What Steptoe & Johnson does

Steptoe & Johnson (legal name Steptoe LLP) is an international law firm founded in 1913 and headquartered in Washington, DC, with 500+ lawyers and other professional staff across 10 global offices in Beijing, Brussels, Chicago, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, DC. The firm is organized as a U.S. limited liability partnership and serves multinational corporations, financial institutions, fintechs, utilities, energy companies, public-sector clients, and high-net-worth individuals across modular practice areas: International Trade & Regulatory Compliance (sanctions, export controls, CFIUS, FCPA), White-Collar Defense & Investigations (with an emerging AI-driven investigations capability), Intellectual Property (patent litigation, Section 337, trade secrets), Energy (FERC-regulated oil & gas, electric, nuclear, data centers), Insurance & Reinsurance, International Arbitration (ICC, ICSID, LCIA, PCA, UNCITRAL, SCC, DIAC), Telecom/Broadcast/Satellite, Tax, AI/Data/Digital, Environment/Food/Chemicals (FDA), Government Contracts, Labor, and Government Affairs.

The firm's core technology stack is centered on legal-tech tooling rather than commercialized software products. Notable proprietary capabilities include the Data Center Energy Regulation Tracker (launched October 2025) for utilities, developers, and operators monitoring state-level data center energy legislation; AI/ML-based compliance analytics experience brought in via partner Matt Galvin (formerly AB InBev CECO, DOJ), including platforms such as BrewRIGHT; dedicated regulatory tracking infrastructure spanning data centers, sanctions, political law, antitrust, blockchain, and telecom; and ISO 27001 (information security) and ISO 22301 (business continuity) certifications underpinning client-facing secure document handling.

Steptoe's business model is professional services legal advisory, generating revenue through engagement-based pricing — hourly fees, fixed fees, and contingency/conditional arrangements — across litigation, regulatory counseling, transactional advisory, arbitration, and compliance engagements. Recurring revenue streams derive from ongoing regulatory and compliance counsel for multinational corporates and financial institutions in sanctions, export controls, AML, FCPA, financial services regulation, and consumer finance compliance. The firm employs an enterprise field sales motion, pursues thought-leadership-driven client development through 16+ recognized industry blogs and tracker products, and holds no external investors under its partnership ownership structure, currently led by Chair Gwen Renigar.

Name

Steptoe & Johnson

Legal name

Steptoe LLP

Website

https://steptoe.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1913

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Steptoe & Johnson (Steptoe LLP) is an international law firm founded in 1913 with 500+ lawyers across 10 global offices, advising multinational corporations, financial institutions, energy companies, and government clients on regulatory compliance, litigation, arbitration, and transactional matters spanning trade, sanctions, IP, energy, and AI/data.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Legal Services

NAICS

Legal Services (5411)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Global Trade & Customs / Trade Compliance (BPAHAHAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Third-Party Risk, Vendor Due Diligence & Supply Chain Compliance (BPAEAPAG), ESG, Sustainability Reporting & Compliance (BPAEAPAM)

Keywords

• International legal services
• White-collar defense
• International arbitration
• Trade compliance
• Intellectual property litigation

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Legal Advisory Fees (Hourly and Engagement-Based): Core revenue generated from professional services rendered to clients across practice areas (white-collar defense, international arbitration, energy, IP, tax, trade). Includes litigation, regulatory counseling, transactional advisory, and arbitration; standard law firm model combining hourly fees, fixed fees, and contingency/conditional arrangements.
2. Disputes & Litigation Representation: Fee income from high-stakes litigation, arbitration, and judgment enforcement matters across U.S. federal and state courts and major international arbitral institutions (ICC, ICSID, LCIA, PCA, UNCITRAL, SCC, DIAC).
3. Regulatory & Compliance Counsel (including sanctions, export controls, FCPA): Recurring and project-based fees from multinational corporates, financial institutions, and fintechs requiring ongoing advice on sanctions, export controls, AML, FCPA, financial services regulation, and consumer finance compliance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Core offering

Steptoe & Johnson is an international law firm delivering full-service legal counsel across international trade and regulatory compliance, white-collar defense and investigations, intellectual property litigation, energy regulatory and litigation, insurance and reinsurance litigation, international arbitration, telecom/broadcast/satellite regulation, tax, AI/data/digital and blockchain, and environment/food/chemicals/FDA regulatory matters. The firm sells partner-led advisory and representation services to multinational corporations, financial institutions, energy companies, governments, and high-net-worth individuals across U.S., European, Middle Eastern, and Asian markets. It also markets specialized compliance and regulatory intelligence products such as the Data Center Energy Regulation Tracker.

