Editing Latham & Watkins

{{Infobox Law Firm
| logo                      = [[Image:Latham & Watkins_logo.png|200px]]
| headquarters              = New York; NY
| num_offices               = 
| offices                   = 
| num_attorneys             = 2,000
| num_employees             = 
| practice_areas            = 
| established               = 1934
| key_people                = 
| revenue                   = 2,823
| profit_per_equity_partner = 
| billable_hours            = 
| website                   = http://www.lw.com/
| nalp_profile              = 
| nickname                  = 
}}
{{Law Firm Pay Scale
| year            = 2017
| salary_1st_year = 180
| bonus_1st_year  = 
| salary_2nd_year = 190
| bonus_2nd_year  = 
| salary_3rd_year = 210
| bonus_3rd_year  = 
| salary_4th_year = 235
| bonus_4th_year  = 
| salary_5th_year = 260
| bonus_5th_year  = 
| salary_6th_year = 280
| bonus_6th_year  = 
| salary_7th_year = 300
| bonus_7th_year  = 
| salary_8th_year = 315
| bonus_8th_year  = 
| salary_9th_year = 
| bonus_9th_year  = 
}}
'''Latham & Watkins LLP''' is an American law firm founded in 1934. As of 2017, it is the world’s highest-grossing [[law firm]], with US$2.823 billion in annual revenue, and is widely considered one of the most prestigious law firms in the world.<ref name="above the law.com">{{cite web|url=http://abovethelaw.com/2017/04/the-2017-am-law-100-a-turning-point-for-biglaw/2/|title=The 2017 Am Law 100: A Turning Point For Biglaw?|first=David|last=Lat|publisher=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://app.ft.com/cms/s/6bc12a1c-137e-11e5-aa7f-00144feabdc0.html|title=US law firms beat their British peers on pay|date=June 17, 2015|publisher=}}</ref>

Latham currently employs approximately 2,200 attorneys in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ilrg.com/nlj250/|title=ILRG Largest 350 Law Firms in the US|publisher=}}</ref><ref name="auto1">{{cite web|title=Find Our People|url=https://www.lw.com/globaldirectory|accessdate=2016-08-21}}</ref> The firm was founded in [[Los Angeles]] and has extensive Californian roots, with Latham's largest office now in [[New York City]], with nearly 400 lawyers.<ref name="lw.com/newyork">https://www.lw.com/offices/newyork</ref> The firm claims it is the only fully integrated [[multinational corporation|multinational]] law firm with no one headquarters.<ref>http://lw.com/upload/pubContent/_pdf/pub2219_1.pdf</ref> In 2007, Latham & Watkins became the first American law firm to attain more than $2 billion in yearly revenue, and in 2015, the firm surpassed the likes of [[DLA Piper]], [[Baker & McKenzie]] and [[Skadden]] to become the highest-grossing law firm in the world for the first time.<ref>Ashby Jones, [https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB120269357869457865 "Latham & Watkins Breaks $2 Billion Revenue Barrier"], ''[[Wall Street Journal]]'', February 11, 2008.</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Jones|first1=Ashby|title=Latham & Watkins Tops the AmLaw 100 For the First Time|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/law/2015/04/27/latham-watkins-tops-the-amlaw-100-for-the-first-time/|accessdate=9 September 2015|work=WSJ Law Blog|date=27 April 2015}}</ref>

== History==
Dana Latham and Paul Watkins founded Latham & Watkins in January 1934 in Los Angeles, California. Latham's practice focused on US state and federal [[tax law]] and he eventually served as Commissioner of the [[U.S. Internal Revenue Service]] under President [[Dwight Eisenhower]]. Watkins' practise focused primarily on labor. Although Latham & Watkins began with a focus on labor and tax law, the firm has grown into an international, full-service law practice with highly regarded practices in transactional, disputes and regulatory areas.<ref name="latham.com">[http://www.latham.com/AboutLatham.aspx?page=75thAnniversary Latham.com], Retrieved May 19, 2010.</ref>

When Latham & Watkins was founded, the firm consisted of three attorneys. The firm grew slowly, and, in 1960, there were 19 attorneys. The firm grew significantly in the 1960s, increasing the attorney headcount to 46 in 1970.<ref name="latham.com"/>

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Latham & Watkins utilized a system of internal committees to run the firm and allowed associates to participate in the majority of these committees. The Associates Committee was founded in 1971 and governs the career development of the firm's associates. The Associates Committee includes both associates and partners. Through this committee, Latham & Watkins includes associates in the promotion process. Associates are also involved in the Diversity Committee, Recruiting Committee, Pro Bono Committee and TACE (Training and Career Enhancement) Committee.<ref name="latham.com"/>

Jack Walker became the firm's managing partner in 1988 and set out to grow the firm. Latham & Watkins expanded into San Francisco, London, Moscow, Hong Kong and New Jersey. Robert Dell took over as managing partner in 1994. Dell's tenure has been marked by the firm's international growth.<ref name="latham.com"/> Dell retired at the end of 2014, and was succeeded by William Voge, a long time project finance partner at the firm.

