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DLA Piper

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DLA Piper
No. of attorneys4,255 (2022)[1]
Major practice areasArbitration, Banking, Competition and Trade, Corporate Crime, Corporate Finance, Employment, Energy, Government Affairs, Hospitality and Leisure, Insurance, Intellectual Property, Litigation, Mergers and Acquisitions, Pensions, Private Equity, Real Estate, Restructuring, Securities, Tax, Technology
Key people
RevenueUS$3.68 billion (2022)[1]
Profit per equity partnerUS$2.8 million (2022)[1]
Date foundedFirst parent firm founded 1764; current organization dates to 2005 (by merger)
Company typeSwiss Verein (2 LLPs)
Websitedlapiper.com

DLA Piper is a law firm with offices in over 40 countries across the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. [4] In 2021, it was the third largest law firm in the United States by revenue.[5]

Founded in 2005 through the merger between three law firms: San Diego-based Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich LLP, Baltimore-based Piper Rudnick LLP and United Kingdom-based DLA LLP. DLA Piper is composed of two partnerships operating under a shared global board and structured as a Swiss Verein.[6]

History

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Origins

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DLA Piper's origins can be traced back to four law firms: Dibb Lupton Broomhead, Alsop Stevens, Piper & Marbury, and Rudnick & Wolfe.[7][8][9] Dibb Lupton Broomhead was a UK law firm that was formed in 1988 after the merger of Dibb Lupton and Broomhead & Neals.[10] In 1996, the firm merged with the Liverpool-based law firm, Alsop Wilkinson, and became Dibb Lupton Alsop (DLA).[11] Meanwhile, in the United States, Piper & Marbury was founded in Baltimore, Maryland, and merged with Chicago-based Rudnick & Wolfe in 1999 to form Piper Marbury Rudnick & Wolfe.[12]

Formation and growth (2005–2010)

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DLA Piper was formed in 2005 after a merger between DLA, Piper Rudnick, and Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich.[13][14] The merger created one of the largest law firms in the world at the time and the largest firm in the UK.[15] In 2006 the firm's name was shortened from DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary US LLP to DLA Piper.[16] In 2005, DLA Piper launched New Perimeter, an international pro bono initiative that provides legal assistance in underserved regions.[17]

Throughout this period, the firm continued to open offices in Mexico City and São Paulo, as well as expanding its presence in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.[18][19][20][21] The firm also grew in the Australasian region through a series of mergers and acquisitions, including an exclusive alliance with Australian firm Phillips Fox in 2006.[22][23] Also in 2006, DLA Piper expanded its Middle Eastern presence by opening an outpost in Doha, Qatar,[24] later opening an office in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates in 2008.[25]

In 2008, DLA Piper opened an office in Kuwait as a joint venture with Kuwaiti law firm Al Wagayan, Al Awadhi & Al Saif to provide legal services to international and local clients operating under the DLA Piper Kuwait moniker.[26] In the US, the firm expanded into markets such as Houston, Texas, where it opened a practice focused on energy law in 2008.[27]

Recent developments (2010–present)

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In 2010, DLA Piper entered into an cooperative agreement with Brazilian firm Campos Mello Avogados, located in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.[28] In 2011, DLA Phillips Fox (Australia) integrated with DLA Piper to become DLA Piper Australia.[29] DLA Phillips Fox (New Zealand) followed suit, becoming become DLA Piper New Zealand in 2015.[30] By February 2012, DLA became the largest firm in the world by headcount with over 4,000 attorneys,[31] and opened an office in Paris through a partnership with Frieh Bouhenic.[32]

In 2013-2014, the firm expanded to Seoul, Indonesia, Namibia, Algeria and Mexico City.[33][34][35][36] In 2014, it named Simon Levine managing partner, Global co-Chair and Global co-CEO.[37] His term was extended through 2024 to align with the appointment of Frank Ryan as Americas Chair, Global co-Chair and Global co-CEO in 2021.[38] In 2015, DLA Piper opened its Dublin office,[39] later opening an office in San Juan, Puerto Rico in 2016.[40] The Portuguese firm ABBC[41] and the Danish firm LETT joined DLA Piper in March 2017.[42] In 2023, DLA Piper entered into the digital space and launched TOKO, a blockchain-based tokenisation platform with its Aldersgate Digital Ledger Solutions (DLS) group.[43]

