Goodwin Procter consolidates its technology practice with new hires

Goodwin Procter consolidates its technology practice with new hires

Twelve lawyers including seven partners join the firm from Orrick, Jones Day and Latham

In a significant move, the US global law firm Goodwin Procter has announced bulk-hiring to bolster its technology practice with new lateral hires. The firm has added 12 lawyers to its ranks, including seven partners, from rival firms in New York, Silicon Valley and Washington D.C.

Partners Jonathan Chou, Peter Fusco, Geoff Willard and William Wilson are moving over from rival firm Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe along with a four-lawyer team consisting of counsel Rob Lynn and associates Mired Asfour, Frank Paz, Andrew Rembis and Jae Zhou.

Partner duo Stuart Ogg and Michael Raegan from Jones Day and Latham & Watkins partner David Concannon are also joining the Boston-headquartered firm.

Goodwin Procter's focus on technology practice is understandable considering it contributed significantly to the firm's M&A activity last year, propelling it to the second position in ranking in the US for deals by volume behind Kirkland & Ellis, advising on 594 deals valued at $116.6 billion.

Among the new hires, while Chou, Concannon and Fusco will join the firm's tech practice in New York, Willard and Wilson are joining in Washington D.C. and Ogg and Reagan are to strengthen the firm's West Coast capabilities in its San Francisco office.

The firm has so far added nearly 50 lawyers to its technology practice this year alone.

"These lawyers are all deeply entrenched in the emerging company and venture capital ecosystems of New York and Washington, D.C., geographies with vibrant technology markets, and each is a well-known leader in their respective practices," Anthony McCusker, co-chair of Goodwin's technology practice, said.

According to McCusker, Goodwin Procter had always been focused on serving the technology sector. "As innovation continues to fuel the global economy and the market continues to evolve, we're hiring the best lawyers out there to support our clients," McCusker added.

Chou, Concannon, Fusco and Willard advise startups and high growth companies through all stages of their lifecycle. Collectively, they have experience advising clients in a variety of transactions, including formations, early-stage venture and growth financings, M&A, joint ventures and public offerings.

Wilson focuses on tech transactions, including counseling, structuring and negotiating deals across several sectors besides advising clients in data privacy matters, licensing and intellectual property matters relating to M&A and capital market deals.

Ogg on the other hand specialises in capital markets, as well as US federal securities law disclosure and compliance issues and NYSE and Nasdaq listing and corporate governance matters. He also has experience handling public and private M&A transactions involving special purpose acquisition companies.

Reagan focuses on domestic and cross-border M&A, as well as general corporate matters for emerging growth, privately held and publicly traded companies.

Some of the notable recent tech mandates handled by Goodwin Procter include advising Slack on its $27.7 billion sale to Salesforce and Sprint Corporation on its $26.5 billion merger with T-Mobile US.