{{Short description|American law firm}} {{Use American English|date=May 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox law firm | name = Foley & Lardner LLP | logo = | headquarters = U.S. Bank Center<br>Milwaukee, Wisconsin | num_offices = 27 | num_attorneys = 1,050 | practice_areas = General practice | key_people = {{ubl|Daljit Doogal|(Chairman & CEO)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/business-and-practice/foley-lardners-new-chair-sees-focus-on-fast-changing-sectors |title=Foley & Lardner's New Chair Sees Focus on Fast-Changing Sectors |date=26 January 2022 |work=Bloomberg Law |first=Elizabeth |last=Olson}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.crainsdetroit.com/law/new-foley-lardner-ceo-daljit-doogal-takes-helm-amid-fight-talent |title=Q&A: New Foley & Lardner CEO takes helm amid fever-pitched fight for talent |date=2 May 2022 |work=Crain Communications |author=Nick Manes}}</ref> | Steven Vazquez |(Managing Partner)}} | revenue = {{profit}} {{US$|1.28 billion|link=yes}} (2024) | num_employees = 1,003 (2021) | date_founded = {{ Start date and age|1842}} | founder = {{ubl|Asahel Finch Jr.|William Pitt Lynde}} | company_type = Limited liability partnership | homepage = {{Official URL}} }} '''Foley & Lardner LLP''' (often referred to simply as "Foley") is an international law firm headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded in 1842, it was ranked 45th by revenue on ''The American Lawyer's'' 2025 AmLaw 100 rankings of U.S. law firms, with $1.28 billion gross revenue in 2024.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.law.com/international-edition/law-firm-profile/?id=106&name=Foley-Lardner|title=Foley & Lardner LLP profile |website=law.com |publisher=ALM |access-date=4 November 2024}}</ref>
==History== The oldest and largest law firm in Wisconsin, it was established in 1842 as Finch & Lynde.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Schmid|first=John|title=As it looks to future, Foley & Lardner commemorates 175 years of shaping Milwaukee's economy|url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/business/2017/09/18/looks-future-foley-lardner-commemorates-175-years-shaping-milwaukees-economy/653844001/|access-date=2021-01-03|website=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|language=en-US}}</ref> Its founders were Asahel Finch Jr., a Republican and former Michigan state representative,<ref>[http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/dictionary/index.asp?action=view&term_id=2433&keyword=finch Asahel Finch, Jr.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304211621/http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/dictionary/index.asp?action=view&term_id=2433&keyword=finch |date=2016-03-04 }}, ''Dictionary of Wisconsin History'' (Wisconsin Historical Society).</ref> and William Pitt Lynde, a Democrat who later served in the United States House of Representatives, the Wisconsin state legislature, and as mayor of Milwaukee.<ref name=":0" /><ref>[http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/dictionary/index.asp?action=view&term_id=1582&keyword=lynde "William Pitt Lynde,"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304210511/http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/dictionary/index.asp?action=view&term_id=1582&keyword=lynde |date=2016-03-04 }}, ''Dictionary of Wisconsin History'' (Wisconsin Historical Society).</ref><ref>Judy Slinn, [https://web.archive.org/web/20160416014757/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-15232558.html "Foley and Lardner: Attorneys at Law, 1842-1992"] (book review), ''Business History'' (Frank Cass, pub.), January 1, 1994.</ref> By 1970 the firm was beginning to grow substantially, and in 2001, after absorbing firms in Chicago and Washington, D.C., it was the 11th-largest firm in the United States.<ref>Adrienne Drell, [https://web.archive.org/web/20160409054536/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4581027.html "Longtime law firm here joins megamerger trend"], ''Chicago Sun-Times'', February 5, 2001.</ref>
In 1969 the firm adopted the name Foley & Lardner LLP and launched a succession of acquisitions to become a national law firm.<ref name="FU">[http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/foley-lardner-history/ "Foley & Lardner History"], FundingUniverse.com (accessed 2013-04-12).</ref> The name refers to two name partners, both corporate lawyers: Leon Foley and Lynford Lardner Jr. Both Leon Foley and Lynford Lardner are credited with launching the law firm's large national expansion. Foley, who acted as a strategist in the development of Aurora Health Care System, which would become Wisconsin’s largest healthcare provider, died at 83 in 1978. Lardner, who also served as the president of the United States Golf Association, died after drowning in the Milwaukee River.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_v0jAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hH4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=3335%2C3823798 "Lardner's Death Labeled Drowning"]{{Dead link|date=October 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}, ''Milwaukee Journal'', October 17, 1973.