In Seattle and Silicon Valley (as is probably true in other regions as
well), most of the well-known "tech" law firms have developed strong ties
with high-tech businesses and venture capitalists. Some of these better
known Bay area law firms include
- Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati < www.wsgr.com >
(California's largest law firm, home to more than 500 attorneys in its Pa=
lo
Alto office)
- Cooley Godward < www.cgc.com >
(Both of these firms have adopted simply casual dress to suit potential
high-tech clients and occasionally, have gone so far as to offer free leg=
al
services until these high potential start-ups become profitable).
- Fenwick & West < www.fenwick.com >
(Highly tech-focused, boasted per-partner profits of $625,000, last year,
which may have been the highest such figure in the Bay Area)
- Morrison & Foerster < www.mofo.com >
(probably the oldest California law firm, founded in the late 1800s)
- Venture Law Group < www.vlg.com >
(Founded by groups of former senior technology attorneys from Wilson,
Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati, Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison, and Morrison &
Foerster. VLG is also a founding sponsor of garage.com (helps both,
entrepreneurs in obtaining seed-level financing and identifies & provides
pre-screened, high-quality investment opportunities for investors <
www.garage.com > Interestingly, VLG functions as part law firm and part
venture capital firm and has established a novel profit-sharing scheme fo=
r
attorneys and staff).
- Weil Gotshal & Manges < www.weil.com >
(A NY-based powerhouse, recently opened a branch in Palo Alto, practices
intellectual property law exclusively)
- Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher, & Flom < www.skadden.com >
(Another NY powerhouse, that recently opened a Silicon Valley branch)
In the Seattle area, some of the well-known law firms practicing IP law
include
- Perkins Coie < www.perkinscoie.com >
(Seattle's largest law firm)
- Preston, Gates and Ellis < www.prestongates.com >
- Summit Law Group < www.summit.com >
- Seed & Berry < www.seed.com >
- Foster Pepper & Shefelman < www.foster.com >
- Heller, Ehrman, White & McAuliffe < www.hewm.com >
- Davis Wright & Tremaine < www.dwt.com >
- Graham & James < www.gj.com >
- Venture Law Group < www.vlg.com >
Tushar J. Mehta
email: [email protected]
voicemail: (206) 405-2335