Early years and founding (1865 - early 1900s)
The firm was founded in 1865 by two Harvard Law School graduates, John Codman Ropes and John Chipman Gray, Jr.. In 1878, William Loring, also a Harvard graduate, joined the firm, and it was renamed "Ropes, Gray and Loring" until Loring's departure in 1899, when he was appointed to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. [1] [2] The firm was renamed again in 1899 as "Ropes, Gray and Gorham" with the addition of Robert Gorham. Following Gorham’s death, the firm was renamed Ropes, Gray, Boyden & Perkins in 1914.
The firm represented the New York and New England Railroad during that time. [1] Another client was the founders’ alma mater, Harvard College.
In 1929, Ropes-Gray (as it was known at the time) established a Paris office, but it was closed in 1932, a victim of the Depression. Along with the rest of the country, the 1930s brought economic hardship that led to a reduction in staff size, particularly among associates. Despite the downturn, the firm managed to weather the crisis thanks in part to creative internal policies, such as senior partners forgoing compensation temporarily to retain junior staff.
Mid-20th century to late 20th century (1900s - 1990s)
The firm grew in response to historical events during the 20th century. This included developing a bankruptcy practice during the Great Depression, a labor practice as a result of the New Deal, and adding financial reports to its services after the creation of the SEC. [3]
In 1940, the firm's name was changed to Ropes, Gray, Best, Coolidge & Rugg. Recognizing the weight of tradition and the desire for longevity, the firm made the decision in 1961 to readopt its original name, "Ropes & Gray." [4]
In 1942, a book written by Albert Boyden, which chronicles the history of the firm, was published under the title Ropes-Gray, 1865-1940. [5]
21st century global expansion (2000s - present)
In 2003, the firm acquired New York City based private equity law firm Reboul, MacMurray, Hewitt & Maynard. [6] In 2005, it acquired NYC-based intellectual property law firm Fish & Neave. [7] Two years later, the firm opened its first international office in Tokyo. [8] [9] This was followed by an office opening in London in 2010. [10]
In 2012, the Korean Bar Association approved Ropes & Gray as the first Foreign Legal Consultant Office in Korean history, allowing the firm to open an office in Seoul. [11] [12] This was the firm’s 11th office. [12] By this time, Ropes & Gray had 1,100 lawyers and had expanded its presence in Asia with offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and in Tokyo. [12]
Ropes & Gray was commissioned by the U.S. Olympic Committee to independently investigate Larry Nassar's abuses. [13] The firm released its report, "The Constellation of Factors Underlying Larry Nassar's Abuse of Athletes," in December 2018. [13]
In 2017, the firm elected Julie Jones as chair. After serving as chair-elect for two years, Jones took the helm in 2020. [14] In 2024, as Jones was re-elected to another five-year term, Neill Jakobe was elected to serve a five-year term as vice chair. [15]
In 2023, the firm opened an office in Dublin, Ireland. [16] Later that year, in July, Ropes & Gray announced the relocation of some Shanghai-based lawyers to its Hong Kong operation and the launch of an office in Singapore. [17] [18] In November 2023, amid antisemitic incidents at elite U.S. law schools, [19] [20] [21] Ropes & Gray was among a group of major law firms that sent a letter to top law school deans warning them that an escalation in incidents targeting Jewish students would have corporate hiring consequences. The letter stated: "We look to you to ensure your students who hope to join our firms after graduation are prepared to be an active part of workplace communities that have zero tolerance policies for any form of discrimination or harassment, much less the kind that has been taking place on some law school campuses." [22]
In 2024, the firm jumped from 24th to 16th in the London Stock Exchange Group's global M&A legal advisor rankings. This was due to the firm working on more than 200 deals worth $136.8 billion. [16]
In September 2025, Ropes & Gray opened its fourth European office, this time an office in Milan. [23] This brought the company’s global office count to 15: 7 U.S. offices (Boston, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Palo Alto) and offices in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul, Singapore, Dublin, London, Paris, and Milan. [16] [24]