Product overview

Steptoe LLP is an international law firm — not a software vendor — delivering a portfolio of legal service lines rather than a unified software product. Its offering is best understood as a platform of 500+ lawyers and professional staff across 10 global offices (Beijing, Brussels, Chicago, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, DC), organized into modular practice areas (modules) that clients can engage individually or together: International Trade & Regulatory Compliance (sanctions, export controls, AML, CFIUS, trade remedies), White-Collar Defense & Investigations (with an AI-driven investigations practice), Intellectual Property (patent litigation, trade secrets, Section 337), Energy (oil & gas, electric power, nuclear, data centers), Insurance & Reinsurance, International Arbitration & Investor-State Arbitration, Telecom/Broadcast/Satellite, Tax, AI/Data/Digital, Environment/Food/Chemicals (FDA), and Government Contracts. On top of this practice-area portfolio, Steptoe has launched dedicated client-facing tracking and content tools, most notably the Data Center Energy Regulation Tracker (launched October 30, 2025) for utilities, developers, and operators, alongside a suite of recognized industry blogs including the Blockchain Blog, 6G: A Step Beyond Telecom Blog, Step Into IP Blog, StepAhead Antitrust & Competition Insights, International Compliance Blog, and The Stepwise Risk Outlook. These practice areas and tracker/blog offerings together constitute Steptoe's named services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• International Trade and Regulatory Compliance Legal services covering export controls (EAR/ITAR), OFAC sanctions, FCPA/anti-corruption, CFIUS national-security reviews, antidumping and countervailing-duty proceedings, and broader trade-policy advisory. Serves multinational corporates and financial institutions with cross-border regulatory exposure.
• White-Collar Defense & Investigations Representation and counsel in DOJ and SEC enforcement, congressional investigations, internal corporate investigations, monitorships, and parallel civil/criminal proceedings. Includes dedicated sub-practices for SEC Enforcement, Campaign Finance, and Government Investigations. Serves corporations, financial institutions, and senior executives.
• Intellectual Property Litigation Patent, trademark, and copyright litigation and portfolio strategy. The firm's Copyright practice is described as the first such practice established in the United States. Serves technology, life sciences, pharmaceutical, and consumer-products companies.
• Energy Regulatory & Litigation Regulatory and litigation services for the electricity, oil-and-gas, and pipeline sectors, including FERC matters, Electric group work, and Pipeline group work. Serves utilities, independent power producers, pipelines, and large-load energy buyers.
• Insurance & Reinsurance Litigation Insurance and reinsurance coverage litigation and arbitration, with a focus on complex disputes arising from mass-tort, environmental, and cyber losses. Recognized in The Legal 500 as a leading practice in the United States. Serves insurers, reinsurers, and corporate policyholders.
• International Arbitration International arbitration under ICC, LCIA, AAA, and UNCITRAL rules, including ICSID investor-state arbitration, spanning energy, construction, M&A, and commercial disputes between private parties and against sovereigns.
• Telecom, Broadcast & Satellite Regulatory Regulatory, licensing, and transactional representation for telecom, broadcast, and satellite clients, including FCC matters and spectrum-related issues.
• Tax Services (including Tax Policy) Federal, international, and state tax controversy and policy advisory, including tax disputes, cross-border planning, and legislative advocacy through the Tax Policy practice.
• AI, Data & Digital and Blockchain Legal advice on AI regulation, blockchain and digital-asset compliance, and cross-border data governance and privacy obligations. Co-led by partners Christopher Suarez and Evan Abrams.
• Environment, Food & Chemicals / FDA Regulatory Regulatory and compliance counseling under EPA, FDA, and related U.S. chemical, food, and consumer-product safety regimes, including product-safety, labeling, and environmental compliance.
• Data Center Energy Regulation Tracker Dedicated AI-assisted regulatory monitoring platform tracking U.S. legislative and regulatory developments affecting data center energy provision. Launched in Washington, DC to address the surge in AI-related infrastructure growth. Designed for utilities, data-center operators, and large-load energy buyers needing real-time visibility into energy regulation.

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature4 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Latham & Watkins: Larger global law firm with broad coverage in Steptoe's core practices (trade, energy, IP, white-collar); a much bigger platform that often competes for the largest matters Steptoe bids on.
• Sidley Austin: Large global firm with comparable life sciences/regulatory, trade, and litigation practices; competes for healthcare, energy, and financial services clients in similar geographies.
• Kirkland & Ellis: Largest global law firm by revenue with overlap in IP, white-collar, restructuring, and government contracts; serves as a scale competitor for talent and major matters.

Direct peers

• WilmerHale: DC-rooted international firm with strong overlap in government investigations, regulatory, IP, and corporate practices; comparable scale and similar mix of regulated-industry clients.
• Hogan Lovells: Global law firm with comparable practice breadth (trade, energy, IP, arbitration, insurance) and a similar international office footprint, including strong London and European presence.
• White & Case: Global law firm with comparable international arbitration, trade, and energy practices; competes for large cross-border matters across the same geographies Steptoe serves.
• Covington & Burling: DC-based international law firm with overlapping strengths in regulatory, white-collar defense, energy, and data privacy practices, competing for similar Fortune 500 and government-facing clients.
• Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton: Elite international law firm with overlapping capabilities in international trade/WTO, sanctions, white-collar defense, and arbitration; competes for premium cross-border matters.
• Arnold & Porter: DC-headquartered international law firm with strong regulatory, trade, life sciences, and white-collar practices; closest peer by office footprint and practice composition.
• Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: DC-headquartered international law firm of comparable scale with a leading international trade, sanctions, and government investigations practice, frequently competing head-to-head with Steptoe on CFIUS, OFAC, and FCPA matters.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/steptoellp
• Facebookfacebook.com/steptoeLLP
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/10756

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles31 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Steptoe & Johnson