Jones Day

Jones Day's Business and Tort Litigation (USA) Practice earns its place among the top litigation departments worldwide for its breadth of knowledge and depth of resources, traits that garnered the inaugural awarding of The American Lawyer's Litigation Department of the Year.

Our more than 1,200 litigators in offices across the United States have substantial and diverse litigation, arbitration, and mediation experience.  These trial attorneys complement the Firm's other litigation practice areas, including: Antitrust, Business Restructuring, Financial Institutions Litigation & Regulation, Global Disputes, Government Regulation, Insurance Recovery, Intellectual Property, Issues & Appeals, Labor & Employment, and Securities Litigation & SEC Enforcement.

We serve corporations and other entities across a broad range of business disputes, torts, and civil litigation, from counseling through trial and appeal.  We are often engaged in “bet-the-company” cases, complex, multidistrict litigation and coordinated state law proceedings, and class actions.  Our cases typically involve multiple adversaries in federal and state courts across the nation.  Many clients engage us as national or worldwide coordinator of recurring or related cases.

We aim to solve litigation problems efficiently through a business-oriented approach.  Jones Day's consistent high performance has earned the Firm a number one ranking six times in the last ten years by BTI Consulting Group, an organization that monitors client satisfaction with legal services.

Our lawyers provide lean trial teams for small matters and armies of litigators for large or recurring matters pending in multiple jurisdictions.  We have tried cases in federal and state courts across the country.  Each of our U.S. offices has accomplished, tested trial attorneys who have experience trying cases in state and federal courts within their region and also nationally.  We know how to work efficiently with corporate counsel and, when appropriate, local counsel.  We have taken the lead in "high-stakes" trials and arguments, provided case guidance, drafted key motions, and provided strategic oversight in the defense of cases pending across the U.S.  We know how to defend large caseloads of hundreds and thousands of recurring cases, assemble well-prepared and experienced trial teams, and provide advice and effective defense of multi-jurisdictional matters.

In all litigation, e-discovery has become a significant, costly, and time-consuming obligation for companies.  Our attorneys have helped to draft the rules, and we stay up-to-date on the case law and latest techniques for managing and, in appropriate cases, challenging e-discovery requests.  Another growing tension exists between the need for discovery and the protection of privacy rights. Jones Day has substantial experience navigating the varying obstacles posed by privacy rights.

Finally, because of the continued growth in federal, state and local regulations, as well as government's search for new revenue sources, litigation against the government has increased substantially.  We have decades of experience challenging the government for its violation of constitutional and statutory rights, as well as defending against all types of claims brought by federal, state, and local governments.  Our experience includes preparing executives for Congressional hearings and defending against investigations brought by State Attorneys General.

PHILOSOPHY

Jones Day's culture is one of teamwork and we pride ourselves on being "One Firm Worldwide." Our lawyers, in 14 countries on four continents, work together as respected professionals and trusted colleagues to achieve our paramount goal - the advancement of the client's interests. At Jones Day, we  understand that a strong team is a diverse and inclusive one that permits attorneys from all backgrounds and cultures to flourish and develop their full potential.

COMMITMENT

Jones Day is committed to recruiting, retaining, and promoting attorneys and law students from all backgrounds. Our Diversity Task Force supports the U.S. office and practice leaders in entry-level and lateral recruitment, the development and retention of minority and female attorneys, and diversity awareness. The Task Force is led by Kevyn Orr, a partner in our Washington Office, and is supported by our D.C. recruiting manager, Christine Miller, an attorney with extensive experience in the recruitment and development of lawyers, particularly women and minorities.

RECRUITING

Jones Day seeks to attract diverse attorneys through participation in and sponsorship of internships and clerkships that provide substantive legal experience to women and minority law students and through our participation in and sponsorship of job fairs, recognition events, and career-development programs for women and minority law students and organizations. In addition, women and minority lawyers contribute to the recruiting efforts in our local offices by serving on their respective recruiting and summer associates committees and by acting as mentors and as liaisons to local law schools.

ATTORNEY DEVELOPMENT

To ensure that all of our attorneys have the opportunity to develop their full potential, Jones Day:

Provides extensive in-house training programs for junior and mid-level attorneys.

• Involves associates in business development and client meetings.
• Provides formal and informal mentoring opportunities.
• Became one of the first large firms in the country to offer a part-time policy, firm sponsorship of emergency day care, and domestic-partner benefits.
• Supports our attorneys in pro bono activities and programs sponsored by local bar associations and community organizations.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Jones Day promotes the development and implementation of methods for increasing diversity within the legal profession through our active engagement in programs, conferences, and commissions sponsored by the American Bar Association and an array of national specialty bar associations for women and minorities.

Jones Day is a signatory to a variety of minority hiring goals established by local bar associations across the country. In addition, the Firm actively seeks to increase hiring and retention of women and minorities through engagement in collaborations such as the Managing Partners' Diversity Initiative and the Managing Partners' Roundtable in Atlanta, Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, and Washington.

