Ted Wells

Theodore "Ted" Von Wells, Jr. (born April 28, 1950) is an American trial lawyer and defense attorney known for his practice in white-collar crime cases. He is a partner and co-chair of litigation at the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. From 2010 to 2025, he was one of twelve fellows of the Harvard Corporation, the governing board of Harvard University.

After graduating from the College of the Holy Cross in 1972, Wells earned his JD from Harvard Law School and his MBA from Harvard Business School in 1976. He is known for his representation of prominent financial and political figures, including Scooter Libby, Raymond Donovan, Mike Espy, Michael Milken, Frank Quattrone, and governors Eliot Spitzer and David Paterson.

Early life and education Wells was born in Washington, D.C., on April 28, 1950, and grew up in a rowhouse. He has a younger sister, Toni, and several half-brothers and half-sisters on his father's side. His mother, Phyllis Wells, was a mail clerk at the U.S. Department of the Navy from Virginia. His father, Theodore V. Wells Sr.,

After graduating from Holy Cross, Wells won a full scholarship to pursue graduate studies at Harvard University, where he simultaneously enrolled in both Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School, earning his Juris Doctor (JD) and his Master of Business Administration (MBA), respectively, in 1976. In law school, he studied under law professors Derrick Bell, Morton Horwitz, and Phillip Areeda, and was classmates with Kenneth Chenault, Franklin Raines, and Charles Ogletree. He was also elected an editor of the Harvard Civil Rights–Civil Liberties Law Review and worked as a summer associate at PwC, Arnold & Porter, and Alston & Bird. He was one of only 43 black students at Harvard Law School at the time. During his time as a clerk, Wells met Samuel Alito, then a clerk for Judge Leonard I. Garth, and described him as "one of the smartest lawyers I’ve ever met."

After finishing his clerkship, Wells joined the law firm of Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker in Los Angeles, California. In 1983, Wells gained fame for his successful representation of Harold Ruvoldt, a Hudson County state prosecutor accused of bribery and extorting $115,000 from a real estate developer, despite having never tried a case at the time. Ruvolt was found not guilty and was acquitted of all charges on February 3, 1983, after being represented by Wells during the trial.

Wells was selected by The National Law Journal as one of America's best white-collar defense attorneys. He was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2020.

Representation and clients Wells has been considered one of the most prominent litigators in the United States.

In 2019, Wells represented ExxonMobil in People of the State of New York v. Exxon Mobil Corp., a suit alleging that the company misled the company's investors about management of risks posed by climate change.

Wells represented Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Jr., who was convicted on March 6, 2007, in the CIA leak grand jury investigation for perjury, obstruction of justice, and lying to the FBI. Wells filed an appeal of Libby's convictions, but dropped the appeal in December 2007 after President Bush commuted Libby's 30-month prison sentence.

Some of Wells' more notable clients include Michael Espy, Senator Robert Torricelli, He represented former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer against allegations stemming from his alleged involvement in a prostitution ring.

In 2008 Wells won a $364.2 million verdict for Citigroup in a trial against Parmalat. Parmalat had been asking for $2 billion in damages. The jury found that Citi was not liable, and gave Citi the highest verdict award permissible.

Wells also has represented several major corporations during class action lawsuits including Merck, Philip Morris, and Johnson and Johnson.

In November 2013, the National Football League hired Wells to prepare a report on a bullying incident with the Miami Dolphins involving Richie Incognito. The report, released on February 14, 2014, made headlines for its finding of "a pattern of harassment".

Wells also served as the national Treasurer to Democrat Bill Bradley's presidential campaign.

In 2015, Ted Wells was again hired by the NFL, this time to investigate the New England Patriots' alleged "Deflategate" infractions. His report concluded that it was "more probable than not" that Tom Brady was "generally aware" of tampering with NFL game footballs during the 2015 AFC Championship Game. Ted Wells's independence and impartiality has been called into question in the wake of the report because of his extensive prior business relations with the NFL, his use of a scientific consultancy with a reputation for questionable client-serving results, and because of his track-record of success exculpating high-profile clients and corporations during public scandals. Eventually, Judge Richard Berman overturned Tom Brady's suspension in the Deflategate saga that had been based on Wells's report; however the Second Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated it in 2016.

Personal life Wells married his high school girlfriend, Nina Mitchell, in 1971. He and his wife reside in Livingston, New Jersey. He has two children: Teresa and Philip.