Elon Musk and Sam Altman are locked in a legal battle over OpenAI’s business strategy. Musk claims that OpenAI was founded with a non-profit motive to benefit humanity but it abandoned its promise and has now pivoted to a for-profit organisation influenced by Microsoft. OpenAI’s lawyers argue that Musk is motivated by envy after failing to take control of the company and leaving in 2018. To face off Musk in federal court, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman needed a legal powerhouse and, he turned to a man who had already ‘defeated’ the billionaire once before: William Savitt.
Who is William Savitt and his ‘history’ with Elon Musk
Savitt, a top litigator at the elite law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, is currently leading the defense for Altman and OpenAI in the trial in Oakland. Savitt is perhaps best known for his 2022 victory representing Twitter. In that high-stakes battle, Savitt sued Musk to force him to complete his $44 billion purchase of the platform after the billionaire tried to pull out of the deal. Musk said that the microblogging platform has ‘spam/bot accounts’ problem and that the company breached their agreement by failing to accurately disclose the number of such handles, alleging Twitter provided “false and misleading” information.After a series of courtroom losses at the hands of Savitt, Musk eventually conceded and bought the company just before the trial was set to begin, according to Business Insider. Musk was reportedly furious over the $90 million in legal fees Twitter paid Wachtell but later sued the firm for a refund, accusing them of “institutionalised corruption”.Savitt also previously represented Tesla’s board, including Musk, in a lawsuit regarding the SolarCity acquisition, a case Musk actually won.
From ‘rock bands’ to the Supreme Court of the United States
Despite his reputation as a a corporate litigator, Savitt’s path to the top of the legal world was rather unconventional. Before attending Columbia Law School, he spent his 20s in New York City playing in rock bands and driving a cab to pay the bills.His legal career eventually took him to the highest levels of the American judiciary, where he served as a clerk for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Savitt credits Ginsburg for teaching him the “remarkable capacity to reserve judgment” and keep an open mind.Moreover, Savitt’s connection to Altman predates the current lawsuit. He worked with OpenAI during Altman’s brief ouster from the board in 2023 and has since helped the company with restructuring and fundraising. Savitt has also represented high-profile clients like Brad Pitt and defended major corporate mergers.
