Fenwick & West LLP
Law Firms
VAULT RANKINGS 2011
Headquarters: Mountain view, CA
3 offices
(Company stats)
Also Known As:
• “Top techies”
• “Lawyers who could've been technology consultants instead”
• “Narrow focus”
COMPANY INITIATIVES
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Fenwick & West LLP Perspective
Fenwick & West LLP HIGHLIGHTS
History
Many technology law gurus throughout Silicon Valley claim to have been there at the creation. William Fenwick can claim to have been there before the creation. While a student in 1968, Fenwick authored a dissertation titled "Automation and the Law: The Challenge to the Attorney." The paper's conclusions must have been happy ones, as Fenwick and colleagues (including now-retired name partner Henry West: at the time, a refugee from New York's Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton) set out to provide sophisticated legal services in the next high-tech mecca. After considering promising locations in Florida and North Carolina, the founders eventually settled on Palo Alto, and opened shop in 1974.
Q&A WITH Fenwick & West LLP
Stats1. Total number of attorneys: 311
a. Number of partners: 69
b. Number of of counsel: 8
c. Number of associates: 226
d. Number of lawyers working part-time: 5
3. Please provide the number of attorneys in each office:
Palo Alto -- 252; San Francisco -- 51; DC -- 7; Idaho -- 1
4. Please provide the number of attorneys working in each firm practice area:
Litigation -- 85; Corporate -- 119; Intellectual Property -- 87; Tax -- 20
5. Number of summer associates: 69
a. Expected number of full-time employment offers: 64
7. Minimum billable hour requirement: 1800
YOUR CAREER AT Fenwick & West LLP
Visionaries
When Fenwick & West's founders decided to head to the Golden State in 1972, it was just in time to help start the tech revolution. The firm is renowned for its ground-breaking work at the intersection of law and technology. For the past three decades it has been on the forefront of some of Silicon Valley's most newsworthy deals. Back in 1976, home computing pioneer Apple Computers used the firm to incorporate. That was just the beginning. Today, Fenwick & West leads the pack in the industry's hottest technology deals, including the largest Internet deal ever-VeriSign's $21 billion acquisition of Network Solutions, the largest software merger ever-- Symantec's $13 billion acquisition of VERITAS-and one of the largest and most significant IP litigation payouts of 2005-Compuware's $400M settlement with IBM.
Getting HiredTips from the insideAssociates at Fenwick & West admit that the hiring process has become “more competitive in the last 5 years.” A senior litigator says that, “The firm looks for candidates with a strong academic record, practical work and life experience, and an interest in technology.” According to an associate from San Francisco, “While Fenwick looks at transcripts and won't hire below a certain GPA, a stellar GPA doesn't guarantee you an offer. Personality definitely matters.” Yet, this firm stresses the importance of good grades and “generally hires people from top-tier law schools and/or Bay Area law schools.” According to an insider, “candidates should be comfortable with technology (both using it and representing clients who are in that industry).” In essence, this firm looks for bright, tech savvy individuals who are ready to shine beyond their high GPAs.Become a Gold Member or Log in to read the entire Getting Hired Jobs in Law FirmsHealthcare AssociateAugust 23, 2010
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Undergraduate InternshipAugust 20, 2010
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Tax AttorneyAugust 03, 2010
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Junior Corporate AssociateAugust 02, 2010
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Mid-Level Intellectual Property AssociateAugust 02, 2010
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Junior-Level Corporate Finance LawyerAugust 02, 2010
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NEWS AND UPDATES
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