==Political contributions==
According to the [[Center for Responsive Politics]], Latham & Watkins was the eighteenth largest law firm donor contributing to federal candidates during the 2016 election cycle, donating $1.08 million, 83.2% to Democrats.<ref name=topcontributors>{{cite web|title=Lawyers & Lobbyists: Top Contributors to Federal Candidates, Parties, and Outside Groups|url=http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/contrib.php?ind=K&Bkdn=DemRep&cycle=2016|website=OpenSecrets.org|publisher=Center for Responsive Politics}}</ref>  By comparison, during that same period law firm [[Jones Day]] (second on the list and general counsel to the [[Donald Trump]] campaign) donated $2.38 million, 78.8% to Republicans,<ref name=topcontributors/> and oil conglomerate [[Chevron Corp]] donated $4.78 million, 74.9% to Republicans.<ref>{{cite web|title=Energy/Natural Resources: Top Contributors to Federal Candidates, Parties, and Outside Groups|url=http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/contrib.php?ind=E&Bkdn=DemRep&cycle=2016|website=OpenSecrets.org|publisher=Center for Responsive Politics|accessdate=9 June 2016}}</ref>  Since 1990, Latham & Watkins has contributed $7.21 million to federal campaigns.<ref>{{cite web|title=Organizations: Latham & Watkins|url=http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000000536&cycle=A|website=OpenSecrets.org|publisher=Center for Responsive Politics|accessdate=27 November 2016}}</ref>

== Reputation and compensation ==
Latham was ranked as the #1 firm in the [[American Lawyer|''Am Law 100'']] rankings for 2017.<ref name="above the law.com" /> In 2015, the firm received 31 top ten rankings across a range of corporate and finance categories in ''[[The American Lawyer]]'''s 2015 rankings. The results included four #1 rankings in the areas of high-yield debt, IPOs and equity investments, with strong results in other practices, including M&A, project finance, bankruptcy and REITs.<ref name="lw.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.lw.com/awards/legal-500-us-2014|title=Latham & Watkins LLP - About Us - Awards & Rankings - Firm Receives Most Tier 1 Rankings in US Market|publisher=}}</ref> Dubbed an "A-List All-Star" by ''[[The American Lawyer]]'', the firm is one of three firms to appear on the A-List each year since its inception in 2003.<ref name="vault.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.vault.com/company-profiles/law/latham-watkins-llp/company-overview.aspx|title=Latham & Watkins LLP-Company Profile-Vault.com|publisher=}}</ref> The A-List recognizes "the most well-rounded" law firms based on financial performance and firm culture. Latham garnered the most Tier 1 rankings in the US market, across its transactional, disputes and regulatory practices in The Legal 500 US 2014.<ref name="vault.com"/> The Legal 500 US rankings are based on work achievements, depth and experience of the practice, and client and peer feedback.<ref name="lw.com"/> ''[[Vault.com]]'', named Latham one of the top ten most prestigious firms in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.vault.com/company-rankings/law/vault-law-100/|title=Vault.com{{!}}Vault Law 100|access-date=2016-07-25}}</ref>

Latham is also recognized as one of the highest-paying law firms in the world with profits per partner in the most recent year exceeding US$2.9 million.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.americanlawyer.com/id=1202750626526/The-Am-Law-100-Growth-Slows-at-Latham--Watkins?slreturn=20160625150645|title=The Am Law 100: Growth Slows at Latham & Watkins|language=en-US|access-date=2016-07-25}}</ref> First-year associates are paid a salary of US$180,000, with additional merit-based bonuses bringing total compensation to approximately $195,000. Summer associates are paid the same salary as first-year associates, although their compensation is prorated over ten weeks (amounting to US$3,470 per week).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.vault.com/company-profiles/law/latham-watkins-llp/company-overview.aspx|title=Latham & Watkins LLP{{!}}Company Profile{{!}}Vault.com|access-date=2016-07-25}}</ref>

