of Thomas Lefevre,[15] then Francis "Fran" Milone[16] in 2014, Jami Wintz McKeon– who had started with the firm in 1981 –was elected to chair the firm, distinguishing her as leading the largest female-chaired law firm in the world. Re-elected in 2018;[17] McKeon is a proponent of work flexibility, such as remote work,[18] and has received numerous professional awards, including, in 2017, being named a "Client Service All-Star" by BTT Consulting Group and a "Business Hall of Fame Icon" by The Philadelphia Inquirer.[19] During McKeon's tenure, the firm has continued to scale its national and international presence, growing into one of the largest law firms in the world.[20] Under her leadership, the firm has also been recognized annually with Gold Standard Certification by the Women in Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF).[21]

In 2015, Morgan Lewis filed a historic amicus brief for the definitive Supreme Court case of Obergefell v. Hodges, on behalf of 379 companies, including Apple, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Walmart, JPMorgan Chase, and the New England Patriots,[22] which argued "a business case for legalizing same-sex marriage across the country."[23][24] Partner Susan Baker Manning, who authored the brief,[25] in 2018, was added as a full-time senior trial lawyer to the firm's pro bono group led by senior counsel Rachel Strong, with focus remaining primarily on refugee and civil rights,[26] and "issue-based litigation", according to firm chair Jami McKeon.[27] The firm is an affiliate firm of the Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA).[28]

In 2018, former Morgan Lewis partner John Ring was confirmed by the National Labor Relations Board, one of several firm partners who have served on its board, including Harry Johnson and senior counsel Charles Cohen.[29]

In 2018, Morgan Lewis published findings of its investigation into sexual harassment at NPR, led by the head the firm's labor and employment group, partner Grace Speights, with partner Margaret Rodgers Schmidt and associate Jocelyn Cuttino; which precipitated the apologetic resignation of NPR's senior vice-president of News, Michael Oreskes.[30] Morgan Lewis recommendations were noted as offering "broad guidance for companies that are taking fresh looks at their own practices."[31] In February 2018, former Humane Society CEO Wayne Pacelle also resigned amid similar allegations, while under investigation by the firm; The National Law Journal referenced Morgan Lewis as working on the "front lines" in representing cases central to "long-overdue reforms in workplaces toxic to women."[32]

In March 2019, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission member and lead drafter of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act Chai Feldblum, whose term had expired January 4,[33] became a partner of the firm, then stating to Bloomberg Law that the move from public service to a "Big Law management-side firm", considered unusual, was the best way to help employers implement the workplace harassment guidelines outlined by herself and Victoria Lipnic at the EEOC, describing the firm as "the place from which to help make that institutional change”, of preventing harassment from happening in the workplace.[34]

Morgan Lewis has represented several prominent politicians in various venues, including:

• Donald Trump — Morgan, Lewis & Bockius represented United States President Donald Trump, advising him and the Trump Organization from 2005 to January 2021.[52] Critics have accused Morgan Lewis of aiding Trump in using his Presidential office for personal gain.[52] The Wallace Global Fund fired Morgan Lewis over its ties to Trump.[53] Morgan Lewis issued a letter in May 2017 stating they had examined Trump's tax returns and found no significant financial connection to Russia.[54] Sheri Dillon, a member of the firm, is Donald Trump's former tax attorney.

• Morgan Lewis partner James Hamilton was one of three assistant chief counsellors of the United States Senate Watergate Committee during 1973 - 1974,[55] the findings of which prompted the impeachment process against Richard Nixon that led to Nixon's resignation on August 9, 1974. Hamilton was reported by the Washingtonian, in 2016, as the "go-to guy for Democratic nominees in search of a vice-presidential pick;" he has vetted running mates for:[56]
• Hillary Clinton, in 2016
• Barack Obama (with Eric Holder and Caroline Kennedy), in 2008
• John Kerry, in 2004
• Al Gore, in 2000.