Fenwick & West

Infobox Law Firm
firm_name = Fenwick & West LLP
firm_
headquarters = Mountain View
num_offices = 4
num_attorneys = 250+
practice_areas = Corporate, Intellectual Property, Litigation, Tax
key_people = Gordon K. Davidson, Firm Chairman; Kathryn J. Fritz, Managing Partner
date_founded = 1972
company_type = Limited liability partnership
homepage = [http://www.fenwick.com/ www.fenwick.com]

Fenwick & West LLP is a full service law firm with a primary focus on technology and life sciences clients ranging from start-ups to established companies of national and international prominence. The corporate, intellectual property, litigation and tax groups service clients from a wide range of additional industries. Over 250 attorneys work from offices in Silicon Valley and San Francisco, California, Boise, Idaho, and Seattle, Washington. The firm is headquartered in Mountain View, California.

History

Founded by four attorneys who moved to Palo Alto in 1972, the firm's history parallels the growth of technology in Silicon Valley: Fenwick & West incorporated Apple Computer in 1976 and took Oracle Corporation public in 1986. Since then, the firm has represented leading technology companies and underwriters in numerous high profile IPOs and led many landmark M&A transactions including the largest Internet merger in history—VeriSign's $21 billion acquisition of Network Solutions—and the largest software merger in history: Symantec's $13 billion acquisition of VERITAS.

Rankings & Achievements

*The 2nd-largest law firm in Silicon Valley, with more than 175 attorneys in the Mountain View office, and 1 of the Top-5 San Francisco Bay Area law firms
*29 Fenwick & West Attorneys Honored as 2007 Super Lawyers of Northern California and 6 Practice Groups and 11 Attorneys Earn Top Ratings from Clients and Peers in "Chambers USA 2007"
*The # 2 technology law firm in the U.S. ("Vault") and the # 3 most-diverse law firm in the U.S. ("Minority Law Journal" Diversity Scorecard)
*One of the Best Places to Work in the Bay Area 2007 ("San Francisco Business Times/Silicon Valley Jose Business Journal")
*Secured a $400 million settlement for Compuware Corporation, a $75 million jury award for Asyst Technologies, Inc., and $25 million for Informatica Corp., three of the largest patent and intellectual property verdicts in recent years

Areas of Practice

The primary practice groups provide in-depth services in four areas:

*Corporate: Corporate Finance and Securities Law; Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits; Mergers and Acquisitions; Start-ups and Venture Capital
*Intellectual Property: Antitrust and Unfair Competition; Copyright; Copyright Litigation; Patent; Patent Litigation; Technology Transactions; Trademark; Trademark Litigation; Trade Secret; Trade Secret Litigation
*Litigation: Antitrust and Unfair Competition; Copyright Litigation; Employment Practices; Electronic Information Management; Patent Litigation; Privacy and Information Security; Securities Litigation; Tax Litigation; Trade Secret Litigation; Trademark Litigation
*Tax: Tax Litigation; Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits

Attorneys based in all four primary groups also participate in International Law. Services include structuring and financing of overseas businesses, cross-border mergers and acquisitions, and the representation of U.S. companies investing in and doing business abroad, particularly in China, India, and Israel

Key People

*Gordon K. Davidson, Firm Chairman
*Kathryn J. Fritz, Managing Partner
*Daniel J. Winnike, Chair, Corporate Group
*David L. Hayes, Chair, Intellectual Property Group
*Lynn H. Pasahow, Chair, Litigation Group
*David L. Forst, Chair, Tax Group
*Tyler Baker and Mark Ostrau Co-Chairs, Antitrust and Unfair Competition Group
*Mitchell Zimmerman, Chair, Copyright Group
*Lawrence F. Pulgram, Chair, Copyright Litigation Group
*Michael A. Sands, Chair, Electronic Information Management (EIM)
*Victor Schachter, Chair, Employment Practices Group
*Scott P. Spector, Chair, Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits Group
*Sergio Garcia, Stephen M. Graham and Michael J. Shuster, Co-Chairs, Life Sciences Group
*Douglas N. Cogen and David W. Healy, Co-Chairs, Mergers and Acquisitions Group
*John T. McNelis, Chair, Patent Group
*Darryl Woo, Chair, Patent Litigation Group
*Douglas N. Cogen and Mark C. Stevens, Co-Chairs, Private Equity Group
*Michael R. Blum and Mitchell Zimmerman, Co-Chairs, Privacy and Information Security Group
*Horace L. Nash, Chair, Securities Group
*Kevin P. Muck and Emmett C. Stanton, Co-Chairs, Securities Litigation Group
*Richard L. Dickson, Chair, Start-ups and Venture Capital Group
*Kenneth B. Clark, Chair, Tax Litigation Group
*E.A. Lisa Kenkel, Chair, Technology Transactions Group
*Rodger R. Cole, Chair, Trade Secret and Trade Secret Litigation Groups
*Sally M. Abel, Chair, Trademark Group
*Jedediah Wakefield, Chair, Trademark Litigation Group
*Christopher J. Steskal, Chair, White Collar/Regulatory Group

Industries

Fenwick & West's clients range across the entire technology spectrum, including, but not limited to:

*Cleantech
*Communications
*Computer Hardware
*Entertainment
*Internet
*Life Sciences
*Semiconductors
*Software

Diversity

Fenwick & West is currently ranked the 3rd most-diverse large law firm in the United States by "Minority Law Journal". The diversity of the firm's executive management committees has increased steadily over the last four years with each new partnership election.

*Women represent almost 33% of all attorneys and 45% of non-partner attorneys
*Minorities represent 28% of all attorneys and 38% of non-partner attorneys
*Women comprise over 30% of all executive management committees
*Racial minorities comprise 18% of all executive management committees

The commitment to diversity extends beyond the office to Fenwick's involvement with bar associations, pro bono work, and law schools.

Recruiting

Fenwick & West espouses a culture that emphasizes cooperation between team members, enables individuals to pursue interests across practice groups, and rewards pro bono work by attorneys and staff. Diverse backgrounds and unique personal experiences provide the basis for creative problem solving in a collegial work environment. Three associates are invited to join the partnership every year. Approximately 30 law school students are selected each year as summer associates. Fenwick & West has been recognized as an outstanding place to work by "Fortune Magazine".

Pro Bono

For more than 30 years Fenwick & West has served the community by offering legal services to persons and organizations that could not otherwise afford effective legal counsel. The attorneys recognize that providing legal services is not only an essential part of their professional responsibility, but also an excellent opportunity to gain valuable practical experience, learn new areas of the law, and contribute to the community. Working with a variety of local and national organizations, Fenwick & West's pro bono efforts include:

*Fellowships
*Child Advocacy
*Civil Rights
*Impact Litigation
*Appellate Project
*Street Law
*AIDS Project
*Death Penalty
*Corporate
*Intellectual Property
*Tax
*Political Asylum/Immigration

Publications

Fenwick & West periodically publishes print bulletins and e-mail alerts to update clients on new laws, regulations, and court interpretations. The topics cover a range of topics, including, but not limited to:

*Venture financings
*Intellectual property decisions and disputes
*Privacy issues affecting high technology and on-line commerce
*Employment law-related developments
*Publicly-traded corporations, boards, and executives

Events

Fenwick & West routinely sponsors events that offer MCLE credit to attorneys and alumni. Attorneys participate as attendees and speakers at events that range from local information briefings to international conferences.

External links

* [http://www.fenwick.com Official Firm Website]