Cravath, Swaine & Moore is a major Wall Street law firm that traces its beginnings to the law practice begun by William H. Seward (1801-1872) in Auburn, New York, in 1823. It assumed its current character when Paul D. Cravath (1861-1940) joined the firm of Seward, Guthrie & Steele in 1899. The firm played a leading role in the industrial combinations at the turn of century and helped business to cope with the growth of the regulatory state in the years since. The records consist of a sample of case files, and include correspondence, briefs, pleadings, notes, and supporting documents, as well as occasional exhibits and transcripts of testimony.