Latham & Watkins

Latham & Watkins
Name	Latham & Watkins
Founded	1934
Headquarters	Los Angeles, California
Founders	Thomas J. Latham, Paul Watkins
Practice areas	Corporate, Litigation, M&A, Finance, Tax, Environmental, Antitrust
Offices	30+
Employees	3,000+
Revenue	Highest among global firms (varies by year)

Latham & Watkins is a multinational law firm founded in 1934 with headquarters in Los Angeles. The firm grew from regional beginnings into a global legal services provider, handling matters for corporations, financial institutions, and governments across New York City, London, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Washington, D.C., and other major centers. Its work spans cross-border mergers, securities offerings, complex litigation, and regulatory matters involving entities such as JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Microsoft, ExxonMobil, and sovereign actors.

History

The firm's origins trace to founders Thomas J. Latham and Paul Watkins in Los Angeles during the interwar period, amid legal and commercial developments comparable to those surrounding the Securities Act of 1933 and the Glass–Steagall Act. Post-World War II expansion paralleled growth in California finance and energy, intersecting with clients like Chevron Corporation and projects related to the North American Free Trade Agreement. During the late 20th century, the firm followed globalization trends epitomized by firms entering London and Tokyo markets, responding to regulatory regimes such as the Sarbanes–Oxley Act and cross-border disputes involving tribunals like the International Court of Arbitration. Major hires and lateral mergers echoed patterns seen at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom and Allen & Overy, enabling growth into transactional practices central to Mergers and Acquisitions and Capital Markets work. The firm's timeline includes navigation of crises such as the 2008 financial crisis and engagement with reforms like Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

Practice Areas and Services

The firm provides a range of services: corporate transactions for clients including Apple Inc., Amazon (company), and Berkshire Hathaway; litigation and dispute resolution involving parties like Bank of America and Deutsche Bank before forums such as the United States Supreme Court and the European Court of Justice; finance and restructuring for institutions akin to Citigroup and HSBC; and regulatory, compliance, and investigations work connected to agencies such as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Financial Conduct Authority. Other practices include tax advisory tied to frameworks like the Internal Revenue Code, intellectual property disputes invoking United States Patent and Trademark Office precedents, and environmental counseling related to statutes like the Clean Air Act. The firm also advises on energy and project finance engagements involving actors such as Royal Dutch Shell and infrastructure investors comparable to BlackRock and Brookfield Asset Management.

Global Presence and Offices

Operating from more than 30 offices, the firm’s network spans key financial and political centers: New York City for securities and capital markets, Los Angeles for entertainment and energy, London for cross-border M&A and litigation, Tokyo and Hong Kong for Asia-Pacific finance, and Washington, D.C. for regulatory and government-related matters. Satellite offices in cities like Chicago, San Francisco, Paris, Frankfurt, São Paulo, Dubai, and Sydney connect clients to regional courts, arbitration centers such as the International Chamber of Commerce, and exchanges including the New York Stock Exchange and the London Stock Exchange. The firm’s global platform mirrors international networks seen at firms such as Clifford Chance and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.

Notable Cases and Clients

Representative engagements reflect work for multinational corporations and financial institutions: advising Microsoft on large-scale transactions and regulatory matters; representing investment banks like Goldman Sachs in securities offerings and litigation; counseling energy majors such as ExxonMobil and BP on project finance and environmental disputes; and serving private equity sponsors comparable to KKR and Carlyle Group in buyouts and exits. The firm has appeared before appellate bodies and arbitration panels in disputes akin to landmark matters involving the United States Supreme Court, the European Court of Human Rights (in matters crossing jurisdictional lines), and international arbitral tribunals. High-profile matters intersect with newsworthy events involving corporations such as Tesla, Inc. and media conglomerates akin to The Walt Disney Company.

Rankings, Revenue, and Recognition

The firm consistently ranks among top-grossing global law firms alongside Kirkland & Ellis and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom in revenue lists compiled by industry trackers. Recognitions include awards from publications comparable to Chambers and Partners and The Legal 500, and rankings in lists produced by American Lawyer for profits per partner and global revenue. Practice groups receive industry acknowledgment in categories such as M&A, capital markets, litigation, and tax, often in competition with peers like Linklaters and Jones Day.

Pro bono and Corporate Social Responsibility

Pro bono initiatives align with causes represented by organizations such as American Civil Liberties Union, Human Rights Watch, and public interest projects that engage with immigration matters under statutes like the Immigration and Nationality Act, civil rights litigation invoking the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and access-to-justice programs in partnership with bar associations like the California Bar Association and the New York State Bar Association. Corporate social responsibility efforts include sustainability reporting akin to standards set by bodies such as the Global Reporting Initiative and participation in climate and diversity initiatives comparable to those championed by United Nations Global Compact signatories.

Category:Law firms headquartered in the United States