Offices

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DLA Piper has 80 offices in more than 40 countries across the Americas, Asia Pacific, Australasia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East.[44]

DLA Piper New Zealand is in New Zealand[45][46] with offices in Auckland and Wellington,[47] DLA Piper New Zealand provides counsel to private and public companies, central and local government entities, charities and other organisations.[48]

Political contributions

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DLA Piper employees were the twelfth-largest donor to President Barack Obama's 2012 re-election campaign.[49] According to OpenSecrets, DLA Piper employees donated $2.19 million to federal candidates during the 2012 election cycle, 73% to Democrats.[50] By comparison, during that same period Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld employees donated $2.56 million, 66% to Democrats,[50] while oil conglomerate ExxonMobil employees donated $2.66 million, 88% to Republicans.[51] Since 1990, DLA Piper has contributed $16.97 million to federal campaigns, and spent over $1 million on lobbying since 2002.[52]

Controversy

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In 2010, DLA Piper represented Paul Ceglia in his claim that he hired Mark Zuckerberg to create a website that became Facebook and that under the agreement, Ceglia was entitled to ownership of 84 percent of Facebook, then worth multiple billions of dollars.[53] Zuckerberg and Facebook responded that Ceglia had hired Zuckerberg to work on an unrelated site, but Ceglia had fraudulently altered that contract to make it appear to cover Facebook. A DLA Piper attorney told the Wall Street Journal that although he had not seen the original document, he had "absolutely 100% confidence that [Mr. Ceglia's] agreement is authentic."[54] Ceglia's document was later found to be fraudulent, and in 2014, Facebook and Zuckerberg sued DLA Piper and others, claiming Ceglia's lawyers "knew or should have known that the [initial] lawsuit was a fraud."[55] The suit was later dismissed.[56][57]

In June 2020, Squire Patton Boggs filed Ferrellgas Partners LP et al. v. DLA Piper LLP US in Kansas,[58] on behalf of former firm client Ferrellgas, for a breach of fiduciary duty.[59][60]

