Orrick is an international law firm founded in San Francisco, California. The firm advises on transactions, litigation and regulatory matters for venture-backed companies, public companies, E&I funds, financial institutions and governments.[2]
Orrick's headquarters at the Orrick Building on Howard Street in San Francisco
Founded in San Francisco in 1863, Orrick earliest work included funding the Golden Gate Bridge construction, shaping the California Corporate Securities Act and the first offerings under the Securities Act of 1933, and litigating over hydroelectric power and water development rights in the Lake Tahoe region.[3][4]
In the 1980s, the firm began expanding outside of the Bay Area, establishing offices in New York and Los Angeles.[5][6] By the late 1990s, it opened its first international offices in Tokyo, and London and Paris followed in 2002.[7][verification needed] Additionally, in 2002, Orrick opened its "Global Operations Center" in Wheeling, WV.[8][9]
In 2003, the firm added a team from the Venture Law Group (VLG).[11] In 2005 at the expense of the now-defunct law firm Coudert Brothers Orrick expanded its London office and opened offices in Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai with Coudert Brothers professionals.[12]
In 2006, the firm engaged in merger negotiations with legacy Wall Street firm Dewey Ballantine;[13] the merger was unsuccessful.[14] The same year, Orrick expanded its Paris office through a combination with Rambaud Martel, a M&A and dispute resolution firm in France.[15]
In 2008, Orrick expanded into Germany by combining with Hölters & Elsing (Partnerschaft von Rechtsanwälten);[16] today, the firm has offices in Düsseldorf and Munich.
Also in 2008, the firm admitted almost two dozen partners in its London, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, D.C., offices from the San Francisco firm Heller Ehrman, including 27 hired after Heller's Sept. 26, 2008, announcement of dissolution.[17]
In 2013, Mitch Zuklie, a Silicon Valley tech lawyer, assumed the role of firm Chairman & CEO.[18][19]
In June 2017, Orrick was announced as one of thirty law firms piloting the Mansfield Rule. Created by Diversity Lab, and modeled after the NFL's Rooney Rule the Mansfield Rule is named after Arabella Mansfield, the first woman admitted to practice in the US.[20]
More recent office openings have included Geneva in 2015,[21] Houston in 2016,[22] and Boston in 2019.[23]
In 2023, Orrick merged with AmLaw 200 Buckley.[25][26] This grew Orrick's financial regulation, enforcement, and litigation services, and doubled the firm's footprint in Washington. D.C.[27]
Recognition and rankings
Law360 named Orrick to its Global 20 list for the eighth time in 2019.[28]
Financial Times named Orrick North America's most digital law firm in 2020. Between 2016 and 2020, they named Orrick North America''s most innovative law firm three times and runner-up two times.[29][30]
Law360 named Orrick as Employment Law Group of the Year for the fifth time and Project Finance Group of the Year for the seventh time in 2020.[33] They also named the firm Tech Group of the Year for the third time in 2018,[34] IP Group of the Year for the fourth time in 2016,[35] and Privacy Group of the Year in 2016.[36]
The American Lawyer named Orrick as Intellectual Property Litigation Department of the Year for 2015.[37] In addition, the firm was one of six finalists for Litigation Department of the Year in 2016.[38]The Recorder recognized Orrick's California-based employment litigation team as California Labor & Employment Department of the Year for the fourth consecutive year in 2017.[39]
Global Arbitration Review (GAR) included Orrick in its 2024 list of the world's top 30 international arbitration practices.[42]
Pitchbook ranked Orrick in the top 5 globally and #1 in Europe for venture capital in 2024.[43]
Bloomberg ranked Orrick top 5 for tech litigation in 2020 11 and top 5 for global M&A in 2019.[44]
The Deal ranked Orrick #1 out-of-court creditor firm 13 and #3 bankruptcy firm in 2019.[45]
The Bond Buyer ranked Orrick #1 bond counsel in 2019, a position the firm has held for two decades.[46]
Orrick's London technology team was recognized as the Service Provider of the Year at the 18th annual Investor AllStars awards.[47][48]
The Diversity Lab named Orrick as a Mansfield Certified firm for the seventh year in a row in 2024.[49]
Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA) awarded Orrick with the 2020 Thomas L. Sager Award. The award is for Am Law 200 law firms committed to a more diverse workforce and improving the hiring, retention and promotion of diverse attorneys.[50]
Orrick was named one of the "50 Best Law Firms for Women" by Working Mother magazine for the eleventh time and Yale Law Women's list of top firms for gender equality and family friendliness for the eighth time in 2020.[51][52][53]
Orrick ranked #8 out of 220 firms on The American Lawyer's 2017 Diversity Scorecard.[54]
Vault 2021 named Orrick #1 for Tech & Innovation, #2 for Best Firm to Work For and #2 for Wellness.[57]
Orrick's summer associate programs were ranked #1 in five markets across the U.S. in The American Lawyer's 2017 Summer Associates Survey[58] and the firm was ranked #20 in the publication's 2020 Mid-Level Associates survey.[59]
Activities
In 2024, the firm launched the Orrick AI Law Center, which provides a free state AI law tracker and a guide to the EU AI Act, and the Orrick Online Safety Law Center to help clients monitor emerging online safety, privacy and harmful content laws.[60]
In 2023, Orrick launched Orrick Tech Studio. This is a free-to-use online website for technology startups and investors.[61] It provides 50+ customizable forms and document generators for content such as nondisclosure agreements, board governance documents, and employee offer letters. It also includes articles, videos, and podcasts that address relevant business, legal, and regulatory issues.[61]
In 2018, the firm started a legal tech investment initiative.[61]
Orrick was ranked #8 for U.S. pro bono impact and #5 for international pro bono impact by The American Lawyer in its 2024 pro bono rankings.[62][63] In 2015, Orrick was named to Law360's list of Pro Bono All Stars.[64]
An Orrick team worked on the legislation enacted in California in October 2017 to criminalize sexual extortion, part of a national effort on behalf of the firm's pro bono client Legal Momentum.[65]
Orrick managed asylum to three family members of the Demiraj family in an asylum case that was submitted and approved by the U.S. Supreme Court.[67]
In 2014, the firm launched the Orrick Cares program in celebration of Orrick's 150th anniversary.[68]
On Veterans Day in 2014, the firm announced the launch of the Veterans' Legal Career Fair. The event matches legal employers with lawyers who are veterans, active-duty service members or military spouses.[69]
Orrick was the first global law firm to establish an Impact Finance & Social Enterprise practice.[70][71]
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$1.16 billion (as of 2019) [1] 
