K&L Gates Explained

Firm Name:K&L Gates LLP
Headquarters:K&L Gates Center
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania[1]
Num Offices:45
Num Attorneys:1,800 (approx.)[2]
Key People:James Segerdahl (global managing partner), Michael Caccese (chairman, management committee)
Practice Areas:General practice
Date Founded:1946 (Pittsburgh)
1883 (Seattle)
Revenue: US$ 990 million (2017)[3]
Homepage:www.klgates.com
Firm Logo:KLGates-logo.png

K&L Gates LLP is an American multinational corporation law firm based in the United States, with international offices in Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, and South America.[4] Its namesake firms are Kirkpatrick & Lockhart, a Pittsburgh-based firm founded as Kirkpatrick, Pomeroy, Lockhart & Johnson in 1946, and Preston Gates & Ellis, a Seattle firm founded in 1883 whose prominent partners included William H. Gates Sr., the attorney, philanthropist, and father of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. Kirkpatrick & Lockhart merged with Preston Gates in 2007 to form K&L Gates, LLP.

Measured by headcount, it was the 12th largest law firm in the United States in 2018.[5] [6] The firm delivers legal services at both an individual office level and through nine broad firmwide practice areas: Corporate and Transactional; Energy, Infrastructure and Resources; Finance; Financial Services; Intellectual Property; Labor, Employment and Workplace Safety; Litigation and Dispute Resolution; Real Estate; and Regulatory and Policy, each of which also include a number of subject matter and industry-based practice groups.[7]

, the leaders of K&L Gates are James Segerdahl (global managing partner) and Michael Caccese (chairman, management committee).[8]

History

Ratings and rankings

U.S. News has given the firm "Tier 1" national ratings in 42 different practice areas, placing it in the top 3 law firms with the most Tier 1 rankings.[15] [16] The firm garnered 129 first-tier ratings at the regional/city level across 59 practice groups.[17] Chambers has given the firm a tier 1 national ranking for its Shipping & Maritime Transportation practice, as well as regional tier 1 rankings in: Corporate/Commercial (WA), Environmental (NJ), Bankruptcy and Healthcare (NC), Insurance, Litigation and Corporate (PA).[18]

The firm is ranked #34 in the Top 100 "most prestigious law firms in the country based on the assessments of lawyers at peer firms" by Vault.com.[19]

For three consecutive years (2017–2019) U.S. News has ranked K&L Gates as the top law firm in the U.S. for environmental litigation ("Law Firm of the Year - Environmental Litigation").[20] [17] The firm has been named among the "Pacific Northwest Elite" by the website Above the Law, which noted the firm as the "Best Firm for Lobbying Congress in Your Favor".[21]

The firm ranks #41 in the American Lawyer "Global 200" rankings, which ranks firms worldwide by revenue.[5] The legal news site Above the Law ranked the firm number 71 in its 2018 "Power 100" law firm rankings.[22] The Financial Times labeled K&L among the "Most innovative North American law firms 2015: Compliance & technology".[23]

K&L Gates received a 100% rating in the 2018 Corporate Equality Index compiled by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, an LGBT advocacy group.[24] In 2016 the Yale Law Women organization included K&L Gates in the top ten family-friendly law firms.[25] Vault.com has described the firm's “great work-life balance” and "pleasant culture" while also noting a "lack of transparency" at the firm.[26]

Projects

In 2012 K&L Gates represented Carnegie Mellon University in a patent suit resulting in a jury verdict awarding $1.17B to the university, one of the largest such verdicts at the time.[27]

In September 2014, K&L Gates founded the "Cyber Civil Rights Legal Project". The project initially involves about fifty K&L lawyers working pro bono to assist about 100 victims of "revenge porn". According to the New York Times, the project is believed to be first of its kind at a major United States law firm.[28] By 2016, the project has aided hundreds of victims and has led to a handful of arrests.[29] In April 2017 the project secured an $8.9 million jury award for a King County couple, reportedly the largest award for non-celebrity targets of "revenge porn" to date.[30] [31]

In 2016, K&L Gates awarded a $10 million grant to Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) to establish the "K&L Gates Endowment for Ethics and Computational Technologies". This new research center is to explore the ethics of artificial intelligence and establish a biennial conference. The firm has provided legal services to CMU for decades; K&L Gates Chairman Emeritus Charles J. Queenan Jr. once chaired CMU's Board of Trustees.[32] [33]

In 2017, K&L Gates announced it would create its own blockchain.[34]

Political contributions

According to OpenSecrets, K&L Gates was one of the law firms contributing the most to federal candidates during the 2012 election cycle, donating $1.09 million, with 52% going to Democratic candidates.[35] [36] By comparison, during that same period Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld donated $2.56 million (66% going to Democrats),[35] while oil conglomerate ExxonMobil donated $2.66 million (88% to Republicans).[37] Since the 1990 election cycle, K&L Gates contributed nearly $12.9 million to federal campaigns, and spent $1.25 million on lobbying since 1999.[38]

