Languages

• Chinese (Cantonese)
• Chinese (Mandarin)
• Farsi
• French
• German
• Italian
• Korean
• Mandarin
• Persian
• Taiwanese

Law Firm Overview

WilmerHale’s Palo Alto office opened in 2005 and has quickly developed a leading practice that is founded on the firm’s core strengths and principles. Like many successful Silicon Valley start-up stories, the office was originally anchored by two attorneys and, over the past four years, has grown to include more than 35 highly qualified and versatile attorneys representing clients in the United States, Asia and Europe.

The clients serviced by our office run the gamut from Fortune 500 corporations to start-ups. Our work for them focuses on areas that match the needs of Silicon Valley clients with the firm’s core strengths: corporate finance and M&A; intellectual property litigation, counseling and transactions; securities enforcement and litigation; cross-border transactions and litigation; and government investigations and white collar criminal litigation.

Our corporate attorneys regularly represent venture capital firms in fund formations and complex financings, and also serve as general counsel to various emerging companies, including clean tech and life sciences start-ups. They are also active in mergers and acquisitions and have significant experience with cross-border transactions, making us a natural fit for many multinational corporations operating in global markets. The corporate attorneys are recognized for the breadth and depth of their experience by various industry publications and rankings, and are frequently speakers on timely topics of law and business.

The firm’s intellectual property practice is regarded among the elite practices internationally and our Palo Alto office is deeply integrated into that practice. Our practice includes high profile patent litigation cases throughout the country, international arbitrations involving technology issues, copyright, Lanham Act and trade secret disputes, intellectual property counseling, patent prosecution and technology transactions. Consistently ranked among the best IP litigation practices in the United States by industry analysts such as Chambers and the American Lawyer, we strive to fully understand our clients’ goals in order to provide a comprehensive global strategy that maximizes and protects the value of intellectual property assets.

The Palo Alto office also extends to the West Coast the firm’s deep expertise in securities enforcement, securities litigation and government investigations—which has included internal investigations on behalf of the directors of Enron, Qwest and WorldCom—bringing to West Coast clients an appreciation for both government enforcement concerns and the issues of concern to these clients.

The office’s collegial environment enables us to represent our clients efficiently with the utmost focus on quality and personalized attention. In addition to the foregoing practices, we also handle antitrust and competition litigation and counseling, as well as complex commercial matters—often working in tandem with lawyers from related practice areas in order to provide the exemplary service for which WilmerHale is known. Coupled with our seamless coordination with other practices and attorneys in WilmerHale offices across the globe, we are uniquely poised to offer our clients the services of an international firm.

Areas of Practice

• Appellate and Supreme Court Litigation
• Asia Corporate
• Business Trial Group
• China Practice
• Corporate
• Corporate and Transactional
• Due Diligence and Opinions
• Energy and Clean Tech
• Financial Services
• Fund Formation
• Information Technology
• Intellectual Property
• Intellectual Property Litigation
• International Arbitration
• International Litigation
• Investigations and Criminal Litigation
• Life Sciences
• Litigation
• Litigation and Enforcement
• Litigation/Controversy
• Manufacturing
• Media and Entertainment
• Mergers and Acquisitions
• Nanotechnology
• Patent
• Private Equity
• Regional Practices
• Securities
• Securities Litigation
• Semiconductors, Semiconductor Manufacturing Processes and Equipment
• Start-up Companies
• Technology Transactions and Licensing
• Telecommunications
• Venture Capital