Notable attorneys, advisors and staff

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Notable former employees

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "'Scale Can't Be Overstated': DLA Piper Posts 6% Revenue Gain in 2022". Law.com. 14 March 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "About us". DLA Piper. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  3. ^ a b c "DLA Piper elects deal lawyer as mega firm's new global co-chair". Reuters. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  4. ^ "Facts and Figures". DLA Piper. Archived from the original on 10 July 2011. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
  5. ^ Jones, Ashby (27 April 2015). "Latham & Watkins Tops the AmLaw 100 For the First Time". WSJ Law Blog. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  6. ^ "Firm Leadership". DLA Piper. Retrieved 30 September 2010.
  7. ^ "CWGC – Casualty Details: Lupton, Charles Roger". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. 2013. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
  8. ^ Ravetz, Alison (13 September 2013). Model Estate (Routledge Revivals): Planned Housing at Quarry Hill, Leeds. Routledge, 13 Sep. 2013 - Architecture. ISBN 9781135007102. Retrieved 17 October 2017. ...the Lupton family (more particularly, probably, Sir Charles Lupton, Lord Mayor in 1915)...
  9. ^ "UK City Firms : DLA Piper (London)". rollonfriday.com. 2013. Archived from the original on 29 July 2013. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
  10. ^ "Yorkshire lawyer Sir Nigel Knowles took on the world and won". The Times UK. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  11. ^ "Dibb Lupton Alsop gets seal of approval". TheLawyer.com. 8 October 1996. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  12. ^ "2 Big U.S. Law Firms Announce Merger". The New York Times. November 1999. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  13. ^ "Nigel Knowles tours UK to drum up support for 'DLA Piper Rudnick'". The Lawyer. 26 July 2004. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  14. ^ "The bigger the better? The merger between DLA and Piper Rudnick creates a new global giant". The Economist. 9 December 2004. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
  15. ^ "Piper Rudnick to Merge With Big British Firm". The Washington Post. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  16. ^ "Law firm shortens name to DLA Piper". BizJournals.com. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  17. ^ "DLA Piper taps partner, counsel to spearhead international pro bono initiative". TheLawyerMag.zom. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  18. ^ "DLA Piper launches in Mexico City with Thompson & Knight team". The Lawyer. 14 February 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  19. ^ "DLA restructuring to dramatically scale back Gulf presence". The Lawyer. 7 December 2009. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
  20. ^ "DLA Piper looks to Bucharest for full CEE coverage". The Lawyer. 17 September 2007. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  21. ^ "DLA Piper sets 150-lawyer target for Germany offices". The Lawyer. 20 August 2007. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  22. ^ "Phillips Fox Global Alliance Official". Practice Source. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
  23. ^ "DLA Piper finalises Aussie alliance". The Lawyer. 4 May 2006. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
  24. ^ "Leaps & Bounds: Notable Firm News". Law360. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  25. ^ "Legal Giant DLA Piper opens permanent office in UAE". Emirates News Agency. 13 August 2008. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  26. ^ "Leaps & Bounds: This Week's Major Lateral Hires". Law360. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  27. ^ "Energy Practice: DLA Piper". Law360. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  28. ^ "DLA Piper Joins Forces With Brazilian Firm". Law360. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  29. ^ "DLA Piper and DLA Phillips Fox to fully integrate". lawyersweekly.com.au. March 2011. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
  30. ^ "DLA Piper makes New Zealand debut". The Lawyer Mag. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  31. ^ "DLA Piper Tops The List Of Megafirms". Law360. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  32. ^ "No Big US Firm Mergers On The Horizon, Experts Say". Law360. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  33. ^ "Global 20: DLA Piper". Law360. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  34. ^ "News - DLA Piper Global Law Firm". DLA Piper. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  35. ^ "DLA Piper calls time on Indonesia alliance". Law.com. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  36. ^ "DLA adds three member firms in Africa". The Global Legal Post. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  37. ^ "DLA Piper Extends Managing Partner Term Due to COVID-19 Uncertainty". Law.com. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  38. ^ "DLA Piper's New Chair Wants His Giant Firm to Get Even Bigger". Bloomberg Law. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  39. ^ "DLA Piper Officially Opens Dublin Office". BusinessPlus.ie. 15 May 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  40. ^ "DLA Piper launches in Puerto Rico". The Latin American Lawyer. 19 July 2016. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  41. ^ "DLA Piper combines with Portuguese alliance firm". Law.com. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  42. ^ "DLA Piper continues Nordic growth via tie-up with 150-lawyer Denmark firm". Law.com. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  43. ^ artificiallawyer (6 November 2020). "DLA Piper Launches TOKO Tokenisation Engine". Artificial Lawyer. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  44. ^ http://www.dlapiper.com/files/Publication/298c657a-beef-4bb1-9726-f98745ea1c86/Presentation/PublicationAttachment/12d97ceb-3e2d-4044-b538-16a084843bbd/Key_Facts_Document_.pdf[permanent dead link]
