The Business Journal’s list of Orange County’s largest law firms is like the first moments after a trial ends: there are winners and there are … opposing counsel.
There was modest growth seen for the list as a whole.
Overall, 91 ranked firms offered up 2,785 OC attorneys, including partners—up 1.2% from year-ago levels.
Those firms also count 1,268 partners this year, up just 0.2%
Numerous individual players, though, saw significant change in terms of headcount; a third of the list reported either double-digit growth or double-digit declines.
Ranked firms can be headquartered elsewhere but must have at least 10 barristers in OC, including partners.
A couple—Friedman, Stroffe & Gerard and Houser, both in Irvine—left the list this year because their count dropped to 9. And Pepper Hamilton is about to: the Philadelphia-based firm is being bought by Troutman Sanders in Atlanta.
Big Bets
Both are locally in Irvine, in two towers at Jamboree Center. The linkup is set for April 1; the combined firm would be in the top 10, with about 60 attorneys and partners.
Other firms are growing nicely as well (see story, page 20):
• Orrick added 10 for a total of 32; growth of 45% and up 24 spots to No. 25.
• K&L Gates added 14 for a total of 27; growth of 108% and up 29 spots to No. 41.
Both are in Irvine.
Orrick’s OC Co-Managing Partner Glenn Dassoff said innovation has driven its reputation as an employer. The San Francisco-based firm’s internal unit, Orrick Labs, develops tech-based legal products, sometimes spins off the result as a stand-alone offering to market to others, and invests in startups.
Efforts now and in-process include a cybersecurity platform, Joinder, and an on-demand staffing solution. Data arm Orrick Analytics uses artificial intelligence among other tools to smooth internal paperwork and processes. Orrick has been ranked five consecutive years on the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For.
All this “helps enormously in recruiting diverse talent,” Dassoff said.
K&L Gates Managing Partner Michael Hedge said attorney count has grown by ones and twos rather than nabbing whole practices though, “We hired three from Baker Hostetler” early last year, for its corporate group.
This after a “breakout” 2018 where K&L did three OC IPOs, and grew through its use of recruiters who “are very active with attorneys.” That’s kept office additions coming through 2019 as well, he said.
If attorneys and partners are “looking for an international firm with a middle-market emphasis,” they don’t have to guess about K&L and it expects to “aggressively grow this year,” he said.
“We found a global platform in OC and service all types of companies. Once people see that, they understand they can expand their practices here.”
Triumvirates
Ranked firms range from the top 3—Knobbe Martens, Rutan & Tucker, and Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton —with about 370 attorneys among them, to a trio tied at No. 89 with 10 apiece: Aitken Aitken Cohn in Santa Ana, and Green, Steel & Albrecht and Michelman & Robinson, both in Irvine.
No. 1 Knobbe is in Irvine and focused on intellectual property—for instance, the vigorous defense across decades of innovations from Irvine-based medical device maker Masimo Corp.
No. 2 Rutan and No. 3 Sheppard Mullin span industries. Both are in Costa Mesa but Rutan is prepping a June move to The Boardwalk in Irvine (see story, page 1).
Sheppard Mullin fell 7% to 77 lawyers. Knobbe and Rutan are the only two firms on the list with more than 100 attorneys apiece.
The one-two punch of firms could swap spots if current trends continue: Knobbe dropped five attorneys, net; Rutan gained five, and now trails the list leader by just six.
Call it a continuance, until next year’s hand is dealt.
