Editors’ Note

Jeremy London has spent his entire legal career at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. Prior to assuming the role of executive partner in April 2024, he concentrated his practice in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, securities law and general corporate matters. London frequently represented acquirers, targets and financial advisors in multibillion-dollar transactions, including public and private acquisitions and divestitures, contested M&A transactions, activist defense and other corporate matters. His work has spanned a wide range of industries, including healthcare, aerospace and defense, energy, infrastructure, technology, telecommunications, real estate, retail and sports. He has been selected repeatedly for inclusion in publications such as Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business and IFLR1000. London also was recognized as an American Lawyer Dealmaker of the Year and among The National Law Journal’s D.C. Dealmakers of the Year.

Firm Brief

Founded in 1948, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and affiliates (skadden.com) is one of the world’s most highly respected law firms. Skadden has 21 offices, approximately 1,700 attorneys and more than 50 distinct areas of practice. The firm’s clients include more than 50 percent of Fortune 250 corporations, as well as financial and governmental entities, startup companies and nonprofits.

How do you describe Skadden’s culture and values?

Our culture has always been a differentiator. Rooted in our shared values of integrity, excellence in the work, client service, collaboration and genuine respect for one another, we’ve been fortunate to build a culture that’s durable and distinctive. We have exceptionally talented people, and we offer the opportunity to operate with shared purpose within a dynamic framework; our focus on delivering that experience – for our people and our clients – sets us apart.

One of the things that makes me most proud is when clients and recruiters remark on our culture unprompted. It starts with our tight-knit nature of the partnership and permeates every corner of our firm. When we hire laterally, we’re deliberate – we look for candidates who value camaraderie and whose contributions to our firm will go beyond their books of business.

The American Lawyer recently called us one of a handful of “Dynasty Brand” firms – one that has built reputational and relational capital over generations; grown in a controlled and targeted way; and kept culture front and center, all while delivering top results. I think that captures our ethos well: you can grow deliberately, protect what matters, and still perform at the highest level over a long period of time.

The way our culture delivers an experience that sets us apart is one of the main reasons clients come back and why great people stay. It’s our force multiplier.

What have been the keys to Skadden’s industry leadership, and how do you define the Skadden difference?

Our results have always defined our success – that has not changed since our founding nearly eight decades ago. We have always kept a sharp focus on delivering premium corporate work, and keeping our eye on the ball has certainly been a factor in the longevity of our success. We are one of only six firms that has been in the top 10 on the global M&A league tables every year since 2020, and one of just two firms that has ranked as a top-five AmLaw firm by revenue each year over the past two decades.

The Skadden difference really comes down to a combination of three things: elite talent, a collaborative culture, and a relentless commitment to delivering excellent client service. We do upper-margin work for an impressive client base comprising the companies and matters that dominate news headlines. The opportunity to work on cutting-edge and precedent-setting matters is a key aspect of our ability to recruit and retain top-tier talent. When clients face their highest-stakes matters, they turn to us, and it is then our job not only to achieve results that align with their business objectives, but also to deliver exceptional outcomes.

Our global platform also sets us apart. We continue to make strategic investments in our practices and regions where our clients need us, such as Abu Dhabi, our first new office in over a decade, as well as significant growth and upgraded office spaces in regions where we have long had a presence, including Houston, where we have doubled our partner headcount and office space in the past year; London, which continues to grow exponentially; and Los Angeles, Palo Alto, Paris and Chicago, where we have moved into spaces that are better designed to facilitate collaboration with more open work spaces.

How is AI impacting the way Skadden works, and how critical is it to balance technology with the need to maintain the human connection that Skadden is known for?

AI is transforming the legal industry, and we see it as an opportunity to amplify how we deliver value to our clients. The foundational capabilities – summarization, drafting, information extraction – are important, but they are really just the starting point. We also are excited about the suite of practice-specific AI tools that are emerging and seeing how those can be deployed to assist our attorneys and clients on various components of the legal work they navigate every day.

We invest heavily in our technology infrastructure and maintain partnerships with leading vendors, including active participation in product testing and development. We also recently hired a chief digital and information officer with extensive experience in technology modernization, data strategy and the deployment of AI in highly regulated environments.

Critically, we are pursuing this work in close coordination with our clients, many of whom have a tremendous appetite for AI adoption and are eager to partner with us in refining how these tools are integrated into the delivery of legal services.

At the same time, technology enhances the human connection that defines Skadden – it does not replace it. Our clients come to us for our judgment, our creativity and the deeply collaborative way we approach their most consequential challenges. AI tools are enhancing our ability to deliver on that promise, enabling our attorneys to focus more of their time and energy on the strategic, creative work that moves the needle for our clients.

What are the keys to retaining clients and maintaining long-term client relationships?

