Morrison & Foerster

Morrison & Foerster
Name	Morrison & Foerster
Founded	1883
Headquarters	San Francisco, California
Num offices	17
Num attorneys	1,000+
Practice areas	Litigation; Corporate; Intellectual Property; Finance; Regulatory
Key people	Charles R. Gaudet; Brad W. Karp; Susan L. Hackett
Revenue	(not publicly reported)

Morrison & Foerster

Morrison & Foerster is a multinational law firm known for work in litigation, corporate finance, intellectual property, and regulatory matters. The firm has represented major actors in technology, life sciences, finance, and entertainment, engaging with institutions such as Apple Inc., Google LLC, Facebook, Bank of America, and Toyota Motor Corporation. Its lawyers have participated in high-profile matters connected to events like the Enron scandal, the 2008 financial crisis, and litigation arising from patents tied to CRISPR and mRNA technologies.

History

Founded in 1883 in San Francisco during the post‑Gold Rush era, the firm expanded through the 20th century alongside clients in Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Standard Oil, and pioneering technology companies in Silicon Valley. During the late 20th century the firm opened offices in New York City, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., and forged international ties with firms in London, Tokyo, and Beijing. Its alumni and partners have moved into roles at institutions such as the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, the United States Department of Justice, and corporate boards of Intel Corporation and Genentech. The firm’s evolution intersected with landmark developments including antitrust matters involving Microsoft, securities work tied to Enron, and intellectual property disputes like those surrounding Qualcomm and Nokia.

Practice Areas

The firm’s practice groups cover transactional and contentious matters across sectors. Its corporate group handles mergers and acquisitions for clients such as Cisco Systems, Oracle Corporation, and Salesforce, and advises on initial public offerings with underwriters like Goldman Sachs Group and Morgan Stanley. The litigation group has litigated before tribunals including the United States Supreme Court, the International Court of Arbitration, and federal district courts involving parties such as Verizon Communications and AT&T. Intellectual property teams work on patents and trade secrets for biotechnology clients like Amgen and Pfizer, and technology clients like IBM and Amazon (company). Finance and restructuring practices engage with creditors and debtors in matters connected to Lehman Brothers and sovereign debt cases involving states such as Argentina. Regulatory and investigations lawyers advise on matters tied to agencies including the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, and the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Notable Cases and Deals

The firm has been counsel in significant transactions and disputes. It advised on cross-border mergers involving Mitsubishi Corporation and handled antitrust counseling related to Google Antitrust inquiries and litigation with parties like Epic Games and Activision Blizzard. In securities matters its lawyers participated in litigation following the collapse of Lehman Brothers and advised underwriters in IPOs such as those for Twitter and Uber Technologies. Intellectual property cases have pitted the firm’s clients against litigants including Samsung Electronics, Huawei, and Qualcomm, while biotechnology transactions have involved corporates like Roche and Bristol-Myers Squibb. The firm also represented creditors and committees in reorganizations tied to Chapter 11 proceedings and acted on cross-border financings for corporations such as Siemens.

Corporate Structure and Leadership

Operating as a partnership, the firm is organized with practice group chairs and regional managing partners who coordinate with a global executive committee. Leadership has included alumni who served in public office and corporate leadership roles at entities like the Federal Reserve Bank and the World Bank. Senior partners have been involved in bar associations such as the American Bar Association and have held adjunct or visiting professorships at institutions including Harvard Law School, Stanford Law School, and Columbia Law School. Governance structures feature compensation committees and risk management overseen in coordination with compliance functions that interact with regulators such as the Financial Conduct Authority and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Offices and Global Presence

The firm maintains offices across North America, Europe, and Asia. Its U.S. footprint includes locations in San Francisco, New York City, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., while international offices have been established in London, Tokyo, Beijing, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. The firm’s global platform enables cross-border work for multinational clients such as BP, ExxonMobil, and Samsung, and supports international arbitration matters before bodies like the International Chamber of Commerce and the London Court of International Arbitration.

Pro Bono and Diversity Initiatives

The firm has emphasized pro bono representation in civil rights, asylum, and wrongful conviction matters, partnering with organizations including ACLU, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International affiliates. Pro bono matters have included immigration cases involving petitioners from regions such as Central America and litigation related to voting rights in jurisdictions like California. Diversity efforts have aimed to increase representation through programs tied to law schools such as UC Berkeley School of Law and Yale Law School, and through sponsorship of affinity groups aligned with organizations like the National LGBT Bar Association and the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association.

Category:Law firms