PRO BONO

Jones Day's pro bono activities reflect our commitment to diversity. Our lawyers have represented organizations supporting the right to die, assisted immigrants in obtaining asylum, advocated for the rights of sexual minorities, fought for the rights of college students to vote, challenged housing discrimination, supported affirmative action in higher education, counseled churches and other religious organizations, and filed briefs on behalf of organizations to advance a remarkably broad range of views.

RESULTS

Jones Day's diversity outreach and attorney-development efforts are working:  

• One woman partner was appointed chair of the Antitrust Section of the American Bar Association for 2007–2008.
• Women head our Washington, Pittsburgh, Houston, and Atlanta offices.
• Women and minorities provide leadership as practice leaders and local-office administrative and hiring partners.
• 14 women and three minorities sit on the Firm's Advisory Committee.
• Of the 33 U.S. lawyers elevated to partner last year, eight are minorities and seven are women.
• As of January 2008, women made up more than 36 percent of our attorneys worldwide and minorities made up 11 percent of our U.S. attorneys.
• Of the 147 new associates who will start work in U.S. offices in the fall of 2008, 71 are women and 33 are minorities.  

THE FUTURE

As "One Firm Worldwide," with offices and clients all over the globe, Jones Day values the unique and varied talents of our lawyers and understands that meaningful diversity within the Firm contributes directly to excellence in client service. Meaningful diversity, like excellence in client service, is achieved not through mere declarations but through unceasing commitment, thoughtful planning, and deliberate action. That is the course we follow.

PHILOSOPHY 

Jones Day's culture is one of teamwork and we pride ourselves on being "One Firm Worldwide." Our lawyers, in 14 countries on four continents, work together as respected professionals and trusted colleagues to achieve our paramount goal - the advancement of the client's interests. At Jones Day, we  understand that a strong team is a diverse and inclusive one that permits attorneys from all backgrounds and cultures to flourish and develop their full potential.

COMMITMENT 

Jones Day is committed to recruiting, retaining, and promoting attorneys and law students from all backgrounds. Our Diversity Task Force supports the U.S. office and practice leaders in entry-level and lateral recruitment, the development and retention of minority and female attorneys, and diversity awareness. The Task Force is led by Kevyn Orr, a partner in our Washington Office, and is supported by our D.C. recruiting manager, Christine Miller, an attorney with extensive experience in the recruitment and development of lawyers, particularly women and minorities.

RECRUITING  

Jones Day seeks to attract diverse attorneys through participation in and sponsorship of internships and clerkships that provide substantive legal experience to women and minority law students and through our participation in and sponsorship of job fairs, recognition events, and career-development programs for women and minority law students and organizations. In addition, women and minority lawyers contribute to the recruiting efforts in our local offices by serving on their respective recruiting and summer associates committees and by acting as mentors and as liaisons to local law schools.

ATTORNEY DEVELOPMENT

To ensure that all of our attorneys have the opportunity to develop their full potential, Jones Day:  

• Provides extensive in-house training programs for junior and mid-level attorneys.
• Involves associates in business development and client meetings.
• Provides formal and informal mentoring opportunities.
• Became one of the first large firms in the country to offer a part-time policy, firm sponsorship of emergency day care, and domestic-partner benefits.
• Supports our attorneys in pro bono activities and programs sponsored by local bar associations and community organizations.  

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Jones Day promotes the development and implementation of methods for increasing diversity within the legal profession through our active engagement in programs, conferences, and commissions sponsored by the American Bar Association and an array of national specialty bar associations for women and minorities.

Jones Day is a signatory to a variety of minority hiring goals established by local bar associations across the country. In addition, the Firm actively seeks to increase hiring and retention of women and minorities through engagement in collaborations such as the Managing Partners' Diversity Initiative and the Managing Partners' Roundtable in Atlanta, Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, and Washington.

PRO BONO

Jones Day's pro bono activities reflect our commitment to diversity. Our lawyers have represented organizations supporting the right to die, assisted immigrants in obtaining asylum, advocated for the rights of sexual minorities, fought for the rights of college students to vote, challenged housing discrimination, supported affirmative action in higher education, counseled churches and other religious organizations, and filed briefs on behalf of organizations to advance a remarkably broad range of views.

RESULTS

Jones Day's diversity outreach and attorney-development efforts are working:  

• One woman partner was appointed chair of the Antitrust Section of the American Bar Association for 2007–2008.
• Women head our Washington, Pittsburgh, Houston, and Atlanta offices.
• Women and minorities provide leadership as practice leaders and local-office administrative and hiring partners.
• 14 women and three minorities sit on the Firm's Advisory Committee.
• Of the 33 U.S. lawyers elevated to partner last year, eight are minorities and seven are women.
• As of January 2008, women made up more than 36 percent of our attorneys worldwide and minorities made up 11 percent of our U.S. attorneys.
• Of the 147 new associates who will start work in U.S. offices in the fall of 2008, 71 are women and 33 are minorities.

THE FUTURE

As "One Firm Worldwide," with offices and clients all over the globe, Jones Day values the unique and varied talents of our lawyers and understands that meaningful diversity within the Firm contributes directly to excellence in client service. Meaningful diversity, like excellence in client service, is achieved not through mere declarations but through unceasing commitment, thoughtful planning, and deliberate action. That is the course we follow.