</ref> Lardner is survived by four grandchildren. When the firm merged with Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP in 2018, the plan (at least initially) was to use, in some cities, a firm name including the name partner name "Gardere".<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.foley.com/en/insights/news/2018/03/foley--lardner-llp-and-gardere-wynne-sewell-llp-co | title = Foley & Lardner LLP and Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP Complete Combination | publisher = Foley & Lardner LLP | last = Chanen | first = Jill | date = March 30, 2018 | archiveurl = | archivedate = | quote = Foley & Lardner LLP and Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP today announced the successful combination of the two firms, effective April 1, 2018. [...] The combined firm will be known as Foley Gardere in Austin, Dallas, Denver, and Houston and as Foley Gardere Arena in Mexico City. All other offices will operate as Foley & Lardner LLP. With joint revenues of $830 million, the combined firm will be among American Lawyer’s Top 50 U.S. law firms. }}</ref>
In 2020, Foley & Lardner partner Cleta Mitchell aided Donald Trump in his efforts to overturn the 2020 election and pressure election officials to "find" votes for him to defeat the then Democratic Party candidate and eventual President of the United States, Joe Biden.<ref name=":32">{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=2021|title='I just want to find 11,780 votes': In extraordinary hour-long call, Trump pressures Georgia secretary of state to recalculate the vote in his favor|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-raffensperger-call-georgia-vote/2021/01/03/d45acb92-4dc4-11eb-bda4-615aaefd0555_story.html|access-date=}}</ref> Mitchell criticized Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, accusing him without evidence of saying things "that are simply not correct" about the presidential results in Georgia.<ref name=":32"/> She also claimed without evidence that dead people voted in the election.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Joseph|first=Samantha|date=2020|title='Dead People Having Voted': Foley Lardner Partner Says Trump Has Proof of Illegal Ballots|url=https://www.law.com/2020/11/07/dead-people-having-voted-foley-lardner-partner-says-trump-has-proof-of-illegal-ballots/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-01-03|website=Law.com|language=en}}</ref> When confronted with why a Foley & Lardner partner was involved in aiding Trump in overturning the 2020 election, Foley & Lardner distanced itself from Mitchell.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|last1=Schmidt|first1=Michael S.|last2=Vogel|first2=Kenneth P.|date=2021-01-05|title=Trump Lawyer on Call Is a Conservative Firebrand Aiding His Push to Overturn Election|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/04/us/politics/cleta-mitchell-trump.html|access-date=2021-01-05|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> On January 5, 2021, Foley & Lardner announced that Mitchell had resigned.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Opfer|first1=Chris|last2=Strom|first2=Roy|date=January 6, 2021|title=Trump's Georgia Call Lawyer Blames 'Leftist Groups' for Exit (1)|work=Bloomberg Law|url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/business-and-practice/lawyer-on-trumps-georgia-call-blames-leftist-groups-for-exit?campaign=006BFD5A-50AE-11EB-BF63-E70850017A06|access-date=January 6, 2021}}</ref>
In 2021 Foley & Lardner opened its 25th office, in Salt Lake City, Utah.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Foley Opens Salt Lake City Office with Addition of Intellectual Property Litigation Team {{!}} Foley & Lardner LLP|url=https://www.foley.com/en/insights/news/2021/10/foley-salt-lake-city-office-ip-litigation-team|access-date=2021-11-05|website=www.foley.com|language=English}}</ref> The firm opened its 26th office in Raleigh, North Carolina<ref>{{Cite web |title=Foley Expands Health Care Capabilities with National Team of Corporate and Regulatory Lawyers, Simultaneously Opens Office in Raleigh |url=https://www.foley.com/news/2024/07/foley-expands-health-care-corporate-regulatory-opens-raleigh/ |access-date=2025-06-11 |website=Foley & Lardner LLP |language=en-US}}</ref> in 2024, and its 27th office in Nashville, Tennessee in 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Foley Opens Nashville Office with Addition of Three Corporate Partners |url=https://www.foley.com/news/2025/06/foley-opens-nashville-office-addition-three-corporate-partners/ |access-date=2025-06-11 |website=Foley & Lardner LLP |language=en-US}}</ref>
Foley & Lardner's primary practice areas include intellectual property, business law, litigation, and regulatory. Notable clients of the firm include Johnson Controls, CVS,<ref name=":1" /> Harley Davidson, Major League Baseball,<ref name=":0" /> and Acciona.