==Notable clients and cases==
*Represented [[LucasFilm]] in its sale to [[Disney]]
*Represented [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] Inc. in its $4.84 billion sale to the [[Sony Corporation]] in cooperation with [[Providence Equity Partners]], [[Texas Pacific Group]], [[APriori Capital Partners|DLJ Merchant Banking Partners]] and [[Comcast Corporation]] (September 2004).<ref>{{cite news
  | title = $4.84 billion acquisition
  | publisher = International Law Office
  | date = September 13, 2004
  | url = http://www.internationallawoffice.com/deals/Detail.aspx?g=f7908b8d-ba66-4532-886a-9b6a159cd217  | accessdate = October 18, 2009 }}</ref>
*Advised [[Bayer]] AG in its successful 2006 €16.4 billion [[White knight (business)|white knight]] takeover offer for Schering AG pharmaceuticals.<ref>{{cite news
  | title = Rise of Latham & Watkins
  | work = Vol. 7, No. 1.
  | publisher = M&A Journal
  | date = March 31, 2007
  | url = http://www.lw.com/upload/pubContent/_pdf/pub1816_1.pdf  | accessdate = October 18, 2009 }}</ref>
*Legal counsel to [[bookrunner]]s and arrangers [[Deutsche Bank]] Securities Inc, [[Goldman Sachs]] International and [[Merrill Lynch]] International in $2 billion Rule 144A/Regulation S notes offer for [[ICICI Bank]] Ltd, through its [[Bahrain]] branch (October 2007). This transaction was shortlisted for the Asia Law India award in the category capital markets.<ref>{{cite news
  | title = India Awards
  | publisher = Asia Law
  | date = December 2008
  | url = http://www.asialaw.com/Article/2068748/India-awards.html  | accessdate = October 18, 2009 }}</ref>
*Represented the [[Church of Scientology]] in the [[Reed Slatkin]] [[Ponzi scheme]],<ref>{{cite news
  | last =  Reckard
  | first = Scott 
  | title = Scientology groups to pay back $3.5 million 
  |work=Los Angeles Times 
  | date = November 8, 2006
  | url = https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/1158248221.html?dids=1158248221:1158248221&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current
  | accessdate = April 24, 2008 }} 
</ref> and in 2008 letters signed by [[David J. Schindler]] on Latham & Watkins stationery were hand-delivered to ''[[Anonymous (group)|Anonymous]]'' protesters identified by Scientology, demanding cessation of unspecified "illegal activities against the church".<ref>{{Cite news
| last = Gray
| first = Tyler
| title = Anonymous on Trial? Scientology Steps Up Skirmish
| work = Radar
| accessdate = 2008-12-16
| date = 2008-03-31
| url = http://radaronline.com/exclusives/2008/03/anonymous-scientology-legal-letters-gregg-latham-watkins.php
}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news
| last = Lat
| first = David
| title = Latham & Watkins to Free Stress Tests?
| work = Above the Law
| accessdate = 2008-12-16
| date = 2008-04-01
| url = http://abovethelaw.com/2008/04/latham_watkins_to_free_stress.php
| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080405093708/http://www.abovethelaw.com/2008/04/latham_watkins_to_free_stress.php
| archivedate = 2008-04-05
}}</ref>
*Represented [[Eli Lilly & Co.]] in its $6.5 billion acquisition of [[ImClone]] in October 2008, in which Eli Lilly prevailed in an abortive price war with [[Bristol-Myers Squibb]], a rival pharmaceutical company that had been seeking control of ImClone, a leader in the field of [[oncology]] medicine.<ref>{{Cite news
| last = Lee
| first = Lisa
|author2=David Marcus |author3=Amy Wu
 | title = Latham gilds Lilly's ImClone offer
| work = The Deal
| accessdate = 2009-10-18
| date = 2008-10-10
| url = http://www.thedeal.com/newsweekly/dealmakers/latham-gilds-lillys-imclone-of.php
}}</ref>
*Advised [[Yahoo!]] Inc. in the definitive agreement to acquire Arabic language online portal [[Maktoob]] in August 2009. Financial terms were not disclosed ($164 million).<ref>{{Cite news
| title = Yahoo-Maktoob.com acquisition
| work = Mideast Legal Business Online
| accessdate = 2009-10-17
| date = 2009-09-03
| url = http://mideast.legalbusinessonline.com/deals/yahoo-maktoobcom-acquisition/2088
}}</ref>
*Donated $3.2 million in legal services to [[Jay Bybee]], a judge on the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit|Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals]], during an investigation into allegations of professional misconduct resulting from Bybee's work for the U.S. Justice Department under President George W. Bush.<ref>{{cite news|title=A big gift for Bybee: Latham & Watkins gives judge $3.2 million worth of legal aid|first=David |last=Ingram |work=The National Law Journal|date=October 24, 2011}}</ref>

