white-shoe

[hwahyt-shoo, wahyt]

adjective

1. of or relating to members of the upper class who own or run large corporations.

   white-shoe bankers; a conservative white-shoe image.

Word History and Origins

Origin of white-shoe¹

First recorded in 1975–80; apparently from the white shoes popular as moderately formal wear among suburban men c1980

Example Sentences

As Curry puts it, leaders at white-shoe law firms, elite universities and major foundations have repeatedly surrendered without a shot, revealing themselves as “traitors, cowards, rank opportunists or simply inept.”

From Salon

In fact, Nixon left California and moved to the East Coast, taking a job at a white-shoe law firm and using New York City as his political base of operations.

From Los Angeles Times

Colleagues said his successes propelled his L.A. firm to become a white-shoe powerhouse, with offices around the globe.

From Los Angeles Times

These involve some of the big white-shoe conservative law firms, Consovoy McCarthy and others in D.C.

From Salon

It turns out that one of America’s best known white-shoe law firms, WilmerHale, was intricately involved.

From New York Times