Ropes & Gray Expands Commercial Litigation Practice in New York with Addition of Noah Yavitz

Ropes & Gray announced today that prominent New York-based litigator Noah Yavitz has joined the firm as a partner in its litigation & enforcement practice. Noah brings deep experience in across a broad range of complex commercial disputes, with particular expertise in high-stakes merger litigation, federal securities actions, and derivative claims involving corporate fiduciaries. His addition supports growing client demand for sophisticated trial and appellate advocacy in the New York market and beyond. He is the fourth partner to join Ropes & Gray since the beginning of 2026, and the third in New York.

“Noah strengthens our ability to continue delivering outstanding results for clients in complex, business-critical matters,” said Julie Jones, Chair. “His elite skills and market reputation add to our capabilities in guiding clients through their biggest moments. His arrival is another clear signal of our ambitions to grow and invest in top talent for our clients’ benefit.”

Noah joins Ropes & Gray from Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, where he has been a partner since 2022 after joining the firm in 2014. Over his time at Wachtell Lipton, he played key roles in prominent, market-shaping litigation, and secured wins at trial and on appeal across federal and state courts, including the Delaware Court of Chancery.

“Noah is a super-talented litigator with experience on many of the most consequential corporate and securities litigation matters of the last decade,” said Gregg Weiner, co-leader of Ropes & Gray’s global litigation & enforcement practice group. “He has accomplished a tremendous amount in the still early stages of his career. We are excited to add him to our thriving litigation practice in New York, which also saw the addition of former federal prosecutor and white collar partner Sarah Coyne last year.”

“Clients are turning to Ropes & Gray for market-leading corporate litigation in Delaware across industries, and Noah’s track record in merger litigation, stockholder and governance disputes will immediately strengthen our capabilities in the Court of Chancery,” said David Hennes, co-head of the firm’s corporate & securities litigation practice and its investment banking industry group. “His extensive experience before the Delaware Court of Chancery, combined with our deal-side strength and trial pedigree, further enhances our capabilities to deliver industry-leading counsel and tangible value to clients, guiding them through the full spectrum of high-stakes Delaware matters.”

"Ropes & Gray has become a leading firm in New York by recruiting top talent like Noah,” said Eva Carman, co-head of the firm’s securities and futures enforcement practice and co-managing partner of the New York office. “We expect him to deepen our New York litigation practice and enhance our office community with his experience, his mentorship mindset and his commitment to our values of teamwork and collaboration.”

This year, Ropes & Gray is also celebrating the 25^th anniversary of the opening of its New York office, a significant milestone that is a testament to the firm’s enduring commitment to New York. The New York office serves as a strategic hub for the firm and its clients, and is a foundational point for expansion.

Noah received his J.D. with high honors from the University of Chicago Law School, where he was a member of the Order of the Coif, an Olin Fellow in law and economics, and an editor of The University of Chicago Law Review. He earned a B.A. with honors from the University of Chicago. Following law school, Noah clerked for the Honorable Frank Easterbrook of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. In addition to his legal practice, Noah serves as a lecturer in law at Columbia Law School, where he teaches a course on complex, multijurisdictional litigation.

“I’m thrilled to join the exceptional team of litigators at Ropes & Gray,” said Noah. “Ropes has built the ideal platform for assisting clients with their most complex corporate and securities disputes – marrying an uncompromising commitment to excellence with a famously collaborative and collegial culture. I look forward to contributing to the firm’s thriving New York office, and to working with my new colleagues across practices and around the world. I cannot wait to show our clients what we can accomplish together.”