Principal contacts:
New York
1290 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10104-0050
Tel: +1 212 468 8000
Fax: +1 212 468 7900
California
San Francisco
425 Market Street
San Francisco, CA 94105-2482
Tel: +1 415 268 7000
Fax: +1 415 268 7522
District of Columbia
2000 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Suite 5500
Washington, D.C. 20006-1888
Tel: +1 202 877 1500
Fax: +1 202 887 0763
Chairman: Keith C. Wetmore
US offices: 9
International offices: 6
Number of partners worldwide: 355
Number of other fee earners worldwide: 722
Firm profile:
Morrison & Foerster is a global firm with over 1,000 lawyers across 15 offices in the US, Europe and Asia. Founded in 1883, the firm remains dedicated to providing our clients, which include some of the largest financial institutions, Fortune 100 companies, and technology and life science companies, with legendary service. Clients rely on us for innovative and business-minded solutions. Our attorneys share high standards, a commitment to excellence and a passion for helping our clients succeed. Our commitment to serving client needs has resulted in enduring relationships and a record of high achievement. We also are among the nation's leaders for our long-standing commitment to pro bono work.
Areas of practice:
Antitrust, bankruptcy and restructuring, capital markets, corporate, energy, entertainment, environmental, financial services, financial transactions, government contracts, intellectual property, investment fund formation and management, land use and natural resources, life sciences, litigation, privacy, project finance and development, real estate, tax and technology transactions.
Principal practice areas:
Bankruptcy, Restructuring and Insolvency: Our insolvency group practices in a wide array of complex bankruptcy, insolvency, finance and restructuring matters for a diverse group of U.S. and international interests throughout the world. Clients include companies, secured and unsecured creditors, ad-hoc and official creditors' committees, examiners, trustees, receivers and liquidators. Core strengths include cross-border insolvency proceedings, distressed M&A transactions, transactions involving complex intellectual property, distressed real estate situations, hedge fund failures, and transaction structuring to minimize credit risk.
Corporate/Capital Markets: The corporate practice represents some of the most dynamic public and private companies in the world and advises on venture financing, public and private offerings, strategic alliances, joint ventures and mergers and acquisitions. The firm is ranked as a global leader in M&A including cross-border transactions. The capital markets practice is a pioneer in developing synthetic products, hybrid securities, structured products and derivatives. Annually, the firm ranks as one of the leading firms for issuer and underwriter representations for IPOs, international offerings, REIT offerings, offerings of hybrid and preferred securities and debt offerings.
Financial Services: The firm has one of the finest financial services regulatory practices in the U.S. bringing to bear decades of banking experience and an exceptional breadth and depth of financial services regulatory expertise. The firm represents domestic and foreign banks, credit card and other payment systems, companies, savings associations, industrial loan companies and other financial service organizations.
Intellectual Property: The firm has one of the largest intellectual property practices in the world, with more than 300 lawyers providing a full range of services, including counseling, prosecution, litigation, dispute resolution and licensing transactions in patent, trademark and copyright matters. The firm's practice regularly ranks as one of the top IP practices in the country.
Litigation: The firm's more than 500 litigators are renowned for their ability to succeed in high-stakes, complex cases. These lawyers include some of the top trial and appellate lawyers in securities, antitrust, white-collar criminal defense, products liability, class action defense, unfair competition, employment, financial services, intellectual property, trade secret and patent litigation.
Real Estate: Our real estate, real estate finance, land use and natural resources attorneys advise major domestic and international real estate lenders, investors, developers, private equity and pension funds and REITs in connection with real estate financings, acquisitions, entitlement and development matters, investments, ownership, leasing, construction, management and restructuring.
Tax: The tax practice is composed of a US federal and international tax group that provides state-of-the-art advice on diverse capital markets transactions, including hybrid securities, derivatives and debt and equity offerings, mergers and acquisitions, private equity and real estate, and a state and local tax practice, as well as a highly skilled employee benefits, executive compensation and trusts and estates group.
Technology Transactions: Specialized skills are needed to negotiate a transaction involving the development, purchase, sale, licensing or outsourcing of technology. Morrison & Foerster is one of the few firms in the world that brings this range of expertise to bear for clients.