  45. ^ "DLA Piper becomes first global business law firm in New Zealand | DLA Piper". dlapiper.co.nz. Archived from the original on 5 August 2015. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  46. ^ "US Leads the Way For DLA Piper Partner Promotions". Law.com International. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  47. ^ "Contact Us | DLA Piper". dlapiper.co.nz. Archived from the original on 22 January 2016. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  48. ^ "About us | DLA Piper". dlapiper.co.nz. Archived from the original on 13 August 2015. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  49. ^ "Top Contributors". OpenSecrets.
  50. ^ a b "Lawyers & Lobbyists: Top Contributors to Federal Candidates, Parties, and Outside Groups". OpenSecrets. OpenSecrets.
  51. ^ "Energy/Natural Resources: Top Contributors to Federal Candidates, Parties, and Outside Groups". OpenSecrets. OpenSecrets.
  52. ^ "Organizations: DLA Piper". OpenSecrets. OpenSecrets.
  53. ^ "Abrupt Turn as Facebook Battles Suit". The New York Times. 17 April 2011. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  54. ^ "Fight Over Facebook Origins Escalates". The Wall Street Journal. 13 April 2011. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  55. ^ "Facebook Sues Lawyers of Discredited "Co-Founder" Paul Ceglia". re/code. 20 October 2014. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  56. ^ Flaherty, Scott (29 December 2015). "New York Court Nixes Facebook Suit Against DLA Piper, Milberg". American Lawyer. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  57. ^ "Business roundup: DuPont to cut 1,700 jobs in Delaware". The Washington Post. 29 December 2015. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  58. ^ "DLA Piper Accused of Double-Crossing Propane Client, by Morgan Conley Law360 June 17, 2020. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  59. ^ "Wake Up Call: DLA Piper Accused of 'Double-Dealing'" by Rick Mitchell, Bloomberg Law, June 18, 2020. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  60. ^ "Suit Against DLA Piper Says Firm's Mistaken Email Revealed 'Double Dealing'" by Dylan Jackson, American Lawyer, June 17, 2020. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  61. ^ Benoit, Angeline (24 May 2013). "DLA Piper Hires Former Spain PM Jose Maria Aznar as Adviser". Bloomberg.
  62. ^ Moore, Tom (3 June 2015). "DLA builds LatAm presence with Colombia pact as firm hopes to leverage Spanish relationships". Legal Business. Archived from the original on 20 January 2016. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  63. ^ Kozlowski, Kim (10 September 2015). "Blanchard gives MSU $1M for public service program". The Detroit News. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  64. ^ "The Churn: Lateral Moves and Promotions in The Am Law 200". The AmLaw Daily. 3 May 2011. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
  65. ^ Wilson, Megan (8 January 2015). "Ex-senator Chambliss heads to DLA Piper". The Hill. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  66. ^ Gershman, Jacob (14 April 2014). "Ex-CFTC Commissioner Bart Chilton to Join DLA Piper as Policy Adviser". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  67. ^ "Former CFTC Commissioner Chilton Leaves DLA Piper". Profit & Loss. 10 January 2017. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
  68. ^ Hays, Kali (3 March 2016). "DLA Madrid Partner Gets Global Role Left By Long-Time Chair". Law360. Retrieved 22 April 2016.
  69. ^ Smith, Jennifer (22 January 2014). "Former Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Heads to DLA Piper". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  70. ^ "DLA Piper: The Firm Behind the Mitchell Report". The Wall Street Journal. 4 December 2007. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
  71. ^ Schneider, Howard (23 November 2009). "Palestinians looking to American-style housing developments, financing". The Washington Post. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
  72. ^ Strahler, Steven (19 May 2012). "At DLA Piper, a global portfolio". Crain's Chicago Business. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  73. ^ "Tom Daschle". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 14 December 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  74. ^ Vanden Dolder, Tess (28 October 2014). "K Street: Tom Daschle Leaves DLA Piper to Start His Own Policy Advisory Group". DC Inno. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  75. ^ "Lib Dem first lady Miriam Gonzalez Durantez lands job at US firm". The Independent. London. 28 October 2011. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
  76. ^ Snyder, Jim (23 September 2009). "Ex-Sen. Martínez to join DLA Piper as partner". TheHill.com. Retrieved 3 November 2010.
  77. ^ Orlando Sentinel (2010). Mel Martinez to be Fla. chairman for JPMorgan Chase. Retrieved 9 September 2010.
  78. ^ Florida Trend (2013). [1]. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  79. ^ "Housing Commission | Bipartisan Policy Center". Archived from the original on 31 October 2011. Retrieved 18 November 2011. Bipartisan Policy Center's Housing Commission
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