Published Works

• Law360: Regulatory and Govt. Affairs Practice: WilmerHale, 2008
• Starting From Scratch: Building a Practice From the Ground Up
• 2009 Venture Capital Report, 2009
• 2009 IPO Report, 2009
• Renewable Energy and Clean Technology Funding Opportunities, 2009
• Renewable Energy and Clean Technology Funding Opportunities, 2009
• Renewable Energy and Clean Technology Funding Opportunities, 2009
• Renewable Energy and Clean Technology Funding Opportunities, 2009
• Renewable Energy and Clean Technology Funding Opportunities, 2009
• Renewable Energy and Clean Technology Funding Opportunities, 2009
• Renewable Energy and Clean Technology Funding Opportunities, 2009
• Renewable Energy and Clean Technology Funding Opportunities, 2009
• Renewable Energy and Clean Technology Funding Opportunities, 2009
• Renewable Energy and Clean Technology Funding Opportunities, 2009
• Selected 2008 Venture Financings As Company Counsel, 2009
• Selected 2008 Technology Transactions, 2009
• Selected 2008 M&A Transactions, 2009
• Selected 2008 Life Sciences Transactions, 2009
• Selected 2008 Public Offerings and Rule 144A Placements, 2009
• Renewable Energy and Clean Technology Funding Opportunities, 2009
• Selected 2008 Strategic Alliances, Joint Venture and Licensing Transactions, 2009
• Renewable Energy and Clean Technology Funding Opportunities, 2009
• Renewable Energy and Clean Technology Funding Opportunities, 2009
• Renewable Energy and Clean Technology Funding Opportunities, 2009
• Renewable Energy and Clean Technology Funding Opportunities, 2009
• Renewable Energy and Clean Technology Funding Opportunities, 2009
• Renewable Energy and Clean Technology Funding Opportunities, 2009
• Recent Renewable Energy and Clean Technology Developments, 2009
• Renewable Energy and Clean Technology Funding Opportunities, 2009
• Renewable Energy and Clean Technology Funding Opportunities, 2009
• Los Angeles Daily Journal: Lawyers Will Play a Direct Role in Developing Clean Tech Industry, 2009, 2009
• Lawyers Will Play a Direct Role in Developing Clean Tech Industry, 2009
• Nationalreview.com:More Boumediene Fall-out: Judge Orders Release of Five Alleged Combatants, 2008, 2008
• Looking Ahead to 2009: Gramm-Leach-Bliley Countdown for Banks, 2008
• Law360: M&A Practice: WilmerHale, 2008, 2008
• New York Times: U.S. Is Set to Release 3 Detainees From Base, 2008, 2008
• Washington Post: Three Algerian Detainees Set for Transfer to Bosnia, 2008, 2008
• The Consolidated FINRA Rulebook: Current Status, December 15 Rollout, and Year-End Surprises, 2008
• FOXNEWS.COM: Federal Judge Orders Release of 5 Terror Suspects Held at Guantanamo Bay Prison, 2008, 2008
• Selective Waiver, 2008
• New YorK Law Journal: Select Waiver, 2008, 2008
• Wall Street Journal: Al Qaeda Detainees and Congress's Duty; Habeas corpus hearings could set terrorists free inside the U.S, 2008
• WashingtonPost.com: Another Falsehood Exposed, 2008, 2008
• BalkanInsight.com: Five of "Algerian Six" Freed from Guantanamo, 2008, 2008
• ADNKronos Internation: Bosnia: Wife urges Algerian Guantanamo inmates' release after US Judge's ruling, 2008, 2008
• Wall Street Journal: Judge Orders 5 Gitmo Inmates Released, 2008, 2008
• The AmLaw Daily: Wilmer Kicks off Week of Detainee Case with win, 2008, 2008
• Washington Times: Federal Judge Orders Five Gitmo detainees freed, 2008, 2008
• Christian Science Monitor: US Judge orders five Guantanamo, 2008
• NPR: Judge Orders Release of 5 held at Guantanamo, 2008, 2008
• Los Angeles Times: Judge orders release of 5 Guantanamo prisoners, the government's case against five Algerian natives accused of plotting with Al Qaeda, is weak a federal judge in Washington says, 2008, 2008
• McClatchy Newspaper: Judge Orders release of 5 Guantanamo detainees, 2008, 2008