Lawsuits

K&L Gates has faced several lawsuits from former clients, including accusations of breaching fiduciary duties,[39] overbilling,[40] and malpractice.[41]

In January 2020, a worker with anxiety and ADHD sued K&L Gates for disability bias and retaliation after seeking a work-from-home accommodation;[42] [43] the suit was later settled out of court.[44] In November 2020, former partner Willie E. Dennis sued the firm alleging that his May 2019 termination was "for complaining about discrimination against Black attorneys and for opposing the sexual harassment of female employees."[45]

Notable lawyers and alumni

The following attorneys were affiliated with K&L Gates and its immediate predecessor firms, including, e.g., Preston Gates & Ellis; Nicholson Graham & Jones; Kennedy Covington; Hughes & Luce; Bell, Boyd & Lloyd; and Middletons:

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: K&L Gates. Forbes.
  2. Web site: K%26L Gates.
  3. Web site: K%26L Gates.
  4. Web site: Places.
  5. Web site: K. Law.com. en. 2019-03-04.
  6. Web site: Law360 Reveals the 400 Largest US Firms. Law360. March 4, 2019.
  7. Web site: About K&L; Gates . www.klgates.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110621021010/http://www.klgates.com/aboutus/xpqGC.aspx?xpST=AboutUsGeneral&key=ec9cb923-6322-4cc9-838c-bda359f6626e&activeEntry=7cc28745-1d6a-44fc-8d41-33be565591ac . 2011-06-21.
  8. Web site: Tascarella . Patty . 2016-09-23 . As K&L grows, it takes two to fill Kalis’ shoes . 2024-01-19 . Pittsburgh Business Times.
  9. News: Riggio. Jim. Former Congressman, Judge James Rogan Joins Orange County Firm. 24 May 2012.
  10. Web site: K&L Gates. Forbes. en. 2020-04-28.
  11. Web site: Kalis to step down as chairman of K&L Gates. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. en. 2020-04-20.
  12. News: James. Andrea. Preston Gates & Ellis OKs merger. 24 May 2012. Seattle Pi. 14 December 2006.
  13. Web site: Press release from K&L Gates . 2008-07-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080714215133/http://www.klgates.com/newsstand/detail.aspx?publication=4659 . 2008-07-14 . dead .
  14. Web site: The Rise of the Megafirm. ABA Journal. en. 2020-04-20.
  15. Web site: K&L Gates - Rankings. bestlawfirms.usnews.com. 2019-03-04.
  16. Web site: Firm Overview About K&L Gates. www.klgates.com. 2019-03-04.
  17. Web site: K&L Gates - Firm Overview. bestlawfirms.usnews.com. 2019-03-04.
  18. Web site: K&L Gates - The Inside View. www.chambers-associate.com. en. 2019-03-14.
  19. Web site: Most Prestigious Law FirmsVault.com. Vault. en. 2019-03-04.
  20. News: K&L Gates - Rankings. U.S. News. 6 December 2017.
  21. Web site: The Pacific Northwest Elite: The Go-To Cascadia Law Firms. Dalton. Brian. Above the Law. March 2017. en-US. 2019-03-04.
  22. Web site: 2018 Power 100 Law Firm Rankings. Above the Law. en-US. 2019-03-14.
  23. News: Innovative Lawyers - Financial Times. Financial Times. 6 December 2017. en.
  24. News: Local companies earn perfect score on LGBTQ index. 9 November 2017. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 6 December 2017. en.
  25. News: These 10 law firms are ranked the most family-friendly. 11 July 2016. ABA Journal. 6 December 2017. en.
  26. Web site: K&L Gates LLPCompany ProfileVault.com. Vault. en. 2019-03-04.
  27. News: Marvell Ordered to Pay $1.17 Billion in Patent Case. Mouawad. Jad. 2012-12-26. The New York Times. 2019-03-04. en-US. 0362-4331.
  28. News: Goldstein. Matthew. Law Firm Founds Project to Fight 'Revenge Porn'. 6 December 2017. New York Times. 29 January 2015. en.
  29. News: Miami lawyers' project helps online victims of revenge porn. 6 December 2017. Miami Herald. 28 December 2016. en.
  30. News: King County couple awarded $8.9M revenge porn verdict. 6 December 2017. seattlepi.com. 9 May 2017.
  31. How One Woman's Digital Life Was Weaponized Against Her. 6 December 2017. Wired. 14 November 2017.
  32. News: Markoff. John. New Research Center to Explore Ethics of Artificial Intelligence. 6 December 2017. The New York Times. 1 November 2016.
  33. News: Aupperlee. Aaron. K&L Gates gives $10M to CMU to study ethics of AI. 6 December 2017. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. 2 November 2016.
  34. News: K&L Gates to implement private blockchain. 6 December 2017. ABA Journal. 25 October 2017. en.
