Paul Cravath
Encyclopedia
Paul Drennan Cravath was a prominent Manhattan
lawyer
and a partner
of the law firm
today known as Cravath, Swaine & Moore
.
in 1886 and was awarded first Municipal Law prize.
He joined the law firm of Blatchford
, Seward
& Griswold in 1899. His book of business
included: Bethlehem Steel
, Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
, Kuhn, Loeb & Co.
, Chemical Bank, E. R. Squibb & Sons, Columbia Gas & Electric, Studebaker
Corp. His name was added to the firm's moniker in 1901. Cravath was the authoritative head of the firm from 1906 until his death in 1940, and his formal statement of his conceptions of proper management of a law office
still control its operations. Even today, that law firm structure is widely called "the Cravath System."
Paul Cravath was one of the founding officers of the Council on Foreign Relations
in 1921. The founding President of the CFR was John W. Davis
, a name partner of the law firm Davis Polk & Wardwell
, while Cravath served as the inaugural Vice-President. Cravath became chairman of the Metropolitan Opera
in 1931. He died in 1940.
in July 1985.
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and a partner
Equity partner
An equity partner is a partner in a partnership who is a part owner of the business, and is entitled to a proportion of the distributable profits of the partnership...
of the law firm
Law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...
today known as Cravath, Swaine & Moore
Cravath, Swaine & Moore
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP is a prominent American law firm based in New York City, with an additional office in London. The second oldest firm in the country, Cravath was founded in 1819 and consistently ranks first among the world's most prestigious law firms according to a survey of partners,...
.
Biography
He graduated from Columbia Law SchoolColumbia Law School
Columbia Law School, founded in 1858, is one of the oldest and most prestigious law schools in the United States. A member of the Ivy League, Columbia Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Columbia University in New York City. It offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in...
in 1886 and was awarded first Municipal Law prize.
He joined the law firm of Blatchford
Samuel Blatchford
Samuel Blatchford was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from April 3, 1882 until his death.-Early life:...
, Seward
William H. Seward
William Henry Seward, Sr. was the 12th Governor of New York, United States Senator and the United States Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson...
& Griswold in 1899. His book of business
Book of business (law)
Book of business is common parlance in the United States legal services sector and refers to the collection of clients that a lawyer has assembled throughout his or her career. It is often used to refer to the valuation of such client following.Since most U.S...
included: Bethlehem Steel
Bethlehem Steel
The Bethlehem Steel Corporation , based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was once the second-largest steel producer in the United States, after Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based U.S. Steel. After a decline in the U.S...
, Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
, Kuhn, Loeb & Co.
Kuhn, Loeb & Co.
Kuhn, Loeb & Co. was a bulge bracket, investment bank founded in 1867 by Abraham Kuhn and Solomon Loeb. Under the leadership of Jacob H. Schiff, it grew to be one of the most influential investment banks in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, financing America's expanding railways and growth...
, Chemical Bank, E. R. Squibb & Sons, Columbia Gas & Electric, Studebaker
Studebaker
Studebaker Corporation was a United States wagon and automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana. Founded in 1852 and incorporated in 1868 under the name of the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company, the company was originally a producer of wagons for farmers, miners, and the...
Corp. His name was added to the firm's moniker in 1901. Cravath was the authoritative head of the firm from 1906 until his death in 1940, and his formal statement of his conceptions of proper management of a law office
Cravath System
The Cravath System is a hiring practice developed at Cravath, Swaine & Moore in the 19th Century. It has been partially adapted by most large law firms and consulting agencies.- System :...
still control its operations. Even today, that law firm structure is widely called "the Cravath System."
Paul Cravath was one of the founding officers of the Council on Foreign Relations
Council on Foreign Relations
The Council on Foreign Relations is an American nonprofit nonpartisan membership organization, publisher, and think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy and international affairs...
in 1921. The founding President of the CFR was John W. Davis
John W. Davis
John William Davis was an American politician, diplomat and lawyer. He served as a United States Representative from West Virginia , then as Solicitor General of the United States and US Ambassador to the UK under President Woodrow Wilson...
, a name partner of the law firm Davis Polk & Wardwell
Davis Polk & Wardwell
Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP is an international law firm. The firm employs more than 800 attorneys worldwide and is headquartered in New York City. The firm represents many of the world's largest companies and leading financial institutions, and is best known for its corporate and litigation...
, while Cravath served as the inaugural Vice-President. Cravath became chairman of the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
in 1931. He died in 1940.
Legacy
He had a daughter: Vera Agnes Huntington Cravath (1895–1985). She was born on August 28, 1895. Vera Cravath married at least twice: to Lt. James S. Larkin, about 1917, and to William Francis Gibbs in 1927. She died in Rockport, MassachusettsRockport, Massachusetts
Rockport is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 6,952 at the 2010 census. Rockport is located approximately 25 miles northeast of Boston at the tip of the Cape Ann peninsula...
in July 1985.