It starts with results. Our clients expect and deserve excellent outcomes, and we deliver on that consistently. In 2025, we announced more than $675 billion of M&A transactions. In just the first quarter of 2026, our corporate partners advised on almost $100 billion in energy transactions. On the litigation side, we secured a critical win at the Supreme Court on behalf of FS Credit Opportunities, in a ruling that determined private parties cannot sue to rescind contracts based on alleged violations of the Investment Company Act – a significant victory for the registered fund industry. And earlier this year we secured 10 wins in six days, spanning antitrust, securities, crypto, sports/betting and financial litigation.

But results alone don’t sustain long-term relationships – it’s how we work with clients that matters. When you have a team that genuinely works well together and is deeply invested in each other’s success, clients feel that. It translates
directly into the quality of the service and the strength of the relationship. These deep relationships allow us to understand our clients’ business strategies and goals, providing not only the support they need on current legal issues but also forward-looking insight to help them prepare for future challenges and opportunities.

Investing in our business services has also been a key priority – providing our attorneys with the support and resources they need to succeed and deliver premium client service. As I mentioned earlier, we are thrilled to have added a chief digital and information officer, who joins our additional recent new hires, including a chief people officer and chief business development and marketing officer, all working together to expand and modernize our operations at the firm.

Will you highlight Skadden’s commitment to pro bono work?

Skadden has a deep and longstanding commitment to pro bono work. We are proud of the impact it has on communities and individuals who need it most.

We do an extraordinary amount of pro bono work, regularly partnering with our clients around the globe on shared-value pro bono and community service projects. We team up on joint legal services efforts and often provide administrative,
logistical and program development support for our clients’ pro bono and charitable endeavors. Giving back matters deeply to us, and pro bono work is central to how we do that.

We’re also proud of the Skadden Foundation, which recently welcomed its 38th class. We’ve now named more than 1,000 Skadden Fellows. These two-year Fellowships, funded by the Skadden partnership, focus on addressing the unmet civil legal needs of people living in poverty in the U.S.

How do you focus your efforts as executive partner of the firm?

When I stepped into this role, we identified key priorities that would enable us to scale, modernize and invest from a position of strength, and we’ve been hard at work on that ever since.

My focus has been managing and implementing the firm’s growth strategy through internal promotions, targeted lateral hiring and office expansion in various regions, as well as by strengthening our business services infrastructure. While lateral hiring is a key priority, internal development remains central to who we are, and it is reflected in the promotion of 55 new partners in 2026, our largest class ever, which – for the first time – included income partners. The income partner tier allows for an additional career track opportunity that enables us to recognize excellence earlier and helps us continue to build a strong, durable partnership for the future.

I am also deeply committed to keeping our firm at the forefront of AI and technology advances our attorneys and staff need to deliver outstanding results and client service.

Most importantly, my focus is on leaning into the future while staying disciplined about what has been key to our enduring success. Getting that balance right is how we build upon this firm’s exceptional legacy.

You have spent your entire legal career at Skadden. What has made the firm so special for you?

I began my Skadden career as a summer associate in 1996 and made partner here in 2006. I recently came across a profile in The American Lawyer on the firm from that year, and it was remarkable how accurate many of the characterizations of us still are. The story described us as a global giant that, in some ways, operated like a boutique – with a sharp focus on sophisticated and complex work, a closely connected partnership and a measured approach to growth. What strikes me now is how true that still feels. So much has changed in the profession over the past two decades, but the core of who we are has remained quite consistent. What has always made this place special is the people. There is a level of trust in the way we collaborate
under pressure and a shared sense of purpose – it’s something you feel the moment you walk in the door.

Our founders built a legacy of excellence, and we carry that legacy forward with purpose and pride. I feel a profound sense of responsibility in my role of leading this firm forward. Being part of an institution that has been at the very top of the profession for nearly 80 years is a tremendous privilege, and I take very seriously
the opportunity to guide us through our current evolution.

When you look to the future of the profession, what excites you the most, and what do you find most challenging?

What excites me most is the breadth of opportunity ahead. The areas defining our next chapter – AI and technology, data centers and digital infrastructure, fintech and crypto, life sciences and private capital – are just a few examples of the most transformative epicenters of activity shaping our global economy, and our clients are right at the center of them. The legal work coming out of these industries is complex and high stakes, which is exactly the kind of work we do best.

On a firm level, I am also excited about the potential of AI and technology to make us even better at serving our clients.

One of the most significant challenges facing both the legal industry and the broader business community is deploying these tools while the regulatory framework governing them is still taking shape.

What do you tell young people about the types of careers the legal profession offers?

I tell them it is an incredibly exciting time to be in the profession. The range of work
available to young lawyers today is extraordinary. Emerging industries and new financial products mean the law is being shaped in real time.

Given the dynamic nature of our work, I recommend young lawyers look for firms that invest in training and mentorship. Having the right resources and support is critical, not just at the start of your career but throughout it. At Skadden, all first-year associates go through our Associates’ Comprehensive Education program, which is an intensive business training module, during their first several weeks at Skadden. We also prioritize mentorship and networking, so our attorneys have the support, access and tools they need to grow their career.

Our associates get to work on some of the most significant matters in the world,
alongside partners who are deeply invested in their development.