==Notable current and former employees== {{more citations needed|date=September 2014}} *William M. Conley, U.S. District Court judge for the Western District of Wisconsin, was a partner in the Madison office<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees: William Conley|url=https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/WilliamConley-PublicQuestionnaire.pdf|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=}}</ref> *Jim Doyle, Former Governor of Wisconsin, is of counsel in the Madison office<ref>Paul Gores, [http://www.jsonline.com/business/113962464.html "Doyle joins Foley & Lardner law firm"], ''Milwaukee Journal Sentinel'', January 17, 2011.</ref> *Bob DuPuy, former president and chief operating officer of Major League Baseball, has been a partner in the Milwaukee and New York offices<ref>[http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2011/02/07/dupuy-rejoins-foley-lardner.html "DuPuy rejoins Foley & Lardner"], ''Milwaukee Business Journal'', February 7, 2011.</ref> *Thomas E. Fairchild, Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals Judge and Wisconsin Supreme Court justice, was an associate in the Milwaukee office from 1945 to 1948<ref>Joan H. Lefkow, [http://hosted.law.wisc.edu/lawreview/issues/2007-1/fairchild.pdf "Thomas E. Fairchild: A Judge's Legacy"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100612012242/http://hosted.law.wisc.edu/lawreview/issues/2007-1/Fairchild.pdf|date=2010-06-12}}, 2007 ''Wis. L. Rev'' 1, 4.</ref> *Russ Feingold, Former United States Senator from Wisconsin, was an associate in the Madison office<ref>Sanford D. Horwitt, ''Feingold: A New Democratic Party'' (Simon & Schuster, 2007), {{ISBN|978-1416546184}}, pp. 80-82. [https://books.google.com/books?id=of1vYvleSmAC&q=foley&pg=PA80 Excerpts available] at Google Books.</ref> *Brian Hagedorn, Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice, worked at the Milwaukee office *William Isaac, Chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation from 1981 to 1985 and current Chairman of consulting firm LECG’s Global Financial Services *Joan F. Kessler, Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judge, was a partner in the Milwaukee office *Scott L. Klug, Former United States Congressman from Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district, is a public affairs director in the Madison office<ref name="FU" /> *Brett H. Ludwig, U.S. District Court judge for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, was a partner at the Milwaukee office<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees: Brett Ludwig|url=https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Brett%20Ludwig%20SJQ%20-%20PUBLIC1.pdf|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=}}</ref> *Marcia Morales Howard, U.S. District Court judge for the Middle District of Florida, was an associate in the Jacksonville office<ref>[http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=46932 "Morales Howard gets District Court appointment"]{{Dead link|date=October 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}, ''Financial News & Daily Record'', February 20, 2007.</ref> *Lisa S. Neubauer, Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judge and candidate for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, was a partner in the Milwaukee office<ref>[https://madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/brian-hagedorn-former-chief-legal-counsel-to-scott-walker-considering/article_f53565a3-d082-52f6-807a-6495445ec0e4.html], ''Wisconsin State Journal'', May 9, 2018.</ref> *Ulice Payne Jr., Former CEO of the Milwaukee Brewers and first African-American CEO of a Major League Baseball franchise, was a partner in the Milwaukee office *Fred Ridley, current Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club, is a partner in the Tampa office, former national chair of the Real Estate Practice, a member of the Hospitality & Leisure (former co-chair) and Sports Industry Teams, a member of the Transactions Practice, and a former member of the firm’s Management Committee. *Manuel Rocha, Former U.S. Ambassador to Bolivia (2000–02), is a Senior Advisor on International Business in the Miami office. Arrested on December 1, 2023 on charges of spying for Cuba.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-12-03 |title=Former US ambassador arrested in Florida, accused of serving as an agent of Cuba, AP source says |url=https://apnews.com/article/fbi-cuba-bolivia-former-ambassador-arrested-af9d80a4f268099364dff249dd74b3ec |access-date=2024-01-11 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref> *Cleta Mitchell, attempted to overturn the 2020 presidential election and subsequently resigned.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dye |first=Liz |date=2023-01-04 |title=Trump Lawyer Cleta Mitchell Let Her Freak Flag Fly In Jan. 6 Committee Deposition - Above the Law |url=https://abovethelaw.com/2023/01/trump-lawyer-cleta-mitchell-let-her-freak-flag-fly-in-jan-6-committee-deposition/ |access-date=2024-01-11 |language=en-US}}</ref> *Antonin Scalia, United States Supreme Court Justice, was a summer associate in the Milwaukee office<ref>Ben Poston, [http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/102499269.html "At new hall, Scalia stresses teaching"], ''Milwaukee Journal Sentinel'', September 8, 2010. ("Scalia, who once clerked at Foley & Lardner in Milwaukee between his second and third years at Harvard Law School, joked that Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson had named him an 'honorary cheesehead.'")</ref> *Dennis Cardoza, Former United States Congressman from California's 18th congressional district, in a public affairs and lobbying role.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.foley.com/en/people/c/cardoza-dennis-a | title=Dennis A. Cardoza | People }}</ref> *Chris Kise.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Trump Bolsters Legal Team With Former Foley Lawyer Chris Kise |url=https://www.law.com/nationallawjournal/2022/08/30/trump-bolsters-legal-team-with-former-foley-lawyer-chris-kise/ |access-date=2024-01-11 |website=National Law Journal |language=en}}</ref>
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Foley and Lardner}} Category:Law firms established in 1842 Category:Law firms based in Milwaukee Category:Foreign law firms with offices in Japan Category:General practice law firms