Fenwick received top nationwide recognition in Chambers USA, continuing its streak in the highest practice tier for startups and emerging companies and earning new recognition for privacy and data security work. It also earned its first rankings in the New York market since opening there in 2016.
The 2021 guide singled out 34 Fenwick lawyers and 17 of the firm's practice areas for their excellence.
The firm again received the highest possible recognition from Chambers for its work with startups and emerging companies, with a Band One ranking nationwide. Fenwick “delivers A-plus service at great speed and low cost," one client told Chambers.
Fenwick received a Highly Regarded, Band One ranking nationwide for its work on privacy and data security matters. One client noted to the publication that the team comprises of lawyers who “understand that the most important thing is to get a deal done. They are very collaborative and enormously quick to respond."
The firm also earned Band One rankings in California for venture capital, technology transactions and patent prosecution work, along with a Band One ranking in Northern California for tax work.
In New York—where Fenwick’s office is nearing its five-year anniversary and has grown quickly to nearly 100 attorneys—the firm received its first-ever rankings, for corporate M&A (Highly Regarded) and patent work.
Client Praise
Chambers describes Fenwick as a firm that “operates at the forefront of cutting-edge technology markets, including fintech, virtual reality and the sharing economy,” while also noting the firm’s “sought-after ability to counsel startup businesses, particularly in the tech sector, on the full extent of company growth processes, as well as advising venture capital investors.”
Clients and peers highlighted Fenwick’s practices—from corporate to intellectual property and litigation to tax—and shared positive feedback, including the following:
- "We have been extremely grateful for the support that we have been provided by the Fenwick team,” said one client. “Its strength is that it brings the full suite of skill sets a company would need, including strategic thought partnership, in-depth technical understanding of the law, attention to detail with respect to legal documents and timely service." (Capital Markets: Debt & Equity)
- "The team is first-class through and through. They are super knowledgeable about how venture capital-backed startups are structured, what terms should look like and what points of leverage we have.” (Venture Capital)
- “For complex M&A, it is a standout team.” (Corporate/M&A)
- Sources described Fenwick as "a top-notch firm supporting technology startups and public company representation." (Corporate/M&A)
- "The team is very innovative in its approach to IP matters and is very successful on both strategy and execution.” (IP/IP Litigation)
- "We were extremely impressed by their excellent work product and understanding and command of our IP estate," one client commented, adding, "Their strengths include attention to detail, quality of strategic thought and guidance, and understanding of the science." (Life Sciences)
- Clients appreciate that the team is "very practical, professional, very quick, very responsive, very efficient and comes up with solutions to problems." (Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation)
- "The whole team has been A-plus, from associates to partners and other specialists," one client said. (Securities Litigation)
- A client reported that "everyone at Fenwick always makes us feel that we are their priority, they have strong legal expertise and always try to keep things as simple as possible." (Technology Transactions)
- One client noted that Fenwick’s “expertise, technical knowledge, thoroughness and turnaround time is unmatched by any other international law firm from our experience." (Tax)
- One client said that Fenwick has "an excellent tax group and they are very good at handling international matters." (Tax)
Ranked Practices, Attorneys
The full list of Fenwick practices and lawyers recognized in the 2021 Chambers USA guide is as follows:
Practice Categories
- Capital Markets: Debt & Equity
- Corporate/M&A
- Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation
- Intellectual Property
- Intellectual Property: Patent
- Life Sciences
- Patent Litigation
- Patent Prosecution
- Privacy & Data Security
- Securities Litigation
- Startups & Emerging Companies
- Tax
- Tax: Controversy
- Tax: Corporate & Finance
- Technology Transactions
- Trademark, Copyright & Trade Secrets
- Venture Capital
Lawyers
- Sally Abel – Trademark, Copyright and Trade Secrets
- Samuel Angus – Venture Capital
- Andrew Bridges – Trademark, Copyright and Trade Secrets
- William Bromfield – Corporate/M&A
- Douglas Cogen – Corporate/M&A
- Gordon Davidson – Capital Markets: Debt & Equity; Corporate/M&A; Venture Capital; Startups & Emerging Companies
- Michael Esquivel – Startups & Emerging Companies; Venture Capital
- James Evans – Capital Markets: Debt & Equity
- David Forst – Tax
- Robert Freedman – Capital Markets: Debt & Equity
- James Fuller – Tax; Tax: Controversy
- Elizabeth Gartland – Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation
- Stephen Graham – Corporate/M&A
- Adam Halpern – Tax
- David Hayes – Trademark, Copyright and Trade Secrets; Technology Transactions; Technology
- Cynthia Hess – Startups & Emerging Companies; Venture Capital
- James Koenig – Privacy & Data Security
- Bomi Lee – Corporate/M&A
- Steven Levine – Venture Capital
- Stuart Meyer – Intellectual Property
- David Michaels – Capital Markets: Convertible Debt
- Larissa Neumann – Tax
- Ralph Pais – Technology Transactions
- Rajiv Patel – Patent Prosecution
- Stefano Quintini – Life Sciences
- Amanda Rose – Capital Markets: Debt & Equity
- Antonia Sequeira – Patent Prosecution
- Ethan Skerry – Corporate/M&A
- Alan Smith – Corporate/M&A
- Scott Spector – Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation
- Mark Stevens – Startups & Emerging Companies; Venture Capital
- David Tellekson – Intellectual Property
- James Trainor – Intellectual Property: Patent
- Kris Withrow – Corporate/M&A
Chambers USA bases their annual selection process on interviews with in-house legal departments and with industry leaders around the world. The rankings are based on technical legal ability, professional conduct, commitment, client service, commercial astuteness, diligence and other qualities valued by clients. Additional information is available on Chambers USA.
