Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
01 August 2007
Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP first opened its doors in San Francisco in 1863. Historically it has done well in the areas of public finance and corporate law.
Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP in Who's Who Legal: California
The firm went from strength to strength, expanding to establish 18 offices in seven countries. It has also grown to meet its clients’ needs, now covering 13 practice areas divided between two categories: transactional and litigation. It stands today as one of California’s largest firms and cuts an impressive figure in this publication. The firm’s lawyers feature 19 times, from five offices across the state, for ten of our chapters.
The firm went from strength to strength, expanding to establish 18 offices in seven countries. It has also grown to meet its clients’ needs, now covering 13 practice areas divided between two categories: transactional and litigation. It stands today as one of California’s largest firms and cuts an impressive figure in this publication. The firm’s lawyers feature 18 times, from five offices across the state, for ten of our chapters.
The firm is among the big-hitters in the real estate chapter, with four nominees. Noel Nellis came extremely highly nominated and was described by sources as “one of the gurus” and the “dean of the group”. Nellis is responsible for global real estate at the firm. William Murray chairs the group and is recommended as a “smart finance lawyer”. His practice involves a great deal of work for pension fund advisers. Michael Liever and Michael McAndrews were both described to researchers as “very strong”. Liever represents both foreign and domestic investors in the acquisition, disposition, development, leasing and financing of many types of real estate and counts the City & County of San Francisco and Starbucks among his clients. McAndrews represents real estate investment funds, banks, developers and corporations.
Orrick has a strong corporate finance division with entries in the banking, capital markets, corporate tax and insolvency & restructuring chapters. Leading practitioners from these areas include Thomas Coleman and Alan Benjamin, whose expertise in the banking arena is well documented. Mark Levie is “a leader” in capital markets and in the corporate tax chapter; Paul Sax comes very highly nominated. Marc Levinson is a “good choice” when it comes to insolvency and restructuring and was rated as “great” and “a very bright guy”.
The firm also boasts three nominees in the management labour & employment and two in the employee benefits chapters. In the labour & employment section, Gary Siniscalco has “an enviable national and international practice” with a particular focus on premeditated advice and compliance. Clients include Newsweek and Business Objects. Lynne Hermle also joined him in this chapter along with Patricia Gallette, who moved to the firm from Heller Ehrman in 2007. Hermle is “an excellent trial lawyer – clients and fellow lawyers love her”. For employee benefits work Jonathan Ocker is “tops” and is joined by the “excellent” Richard Gilbert. Ocker chairs the compensation and benefits group and focuses on compensation and equity based incentives. Gilbert is well known for his work regarding ERISA exemptions and counts MBNA America, Fleet Boston, Capital One and American Express among his clients in the area.
James Geriak is regarded as a “leader in the field” of IP and is featured in the patents chapter. His clients include Quantum Corporation and Quickturn Design Systems. Geriak has also served as special master for US district courts, as arbitrator, mediator and as mini-trial judge in numerous patent actions. William Anthony, whose “formidable ability” in the technology area has seen him represent clients such as Compal Electronics, Cisco Systems and Microsoft joins Geriak in the patent chapter.
Orrick has two nominees in the product liability chapter. Kathleen Patterson concentrates on the defence of pharmaceutical, medical device and biologic manufacturers in complex product liability litigation, and counts international pharmaceutical companies such as Aventis Pharmaceuticals, Genentech and Hoffmann-LaRoche among her clients. Kathryn Edwards has a similar focus to her practice with considerable experience in multi-jurisdiction litigation and class actions.
Joseph Malkin is included in the energy chapter. He received praise from clients and peers alike and is “the complete package”. Well known for his Pacific Gas and Electric work Malkin is “a trusted adviser, giving guidance at the big picture level”.
To see more profiled firms from California, vist the Firm Profiles page in the California Special Report