== Notable attorneys ==
*[[Bruce Babbitt]] – Former [[U.S. Secretary of the Interior]] under President [[Bill Clinton]] and former governor of [[Arizona]].
*[[Sean Berkowitz]] – Federal prosecutor in the trials of [[Enron]] executives [[Ken Lay]] and [[Jeffrey Skilling]].
*[[John Kirby (attorney)|John Kirby]] – Intellectual property attorney, after whom [[Nintendo]] may have [[Kirby (Nintendo)#Concept and creation|named]] its "[[Kirby (Nintendo)|Kirby]]" character after a series of high-profile cases.
*[[Gregory G. Garre]] – Former [[Solicitor General of the United States]].
*[[Maureen Mahoney]] – Former Deputy Solicitor General in 1991, represented the [[University of Michigan]] before the [[U.S. Supreme Court]] in ''[[Grutter v. Bollinger]]''.
*[[Philip Perry]], was [[United States Department of Homeland Security|Dept. of Homeland Security]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/display?theme=11&content=5659|title=Homeland Security -|publisher=}}</ref> General Counsel, now a partner in the litigation department and chair of the Public Policy practice group. He is married to [[Elizabeth Cheney]], attorney, diplomat and daughter of former Vice President [[Dick Cheney]].
* [[Abid Riaz Qureshi]], nominee to the [[United States District Court for the District of Columbia]].
* [[Kathryn Ruemmler]], former White House Counsel

== Offices & administration ==
Latham's first office was in Los Angeles. The New York office is currently the largest. Latham is the only global law firm with no corporate headquarters, and no Latham office reports or is subordinate to another. Only personnel designated as "partners" have ownership interest or control of the firm. Those with the title of "officer" or "director" do not have authority to control the firm.<ref name="auto"/> Latham currently has over 2,200 attorneys located in 31 offices in 13 countries, covering 9 other regions.<ref>{{cite web|title=Latham Around the World|url=https://www.lw.com/presence?officeViewMode=ListView|accessdate=2016-08-21}}</ref><ref name="auto1"/>

== Notable alumni ==
<!-- New links in alphabetical order please -->
*[[Bruce Babbitt]], former [[Governor of Arizona]] and [[United States Secretary of the Interior|U.S. Secretary of the Interior]]
*[[Michael Chertoff]], former [[United States Secretary of Homeland Security|U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security]]
*[[Christopher Cox]], former [[United States Securities and Exchange Commission]] (SEC) Chair
*[[Richard Danzig]], former [[Secretary of the Navy]] and Chair, Center for a New American Security
*[[Mark S. Fowler]], former [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) Chair
*[[Ivan Gazidis]] - CEO at [[Arsenal FC]].
*[[Fred T. Goldberg, Jr.]] former Partner and [[Commissioner of Internal Revenue]] at the [[Internal Revenue Service]]
*[[David J. Hayes]], Deputy Secretary of the [[U.S. Department of the Interior]]
*[[Carla Anderson Hills]], former [[U.S. Trade Representative]] and [[United States Department of Housing and Urban Development]] Secretary
*[[Roderick M. Hills]], former SEC Chair
*[[Reed Hundt]], former FCC Chair
*[[Garth Lagerwey]], general manager of [[Major League Soccer]]'s Seattle Sounders FC.
*[[DeMaurice Smith]], Executive Director of the [[NFLPA]]
*[[Arne Sorenson]], CEO, [[Marriott International]]
*[[James J. White]], Robert A. Sullivan Professor of Law at the University of Michigan Law School and author of a treatise on the Uniform Commercial Code (with [[Robert S. Summers]])
*[[Lance Wickman]] – General counsel for [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]]
*[[Beth Wilkinson]] – Prosecutor in the [[Oklahoma City bombing]] case, former General Counsel of [[Fannie Mae]].

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*{{Official website|http://www.lw.com/}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Latham and Watkins}}
[[Category:Law firms established in 1934]]
[[Category:Law firms based in Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Foreign law firms with offices in Hong Kong]]
[[Category:Foreign law firms with offices in Japan]]
[[Category:1934 establishments in California]]