Dorsey & Whitney
| Company type | Limited liability partnership |
|---|---|
| Industry | Legal services |
| Founded | January 1, 1912 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States |
| Founder | William Lancaster, David Simpson |
| Headquarters | Minneapolis , United States |
Area served | United States, Canada, Europe, Asia |
Key people | Peter Nelson (Managing Partner, 2025) |
| Revenue | $467.4 million (2023) |
Number of employees | 580 lawyers (2023) |
| Website | www |
Dorsey & Whitney LLP (commonly referred to as Dorsey) is a law firm headquartered in the United States, employing roughly 580 lawyers distributed among 21 locations throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Asia as of 2023. The firm’s main office is situated in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where it was originally established. In 2023, the organization reported revenues totaling $467.4 million. Leadership as of 2025 is under managing partner Peter Nelson. Among its distinguished former attorneys is ex-U.S. Vice President Walter Mondale.
History
The firm traces its origins back to 1912 when William Lancaster, a director at First National Bank of Minneapolis, and David Simpson, a Minnesota Supreme Court justice, founded it. James Dorsey joined as the initial associate in 1913. After working in investment banking for a period, Dorsey returned post-1929 stock market crash and directed the firm until his passing in 1959. The firm’s name underwent several changes before adopting its present title in 1981.
Dorsey & Whitney has contributed to academia by establishing the Dorsey and Whitney Professor of Law position at the University of Minnesota Law School.
Notable alumni
- Harry Blackmun, former justice of the U.S. Supreme Court
- Amy Klobuchar, U.S. Senator
- Walter Mondale, former Vice President of the United States
- William Prosser, influential legal academic
- Tom Vilsack, former Governor of Iowa
Assistance to Guantanamo captives
Attorney Joshua Colangelo-Bryan from Dorsey & Whitney drafted the habeas corpus petitions for six Bahraini detainees held without formal charges at Guantanamo Bay detention facilities in Cuba. During one visit, detainee Juma al Dossari attempted suicide.
The situation drew attention when Charles "Cully" Stimson, then Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Detainee Affairs, publicly criticized law firms defending Guantanamo prisoners, suggesting that corporate executives must decide between lucrative contracts and representing alleged terrorists. His comments received widespread backlash, were repudiated by the Pentagon, and led to his resignation shortly afterward.
Insider trading controversy
In 2008, partner Gil Cornblum was involved in a lengthy insider trading conspiracy spanning 14 years with former associate Stanko "Stan" Grmovsek. Together they amassed illegal gains exceeding $10 million. Cornblum took his own life amid the investigation just before authorities planned to arrest him and file charges; Grmovsek pleaded guilty one day following Cornblum’s death.