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

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

The partners at her white-shoe law firm — whose salaries were at least five times her own — seemed to feel entitled to vent.

From New York Times

Columbia and New York University, he said, tend to place large numbers of law school graduates into white-shoe law firms, though so do institutions like the Howard University School of Law.

From New York Times

Biden is an associate at the white-shoe law firm Arnold & Porter.

From Seattle Times