Who is William Savitt? Sam Altman hires lawyer who beat Elon Musk once beforeHe once forced Elon Musk to complete a multibillion-dollar deal. Now, lawyer William Savitt is back in court, this time hired 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 unfolding in a federal courtroom in Oakland. The case pits two of Silicon Valley’s most influential figures against each other. Musk is alleging that Altman misled him by turning OpenAI into a profit-driven company rather than the nonprofit venture he originally supported.Altman’s legal strategy relies on Savitt’s courtroom experience, especially his past win against Musk. In 2022, Savitt represented Twitter when Musk tried to back out of buying the company. After losing key rulings, Musk went ahead with the deal at the agreed price just before the trial.In the current case, Savitt needs to show that Musk’s lawsuit is driven by competition, not principle. OpenAI argues that Musk is trying to weaken the company to benefit his own AI firm, xAI.Despite a long and successful career, Savitt has mostly stayed out of the public eye. He is known for being calm and precise in court and is considered one of the top corporate lawyers in the US, according to the Business Insider. He has worked with major companies and high-profile clients like Brad Pitt.The ongoing trial has brought him into the spotlight and shown his courtroom style. In one tense moment, Musk said he had not read an important document about OpenAI. Savitt responded, “It’s a four-page document, isn’t it, Mr. Musk?”Savitt has connections on both sides of the case. His firm has been involved in legal disputes with Musk since 2022, including a case over legal fees from the Twitter deal. At the same time, he has worked with Altman and OpenAI on several matters.When OpenAI changed its for-profit arm into a public benefit company, a move now being challenged by Musk, Savitt and his team handled the legal process. He also secured approvals from regulators in California and Delaware.Speaking about his work, Savitt said, “It’s very cool to be a part of something that is world-changing. It’s motivating to be part of a team that is working to create the best products, but is also working to create the best world.”His journey to the top was not typical. In his twenties, Savitt played in rock bands and performed at venues like CBGBs in New York. To earn money, he drove a taxi, did fact-checking for magazines such as National Geographic and Smithsonian, and worked as a freelance writer.He said: “We played a lot of the really cool venues in New York, did a little bit of touring, and ultimately never got a record deal, but it was great, I got to sit on stage and sing and play my songs.”Later, he graduated from Columbia University and then went to law school. After graduating, he worked as a clerk for Judge Pierre Leval and later for US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. He says that experience shaped how he approaches cases.“Justice Ginsburg had a remarkable capacity to reserve judgment, to keep an open mind,” Savitt said.He added: “And that’s another skill that I try to mimic — because it allows the lawyer no less than the judge to spot weaknesses and opportunities as the facts and the arguments build throughout a case or negotiation.”Over the past 30 years at Wachtell, Savitt has worked on some of the most complex corporate cases in US. He has handled mergers, major deals and shareholder disputes, and has strong expertise in Delaware corporate law.Even with such a demanding career, Savitt still makes time for music. He keeps guitars in his office and records songs in his free time.