  35. Web site: Lawyers & Lobbyists: Top Contributors to Federal Candidates, Parties, and Outside Groups. . OpenSecrets.
  36. Web site: K&L Gates Recipients Among Federal Candidates, 2012 Cycle Total: $1,093,069 . . . 17 June 2019.
  37. Web site: Energy/Natural Resources: Top Contributors to Federal Candidates, Parties, and Outside Groups. . OpenSecrets.
  38. Web site: Organizations: K&L Gates. . OpenSecrets.
  39. Web site: 2020-05-01. K&L Gates sued by former clients after $3M court loss over real estate joint venture. 2020-11-15. Lawyerly. en-US.
  40. Web site: Overbilling suit alleges K&L Gates used these techniques to increase fees. 2020-11-15. ABA Journal. en.
  41. Web site: October 20, 2020. Brenda . Sapino Jeffreys . Malpractice Suit Against K&L Gates Heads Back to Texas Trial Court. 2020-11-15. Texas Lawyer. en.
  42. Web site: January 28, 2020. Lizzy. McLellan . Ex-Staffer Alleges K&L Gates Refused Accommodations for ADHD, Anxiety. 2020-11-15. The Legal Intelligencer. en.
  43. Web site: Malfitano. Nicholas. K&L Gates says it fired data specialist for performance reasons, not his ADHD diagnosis. 2020-11-15. Pennsylvania Record. en.
  44. Web site: KRASTMAN v. K&L GATES LLP. 2020-11-15. www.law360.com. en.
  45. Web site: K&L Gates Accused of Systemic Race Bias by Black Former Partner. 2020-11-15. news.bloomberglaw.com. en.
  46. Web site: Perez . Sarah . 2019-10-15 . TikTok taps corporate law firm K&L Gates to advise on its US content moderation policies . 2023-01-19 . TechCrunch . en-US.
  47. Web site: 2012-10-24 . Judge Betty B. Fletcher, a trailblazer for women in law, dies at age 89 . 2023-01-19 . The Stanford Daily . en-US.
  48. Web site: Senate confirms J. Nicholas Ranjan as district court judge amid judicial shuffle in Western Pennsylvania . 2023-01-19 . Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . en.
  49. ABA Journal ABA President to Replace Magowan as Managing Partner of San Francisco Giants
  50. http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/thornburgh-shares-lessons-from-three-mile-island-crisis-20110315 Thornburgh Shares Lessons From Three Mile Island Crisis
  51. Web site: K&L Gates - People - Dick Thornburgh . 2012-01-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140405134026/http://www.klgates.com/dick-thornburgh/ . 2014-04-05 . dead .
  52. Web site: Testimony of Dick Thornburgh, Former Attorney General of the United States, Counsel, K&L Gates LLP . 2012-01-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120305083617/http://judiciary.house.gov/hearings/pdf/Thornburgh%2012132011.pdf . 2012-03-05 . dead .
  53. [Eric Schneiderman]
  54. News: Democratic Firm Learns To Do Business With New Congress. Nelson. Robert T.. January 27, 1995. The Seattle Times.
  55. News: How scheming lobbyist operated in Seattle firm. Postman, David. 2006-02-07. 2012-08-26. The Seattle Times. Bernton, Hal.
  56. https://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/lobbying-hires/3911-lobbying-world The Hill, Lobbying World ("Jim Walsh has joined K&L Gates as a government affairs counselor")
  57. http://www.klgates.com/michael-s-greco/ K&L Gates - People - Michael S. Greco
  58. Web site: Mike Ormsby to retire as Spokane city attorney next month The Spokesman-Review . 2023-01-19 . www.spokesman.com.
  59. Web site: Obituary Neal R. Brendel: Lived for challenges as an athlete and a lawyer . 2023-01-19 . Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . en.
  60. http://www.parade.com/news/2012/01/10-things-didnt-know-rick-santorum.html 10 Things You Didn't Know About Rick Santorum
  61. http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Articles/2012/01/04/9-Things-You-Need-to-Know-about-Rick-Santorum.aspx#page2 9 Things You Need to Know About Rick Santorum
  62. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2010270765_guest16slade.html Congress is on a health-reform path that will raise premiums
  63. http://www.klgates.com/slade-gorton/ K&L Gates - People - K&L Gates
  64. Web site: Woodrow Wilson Center . 2012-08-25 . 2016-03-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304042213/http://support.wilsoncenter.org/page.aspx?pid=429 . dead .
  65. News: Lee . Kristen A. . 2005-08-24 . Lloyd Meeds, Ex-Congressman, Dies at 77 . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-01-19 . 0362-4331.

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