Navigating the Legal Maze: Understanding Heller Ehrman White McAuliffe's History and Practice

Summary

Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe is a prominent law firm located in San Francisco, California. The firm offers a wide range of legal services to clients across a variety of industries. Founded in 1890, the firm has grown to become one of the largest law firms in the United States. The firm offers specialized expertise in litigation, corporate transactions, intellectual property, labor and employment, tax, insolvency and restructuring, securities, and government contracts.

Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe attorneys have an impressive track record of successfully representing clients in high-stakes disputes and transactions. The firm's corporate lawyers advise clients on matters related to mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, public and private financings, real estate transactions, and corporate governance. Their litigators assist clients in achieving favorable outcomes in court by representing them in cases involving business torts, white collar crime, product liability, unfair competition, and antitrust law.

Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe is also experienced in the field of securities law. The firm provides a range of services related to securities offerings and SEC reporting. The firm's intellectual property practice covers a variety of areas, including trademark and copyright law, licensing, franchising, unfair competition law, and patent litigation. The firm also provides tax advice, structuring transactions, and representing clients in tax litigation.

Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe has a strong commitment to the communities in which it operates and represents more than a dozen charitable organizations. The firm supports numerous programs that aim to advance education, the arts, and public service. The firm also sponsors a number of professional development and pro bono initiatives.

Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe is an award-winning law firm that is committed to providing clients with exceptional legal services. Their attorneys offer extensive knowledge and experience in a variety of practice areas and have a history of successfully representing clients in complex legal matters. The firm's commitment to the community and pro bono initiatives demonstrates their dedication to helping those less fortunate.

Questions Answered In This Article

 

What firm is historically known for its prominent life sciences and litigation practices?

Heller, Ehrman, White & McAuliffe is historically known for its prominent life sciences and litigation practices.
 

How has the firm grown recently?

Heller, Ehrman has doubled in size since 1997, going from 355 attorneys to its current roster boasting 720. They also recently merged with the Silicon Valley-based Venture Law Group (VLG) and announced the results of the merger with a new practice group that focuses on venture capital and start-up business law.
 

What other areas have Heller Ehrman recently focused on for expansion?

Heller Ehrman also recently opened an office in Beijing to take advantage of the lucrative Chinese venture capital market and upgraded their Hong Kong office with 19 attorneys.
 

What other factors have contributed to Heller Ehrman's success?

In addition to its recent expansion into venture capital and start-up business law, Heller Ehrman's success has also been attributed to its strong pro bono program, rated as the best in America by American Lawyer magazine in 2000. The firm has consistently committed 4.4% of its total hours billed toward the program each year.
 

What awards has Heller Ehrman achieved?

Heller Ehrman has been recognized by American Lawyer's A-list poll, making the top 20 each of the last three years it was tracked. This list ranks the top firms in the country based on the practice's success, diversity of workforce, pro bono program, and treatment and development of associates.

Heller, Ehrman, White & McAuliffe, based in San Francisco and annually ranked as one of the top 100 firms by American Lawyer's survey, is historically known for its prominent life sciences and litigation practices. Perhaps more noteworthy, however, is the firm's recent commitment to growth. Since 1997, the firm has more than doubled in size, going from 355 attorneys to its current roster boasting 720. Perhaps even more impressive is that a substantial number of those attorneys were added during the current economic recession, when most firms are shedding attorneys left and right.

Heller Ehrman's recent merger with the Silicon Valley-based Venture Law Group (VLG) certainly helped their expansion drive, as 60 attorneys from a well-respected regional firm swelled their ranks. Heller Ehrman won a hotly contested battle for the right to merge with VLG, which was also considering San Francisco powerhouse firms Morrison Foerster and Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, which was long considered to be the favorite. With the addition of a firm that was considered one of the most prestigious boutiques in the country to its ranks, this expansion will most likely serve Heller, Ehrman well, which was one of the reasons that three of San Francisco's largest firms all showed interest.

Heller Ehrman recently announced the results of the merger - a new practice group that will be called the Venture Law Group and house the attorneys resulting from the merger. The new practice group will focus on venture capital and start-up business law, among other things, much like VLG did as a separate firm.

Another recent growth area for the firm has been in its Asian practice. Legal Week recently reported that Heller Ehrman will be adding an office in Beijing to allow the new Venture Law Group to capitalize on the lucrative Chinese venture capital market. (10/30/03) The Beijing office will be the firm's 13th overall and its third in Asia. This news follows the recent major upgrade of the Hong Kong office with the addition of 19 attorneys, giving the firm approximately 30 attorneys to practice in its three Asian offices.

While Heller Ehrman's recent growth is a relatively new thing, the firm itself has been around since 1890 and is generally considered one of the best firms in the country to work for. The firm currently boasts a rank of 12th in American Lawyer's recent publication of their A-list poll, which lists the top 20 firms in the country based on the success of the firm's practice, the diversity of the workforce, the pro bono program, and the treatment and development of associates. Heller Ehrman made the top 20 in each of the last three years that the magazine kept track of this information. Among the reasons for Heller Ehrman's success is the pro bono program, which has been lauded as recently as 2000 as the best in the country and is something that the firm values, having committed 4.4% of their total hours billed to the program last year.