History BakerHostetler was founded in 1916, when our three founding partners each deposited $500 into a firm account. Today, we have nearly 1,000 partners and associates contributing to the success of our clients. The values they share are the same ideals on which our firm was founded: love and respect for the law, respect for each other, and the courage to make hard decisions on the basis of what they know to be right. Newton D. Baker made one of those difficult decisions when he decided to take a leave of absence from the firm that he co-founded to serve as Secretary of War during World War I. Before Baker would return from the War, the firm initiated its representation of two long-standing media clients, The Plain Dealer Publishing Company and The E.W. Scripps Company. Notable clients that soon followed and continue to be served by our firm include the American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, now operating as Major League Baseball. Also in our early decades, BakerHostetler not only attracted notable clients but also high-profile cases, including: The "Chicago Water Steal Case" involving 13 states in a dispute over the diversion of enormous quantities of water from the Great Lakes by the Chicago Sanitary District. Village of Euclid v. Ambler Realty, a zoning case, that opened the way nationally for widespread zoning. The reorganization of the American League of Professional Baseball Clubs. Nearly 20 years of involvement with litigation on behalf of various groups of private utilities attacking the New Deal legislation which established public power projects, the most famous of which was the TVA case. The first newspaper joint operating agreement (JOA), which was between two Albuquerque, N.M., newspapers. Included among the “firsts” for media companies later represented by BakerHostetler is the international licensing of popular United Feature Syndicate property PEANUTS® in more than 100 countries. Lawyers with our firm have not only counseled media companies on such global matters, but also represented clients attracting worldwide media attention in "Watergate," "Pentagate," and Iran-Contra cases. Today, we help our clients navigate increasingly complex issues such as defending challenges to their international trade rights, safeguarding intellectual property, and maintaining corporate compliance standards. Among that complex representation is BakerHostetler’s role as counsel to the Securities Investor Protection Act (SIPA) Trustee for the global liquidation of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC (BLMIS), one of the largest financial frauds in U.S. history. The firm has overseen the unprecedented BLMIS liquidation on a global basis for over a decade, managing more than 1,000 lawsuits involving approximately 4,000 defendants worldwide. While investor money is rarely recovered for victims in Ponzi schemes, BakerHostetler has recovered billions of dollars on behalf of the SIPA Trustee for distribution to Madoff's victims. We have leveraged our experience with this unprecedented matter to build a Chambers-ranked E-Discovery and Advocacy Management team, as well as our Global Fraud and International Asset Tracing and Recovery team. Please take a few moments to tour bakerlaw.com and learn more about our firm's commitment to the continued success of our clients. About Us History Firm Leadership Subscribe » Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Service Terms | Your California Privacy Rights | Infringements | About Ads | Disclaimer | Attorney Advertising | Visitor Policy © 2021 Baker & Hostetler LLP We use cookies for purposes such as to enhance user experience and to analyze performance and traffic on our website. Third parties may also use cookies in connection with our website for social media, advertising and analytics and other purposes. Click here to view our California Privacy Notice. Cookie Preferences