Mr. Dannhauser joined Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP in 1975 and has been the Chief Executive of the firm since 1989, initially as Executive Partner and subsequently as Chairman.

• Instrumental in the creation of the firm’s institutional practice
• Advisor to the senior management of a number of public and private companies
• Mr. Dannhauser has worked closely with various New York City officials and is the recipient of many community service awards
• Member of several committees and is actively involved in fund-raising for many charities and organizations

He has played a key role in crafting and executing the business strategies that have catapulted Weil Gotshal into the top tier of international law firms, expanding from its headquarters in New York to comprise 20 offices on three continents, over 1,200 attorneys and more than 1,400 staff members. Under Mr. Dannhauser’s watch, the firm has successfully built new practice areas that have become drivers for the firm’s overall success. Also, Mr. Dannhauser has been instrumental in the creation of the firm’s institutional practice; key institutional clients of the firm have included Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Bear Stearns and Deutsche Bank.

Mr. Dannhauser has been an advisor to the senior management of a number of public and private companies including, among others, Lehman Brothers, UnitedHealth Group, Goldman Sachs, DLJ, Merrill Lynch, Perella Weinberg and Diamond Castle. He has also played a leading corporate counseling and crisis management role in a number of major corporate restructurings including, among others, Lehman Brothers, Global Marine, Inc., International Harvester Company, Chase Manhattan Mortgage and Realty Trust, Guardian Mortgage Investors, Tri-South Mortgage Investors, Frontier Airlines, Elsinore Corporation, Drexel Burnham Lambert, Inc. and The Western Company of North America. Mr. Dannhauser has broad merger and acquisition, capital markets and finance experience, including securities offerings, syndications and other partnership transactions and for many years has been recognized as a leading practitioner by Euromoney Legal Media Group’s Guide to the World’s Leading Mergers and Acquisitions Lawyers.

Mr. Dannhauser has been honored and recognized by many professional, philanthropic and community groups. In 2009, the International Financial Law Review (IFLR) recognized Mr. Dannhauser for his role in Weil Gotshal’s handling of Lehman Brothers Holdings’ divestiture of its US investment banking business for $1.75 billion to Barclays. The deal earned for Weil Gotshal IFLR’s 2009 Exclusive M&A Team of the Year. IFLR has listed Mr. Dannhauser as a Leading Lawyer in its IFLR 1000 in each of the last three years. He was also recognized as a “Best Lawyer” in the The Best Lawyers in America 2009.

Mr. Dannhauser has long championed diversity and inclusion in business and the workplace, and several professional groups have recognized his contributions in this area. In 2007, the National Minority Business Council awarded Mr. Dannhauser its Chairman’s Award for his long-standing support of women- and minority-owned businesses. In 2006, Legal Momentum awarded Mr. Dannhauser its inaugural Champion for Diversity award, which is designed to highlight excellence and leadership in the law, particularly in the area of women’s rights. Also in 2006, the YWCA of the City of New York recognized Mr. Dannhauser as its inaugural “Man of the Year” honor for his role in diversifying Weil Gotshal during his tenure as Chairman, as well as for his support of the YWCA over the course of his career.

Mr. Dannhauser’s community service has earned numerous accolades, including the New York State Bar Association’s Root-Stimson Award for Community Service, recognizing his long-time service to organizations such as the New York Police & Fire Widows’ & Children’s Benefit Fund and The Boys & Girls Harbor, Inc., among others; the New Yorker for New York Award from Citizens for NYC; Honoree of the Inner City Scholarship Fund; the Fire Commissioner’s Humanitarian Award from the FDNY Fire Safety Education Fund; the New York City Police Department Bomb Squad’s Award for Outstanding Service; the Ellis Island Medal of Honor from the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations; the Founder’s Award of the Boys & Girls Harbor, Inc; and Honoree of the New York Police and Fire Widows’ and Children’s Benefit Fund.

Mr. Dannhauser has been a member of the following organizations, committees and boards: The Fellows of the American Bar Foundation; Fellow of The New York Bar Foundation; ABA Law Firm Pro Bono Project Advisory Committee; The National Minority Business Council; NYC Bar Association Committee to Enhance Diversity; Member of The Bretton Woods Committee; International Policy Committee of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce; President, CEO and Member of the Board of Directors of The New York Police and Fire Widows’ and Children’s Benefit Fund; Chairman of the Board of Directors of Boys & Girls Harbor, Inc.; Member of the Board of Directors of Citizens Committee for New York City; Member of the Board of Directors of United Way of New York City; Member of Board of Directors of the Partnership for New York City; Honorary Member of the Honor Legion of the Police Department of the City of New York.

Mr. Dannhauser also worked closely with various New York City officials, including the former mayor of New York City and the Police and Fire Commissioners of New York City, to raise funds and coordinate assistance for those adversely impacted by the terrorist attacks of September 11th, particularly the widows and children of New York City police officers and firefighters who died in the line of duty.

Mr. Dannhauser regularly has chaired events or has been actively involved in fund-raising efforts for the following charities and organizations: New York Police and Fire Widows’ and Children’s Benefit Fund; Boys & Girls Harbor, Inc.; Catholic Charities; The Rusty Staub Foundation; The Legal Aid Society; United Way; Ronald McDonald House; The New York Blood Center; The Maurer Foundation for Breast Health Education; The National Minority Business Council; The Boy Scouts of America; the Police Athletic League; and other organizations devoted to the welfare of children.

Mr. Dannhauser graduated from the State University of New York at Stony Brook (B.A. with honors, 1972), and from Brooklyn Law School (J.D. with honors in 1975), where he was a member and decisions editor of the Brooklyn Law Review (1973-1975).

Mr. Dannhauser and his wife Beth have three sons, Benjamin, Todd and Jess.