Disney Veteran Litvack Joins L.A. Law Firm

Former Walt Disney Co. Vice Chairman Sanford M. Litvack will become a partner at Quinn Emanuel, a Los Angeles-based law firm that specializes in business litigation.

Litvack, the former head of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, worked at Disney from 1991 to 2001, first as general counsel, then chief of corporate operations and later as vice chairman. He left Disney to return to the Dewey Ballantine law firm, where he chaired the complex litigation department.

Litvack said he decided to leave that firm for Quinn, Emanuel, Urquhart, Oliver & Hedges because he wanted to spend more time trying cases. The 190-lawyer firm describes itself as the largest in the United States devoted solely to litigation and boasts of winning 90% of the more than 650 cases its lawyers have taken to trial.

“Unlike most traditional New York firms, where the litigation department is simply a part of a larger organization, at Quinn Emanuel, the sole focus is on business litigation -- with a heavy emphasis on trial work,” Litvack said. “What I enjoy most is being in a courtroom.”

Litvack, 66, makes his home in Los Angeles but will try cases nationwide. He is expected to help the firm heighten its profile in New York.

“One trend you are seeing right now is a lot more litigation over securities problems -- the Enron, WorldCom accounting problems,” said managing partner John B. Quinn. “I think there is going to be more litigation related to major corporate governance issues, and I think he is uniquely qualified to do that kind of work.”

Quinn said Litvack’s unusual career path, including his major roles in government and at a Fortune 50 company, set him apart from most lawyers. Litvack also serves on the audit committees of the boards of Hewlett-Packard Co. and PacifiCare Health Systems Inc.

“You are talking about a very unique individual,” Quinn said. “There are few lawyers of his stature in corporate America.”