SF/Palo Alto big law firm comparison for corporate Forum

[Anonymous User]

Any thoughts on corporate practices of Ropes vs Covington vs Omelveny vs Dentons in the SF/Silicon Valley and how they compare? Please discuss, thanks!!

[oblig.lawl.ref]

Any thoughts on corporate practices of Ropes vs Covington vs Omelveny vs Dentons in the SF/Silicon Valley and how they compare? Please discuss, thanks!!

Don't think any of those are really big players. I would guess Ropes and O'Melveny would give you best opportunities (knowing nothing about their cultures here) because of their large corporate practices on a nationwide basis.

[Anonymous User]

any other thoughts??

[patentlitigatrix]

Why aren't you considering firms like Wilson/Fenwick/Cooley/Gundersen?

[Anonymous User]

Those are the two options for now. Do they not have a good local presence?

[h2go]

Don't see any of those firms often on the other side of deals. Don't know for sure, but I think most of those firms are just satellite offices and don't generate their own work.

[WhiskeynCoke]

Those are the two options for now. Do they not have a good local presence?

OP, you seem woefully uninformed and should do a little Googling of your own on this. As other posters have said, none of those firms have very prominent corporate practices in the Bay Area. Of the firms you listed, Ropes & Gray probably has the strongest corporate group, though it focuses almost exclusively on Private Equity. O'Melveny is probably right behind Ropes (mainly for Capital Markets). I will say that O'Melveny has a bigger CA presence in general though.

The major corporate players up here are (in VERY rough descending order): Wilson, Fenwick, Cooley, Latham, Kirkland, Gunderson, Skadden, Goodwin, Weil, Davis Polk, MoFo, Orrick, and Simpson Thacher.

Note that these firms are all known for different types of corporate work. I may have missed some, and lots of other firms have decent sized corporate groups. But those listed above will get you the best corporate experience out here.

For a rough outline of who is known for what, Chambers & Partners is pretty solid:

Corporate/M&A: http://www.chambersandpartners.com/1602 ... torial/5/1
Venture Capital: http://www.chambersandpartners.com/1205 ... torial/5/1
Capital Markets:http://www.chambersandpartners.com/1205 ... torial/5/1
Private Equity: http://www.chambersandpartners.com/1205 ... torial/5/1

[h2go]

Wilson, Fenwick, Cooley, Latham, Kirkland, Gunderson, Skadden, Goodwin, Weil, Davis Polk, MoFo, Orrick, and Simpson Thacher.

Agree with this list. Also agree that Ropes and O'Melveny probably have the best corporate practices out of the 4 you listed.

[Anonymous User]

Does Omelveney or Covington have better national presence (esp in corporate area)?

[dabigchina]

Those are the two options for now. Do they not have a good local presence?

OP, you seem woefully uninformed and should do a little Googling of your own on this. As other posters have said, none of those firms have very prominent corporate practices in the Bay Area. Of the firms you listed, Ropes & Gray probably has the strongest corporate group, though it focuses almost exclusively on Private Equity. O'Melveny is probably right behind Ropes (mainly for Capital Markets). I will say that O'Melveny has a bigger CA presence in general though.

The major corporate players up here are (in VERY rough descending order): Wilson, Fenwick, Cooley, Latham, Kirkland, Gunderson, Skadden, Goodwin, Weil, Davis Polk, MoFo, Orrick, and Simpson Thacher.

Note that these firms are all known for different types of corporate work. I may have missed some, and lots of other firms have decent sized corporate groups. But those listed above will get you the best corporate experience out here.

For a rough outline of who is known for what, Chambers & Partners is pretty solid:

Corporate/M&A: http://www.chambersandpartners.com/1602 ... torial/5/1
Venture Capital: http://www.chambersandpartners.com/1205 ... torial/5/1
Capital Markets:http://www.chambersandpartners.com/1205 ... torial/5/1
Private Equity: http://www.chambersandpartners.com/1205 ... torial/5/1

Kinda surprised to see mofo so low. I didn't know they were that lopsided towards lit.

[Anonymous User]

How about Jones day? How does it fit into the list?

[h2go]

How about Jones day? How does it fit into the list?

Better than the four firms OP listed. Probably belongs in the middle/end of the longer list.

[Anonymous User]

There are some that question the stability of omelveney but don't know, is there any truth to that?