During a career spanning a half century, Robert Helman has been an integral part of Chicago and its legal community. Not only did he arguably save Mayer Brown, but he’s been a major force in the philanthropic, cultural and social life of the city.
In 1984, when Helman took over as co-chairman of the firm now known as Mayer Brown, the institution was at a precarious juncture. A group of six partners had defected with 12 associates to start a Chicago office for Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. Even more troubling, the firm’s largest client, Continental Bank, filed for bankruptcy that summer. The bank accounted for more than 30 percent of the firm’s business.
