Who is William Savitt? Sam Altman hired a lawyer who had already beaten Elon Musk onceHe once forced Elon Musk to complete a multi-billion dollar deal. Now, attorney William Savitt is back in court, this time appointed by Sam Altman in a high-stakes legal battle that could shape the future of artificial intelligence.Savitt is a senior partner at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz and is leading the legal team for Altman and OpenAI in a trial taking place in a federal courtroom in Oakland. This case pits two of Silicon Valley’s most influential figures against each other. Musk claims Altman misled him into turning OpenAI into a profit-driven company instead of the nonprofit project he originally supported.Altman’s legal strategy relies on Savitt’s experience in the courtroom, especially his previous victory over Musk.
In 2022, Savitt represented Twitter when Musk tried to back out of purchasing the company. After losing the key rulings, Musk went ahead with the deal at the price agreed upon just before the trial.In the current case, Savitt needs to prove that Musk’s lawsuit was motivated by competition, not principle. OpenAI argues that Musk is trying to weaken the company in favor of his own artificial intelligence company, xAI.Despite his long and successful career, Savitt has remained out of the public eye.
He is known for being calm and precise in court and is considered one of the best corporate lawyers in the United States, according to Business Insider. He has worked with major companies and high-profile clients such as Brad Pitt.The ongoing trial has put the spotlight on him and showcased his style in the courtroom. In a tense moment, Musk said he had not read an important document about OpenAI. “It’s a four-page document, isn’t it, Mr. Musk?” Savitt replied.Savit has contacts on both sides of the issue. His company has been locked in legal disputes with Musk since 2022, including a case related to legal fees from the Twitter deal.
At the same time, he has worked with Altman and OpenAI on several matters.When OpenAI converted its for-profit arm into a public benefit corporation, a move that Musk now opposes, Savit and his team took on the legal action. It has also received regulatory approvals in California and Delaware.Speaking about his work, Savit said: “It’s so great to be part of something that changes the world. It’s motivating to be part of a team that is creating the best products, but also creating the best world.”His journey to the top was not typical. In his twenties, Savitt played in rock bands and performed at venues such as CBGBs in New York. To earn money, he drove a taxi, checked facts for magazines such as National Geographic and the Smithsonian, and worked as a freelance writer.“We played a lot of really cool places in New York, toured a little bit, and in the end we never got a record deal, but it was great, I got to sit on stage and sing and play my songs,” he said.Later, he graduated from Columbia University and then entered law school. After graduating, he clerked for Justice Pierre Leval and later for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. He says this experience shaped the way he dealt with cases.“Justice Ginsburg had a remarkable ability to reserve judgment, to keep an open mind,” Savitt said.“This is another skill I try to emulate — because it allows a lawyer no less than a judge to identify weaknesses and opportunities as facts and arguments accumulate throughout a case or negotiation,” he added.Over the past 30 years at Wachtell, Savitt has worked on some of the most complex corporate cases in the United States. He has handled mergers, major transactions and shareholder disputes, and has strong experience in corporate law in Delaware.Even with such a demanding career, Savitt still makes time for music. He keeps guitars in his office and records songs in his spare time.