• New York Times: Judge Orders Five Detainees Freed From Gauntanamo, 2008, 2008
• Associated Press: Judge orders release of 5 terror suspects at Gitmo, 2008, 2008
• Al-Jazeera: Judge orders Guantanamo releases, 2008, 2008
• BBC.COM: US Judge Orders Algerians Freed, 2008, 2008
• CNN.com:Federal Judge Orders Release of 5 Guantanamo Detainees, 2008, 2008
• Bloomberg: U.S. Judge Orders Release of Five Held at Guantanamo, 2008, 2008
• WallStreetJournal.com: Judge Tells Gov't Not to Appeal Detainee Rulings; 7 Yrs of Waiting Enough", 2008
• Washington Post: Federal Judge Orders Relase of 5 Guatanamo Detainees, 2008, 2008
• The Guardian: Judge: Algerian prisoners held in Guantanamo must be freed Ruling By US Judge has far reaching implications for the remaining detainees at the base in Cuba, 2008
• AFP: Five Guantanamo detainees ruled illegally detained, 2008, 2008
• ABC.com: Guantanamo detainees win court challenge, 2008, 2008
• Salon.com: Five detainees ordeered released "forthwith" after seven years at Guantanamo," 2008, 2008
• Reuters: Factbox-facts about the Guantanamo prison camp, 2008, 2008
• Reuters: U.S Judge: Five Algerians at Guantanamo can be freed, 2008, 2008
• Trends in the Private Equity Secondary Market, 2008
• USATODAY.com: Judge orders government to release five Gitmo prisoners, 2008, 2008
• Environmental Appeals Board Remands PSD Permit to EPA on Issue of CO2 Limits; Declines to Require CO2 Controls, 2008
• Los Angeles Daily Journal: Securities Litigation Hotspot, 2008, 2008
• Law360: Thelen IP Litigation Partner Jumps to WilmerHale, 2008
• Financial Institutions Developments: Treasury's TARP and Capital Purchase Program--Opportunities and Considerations for Participating Institutions, 2008
• Federal Trade Commission Delays Enforcement of "Red Flags Rule" for Certain Financial Institutions and Creditors, 2008
• SBA Office of Inspector General Scrutinizes Small Business Lenders: Lenders at Risk for Denial of SBA Loan Guarantees, 2008
• Red State Approval, 2008
• Los Angelas Daily Journal: Red State Approval, 2008, 2008
• Before You Sign Up: Prospective GCs need to do some due diligence on the CEO before they say yes, 2008
• FASB to Reconsider Proposed Standard for Disclosure of Litigation Contingencies, 2008
• Market Crisis--New Draft Legislation, 2008
• New York State and the SEC call for Urgent Regulation of Credit Default Swaps, 2008
• President Bush Signs Federal Rule of Evidence 502 Into Law, 2008
• SEC Issues New Guidance on the Use of Company Websites, 2008
• SEC Approves Revised Rule for Auditor Communications to Audit Committees About Independence, 2008
• SEC Imposes Additional Limits on Short Selling, 2008
• Patent Claims: Valid in Court, but Invalid in the PTO, 2008
• Congress Limits Subject Matter and Inadvertent Waivers for Attorney-Client Communications and Work Product, 2008
• NYSE and NASDAQ Amend Bright-Line Director Independence Tests, 2008
• Keeping Current with Form 8-K: A Practical Guide, 2008
• FCC Issues Long Awaited Comcast Order on Net Neutrality Violation, 2008
• RCRWireless: Analyst Angle: Be mindful of the legal restrictions on mobile ads, 2008, 2008
• Advertising Age: Analyst Angle: Be mindful of the legal restrictions on mobile ads, 2008, 2008
• SEC Approves New Interpretive Guidance Regarding the Use of Corporate Websites, 2008
• Los Angeles Daily Journal: Baker M&A Partner Moves to WilmerHale's Corporate Practice, 2008
• American Lawyer: Pro Bono 2008: Wilmer's Three-For-Three Supreme Court Wins, 2008, 2008
• Section 16 Reporting Gets a Little Easier, 2008
• SEC Extends Deadline for Smaller Public Companies to File Auditor Attestation Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting, 2008
• FASB Proposes Expanded Disclosure Standard for Loss Contingencies, 2008
