Eric J. Friedman

Eric J. Friedman is Executive Partner of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, a global, 1,700-attorney law firm advising businesses, financial institutions and governmental entities on their most complex, high profile matters. Serving in this capacity since 2009, he has furthered the firm’s mission to provide the highest quality legal service to clients, attract and develop top talent, and maintain Skadden’s deeply rooted commitments to pro bono and diversity, equity and inclusion.

Among other honors, Eric received the AJC's Learned Hand Award in 2016 and the Diversity & Inclusion Champion Award from the New York City Bar Association in 2012. He also was named one of the three Most Influential law firm leaders by The National Law Journal in 2011. Under Eric's leadership, Skadden has been repeatedly named among the top firms for delivering the best client service in BTI Consulting Group’s annual Client Service A-Team report. In 2015, Skadden became the first law firm to handle more than $1 trillion in global announced M&A deals in a single year.

Eric is a dedicated board member of a number of organizations, including the Mount Sinai Health System, the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, the University of Pennsylvania Law School and the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity. He also chairs the board of trustees of the Skadden Fellowship Foundation. Additionally, Eric helped spearhead the launch of the Law Firm Antiracism Alliance, a collaboration of more than 250 law firms worldwide committed to leveraging the resources of the private bar in partnership with legal services organizations to address systemic racism in the law.

Prior to becoming Executive Partner, Eric handled a number of significant M&A and corporate transactions, advising clients such as Citigroup, Inc., Nasdaq, Inc., Deutsche Bank AG and Mars, Incorporated, among others. He has been recognized by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, The Best Lawyers in America and the NACD Directorship 100.