| Boies Schiller Flexner LLP | |
| Headquarters: | 55 Hudson Yards New York City, United States |
| Num Offices: | 15 |
| Num Attorneys: | 176 |
| Practice Areas: | Litigation |
| Key People: | David Boies (Chairman), Jonathan D. Schiller, & Donald L. Flexner |
| Date Founded: | May 1997 |
| Founder: | David Boies, Jonathan D. Schiller |
| Company Type: | Limited liability partnership |
Boies Schiller Flexner LLP is an American law firm based in New York City. The firm was founded by David Boies and Jonathan D. Schiller, in 1997, who, in 1999, were joined by Donald L. Flexner, former partner with Crowell & Moring, then forming Boies, Schiller & Flexner.
The firm has become known for its involvement in high-profile litigation, having represented the Department of Justice in the antitrust action United States v. Microsoft, as well as Vice President Gore in the Supreme Court case Bush v. Gore. More recently, Boies successfully challenged the constitutionality of California's Proposition 8 in Perry v. Brown, and represented the National Football League in the antitrust litigation initiated by the players' union.[1] The firm has drawn controversy[2] for its aggressive tactics during representation of Harvey Weinstein amidst sexual abuse allegations[3] [4] and the now-defunct blood testing startup Theranos.[5] [6]
David Boies, alongside the firm's managing partner Sigrid McCawley, represented Viriginia Giuffre in her civil case against Prince Andrew free of charge.[7] In February 2022, shortly before Boies and McCawley were due to fly to London for a deposition of Prince Andrew, he settled the New York lawsuit for an undisclosed sum and a "substantial donation" to Giuffre's charity, which supports victims of trafficking.[8]
Among other high-profile clients, Boies Schiller has long represented film producer Harvey Weinstein, against whom sexual abuse allegations were levied in October 2017. The New Yorker reported in November 2017 that Boies Schiller had, on Weinstein's behalf, directed private intelligence companies, including Black Cube,[9] to spy on and orchestrate smear campaigns against alleged victims of Weinstein's and on reporters who were investigating Weinstein's actions.[10] The New York Times, which was at the same time a target of the reported espionage and a client of Boies Schiller's, considered this "intolerable conduct".[11] The New York Times announced a few days later it had "terminated its relationship" with Boies' firm.[12]
Boies Schiller, and specifically David Boies himself, notably represented Theranos for several years, including against the fraud claims that toppled the blood-testing company. In by The Wall Street Journal investigative reporter John Carreyrou, the firm is described as protecting the startup using surveillance of witnesses and journalists, weaponized use of non-disclosure agreements and affidavits, intimidation tactics, and other heavy-handed practices. Boies Schiller is portrayed by Carreyrou as acting as an extension of Theranos, including the use of the law firm's New York offices for hosting promotional meetings such as a faked blood test administered to Fortune writer Roger Parloff. According to Carreyrou, the firm agreed to be paid in Theranos stock, and Boies himself served on the Theranos board of directors,[13] raising questions about conflicts of interest.[5] Boies Schiller ended its representation of Theranos in November 2016 due to disagreements about legal strategy.[14] Former Theranos general counsel Heather King was hired back by Boies Schiller after having served as the general counsel at Theranos.[15] King had previously been a lawyer at Boies Schiller during its representation of Theranos, and she, David Boies, and lawyer Michael Brille featured prominently in Bad Blood.[16]
The firm also represents Amazon in corporate matters, and Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos personally retained attorneys from Boies Schiller as part of his crisis-management team in the wake of Bezos's claims of extortion by AMI.[17]
According to OpenSecrets, Boies Schiller was one of the law firms with the most employee contributions to federal candidates during the 2012 election cycle, donating $1.92 million, 90% to Democrats.[18] Since 2000, Boies Schiller employees have contributed almost $8.2 million to federal campaigns.[19]