• 2008 M&A Report, 2008
• 2008 IPO Report, 2008
• 2008 Venture Capital Report, 2008
• WilmerHale West Coast Securities Enforcement and Litigation Report, 2008
• Court Ruling Preserves Emerging Technology Collaboration, 2008
• M&A Implications of New Changes to Rules 144 and 145 -- SEC Delivers an Early Holiday Gift to M&A Deal Makers, 2007
• House of Representatives Passes H.R. 1908, the Patent Reform Act of 2007, 2007
• Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal: People to Watch, 2007
• The IP and Antitrust Intersection, 2007
• China Enacts National Competition Law, 2007
• WilmerHale scores Townsend IP Litigator, 2007
• Townsend Attorney Joins WilmerHale Crew, 2007
• GPL Version 3 Has Arrived! Now What?, 2007
• The Lessons of Leegin: Supreme Court Overturns 96-Year-Old Ban on Resale Price Maintenance, 2007
• Department of Justice Issues Notable Business Review Letter Concerning Leading Standards Development Organization’s IPR Policy, 2007
• Deals An Evolving Art - New Focus on Accounting Standards May Lead Companies to Revisit Deal-making Structures, 2007
• 2006 Antitrust and Competition Annual Report, 2007
• 2006 Venture Capital Report, 2007
• 2006 M&A Report, 2007
• 2006 IPO Report, 2007
• PharmaBulletin, 2007
• SEC and PCAOB Propose SOX 404 Relief Measures, Extend Compliance Dates, 2006
• Open Secrets: How Public Records Laws Can Hamper Public-Private Research Partnerships, 2006
• 2005 Venture Capital Report, 2006
• 2005 M&A Report, 2006
• SEC Proposes Overhaul of Compensation Disclosure Rules, 2006
• China Practice Update, 2005
• Corporate and Securities Law Update, 2005
• Securities Law Update, 2005
• Corporate and Securities Law Update, 2005
• 2005 Information and Technology Compensation Study, 2005
• 2005 Life Sciences Compensation Study, 2005
• 2004 M&A Report, 2005
• 2004 Venture Capital Report, 2005
• Corporate and Securities Law Update, 2005
• When the Public Does Not Have a Right to Know: How the California Public Records Act is Deterring Bioscience Research and Development, 2005
• Securities Law Update, 2004
• Corporate and Securities Law Update, 2004
• Corporate and Securities Law Update, 2004
• Corporate and Securities Law Update, 2004
• Corporate and Securities Law Update, 2003
• Corporate and Securities Law Update, 2003
• Website Spidering and Scraping: A Legal Minefield, 2003
• Maintaining Compliance with Updated EEOC Regulations, 2003
• TEACH Act Allows for Distance Education over the Internet, 2003
• Corporate and Securities Law Update, 2003
• Corporate and Securities Law Update, 2003
• Litigation Bulletin, 2002
• Corporate and Securities Law Update, 2002
• Corporate and Securities Law Update, 2002
• Corporate and Securities Law Update, 2002
• Corporate and Securities Law Update, 2002
• Corporate and Securities Law Update, 2002
• Corporate and Securities Law Update, 2002
• Corporate and Securities Law Update, 2002
• Corporate and Securities Law Update, 2002
• Corporate and Securities Law Update, 2002
• New Developments in Design Patents, 2002
• Corporate and Securities Law Update, 2002
• 2001 IPO Report, 2002

Representative Cases

• European Commission
• The Hartford

West Practice Categories

Alternative Dispute Resolution, Arbitration, Art, Banking & Finance Law, Biotechnology, Business Organizations, Communications & Media Law, Corporate Governance, Energy Law, Entertainment, Entertainment, Sports & Leisure Law, Formation & Business Planning, Intellectual Property Law, International Telecommunications, Joint Ventures, Litigation & Appeals, Mergers, Acquisitions & Divestitures, Patents, Pharmaceutical Products, Print Media, Private Placements, Public Finance, Radio, Science & Technology Law, Securities Law, Telecommunications, Television & Film, Venture Capital, Wireless Communications