Press Releases
Hogan & Hartson Opens San Francisco and Silicon Valley Offices in California
Firm Expands Securities, White Collar, Antitrust, and Labor and Employment Litigation Practices
UPDATED ANNOUNCEMENT
WASHINGTON, D.C., October 14, 2008 – Hogan & Hartson LLP announced today that the firm is significantly expanding its securities, white collar, consumer class action, antitrust, mergers and acquisitions, and employment litigation practices, adding West Coast offices in San Francisco and Silicon Valley, as well as adding prominent litigators to its established office in New York City. In all, the firm is adding two new offices and 10 senior lawyers, with developed and high-profile trial practices. This group of exceptional new Hogan & Hartson lawyers have all joined from Heller Ehrman LLP, and includes the former Chair of Heller Ehrman’s litigation practice and the former Co-chairs of that firm’s securities litigation practice.
“The firm has long had a significant practice on the West Coast and in Northern California in particular, representing clients with headquarters or substantial operations in that region,” said Hogan & Hartson Chairman J. Warren Gorrell, Jr. “The addition of this preeminent group of trial lawyers on the West Coast and in New York, many of whom are widely recognized as leaders in their fields and have held leadership positions with their previous firm, enables us to expand our range of experience throughout the firm. This is particularly true in the securities litigation area, where we are strengthening our existing national white collar and securities class action litigation practices. We already have significant litigation, regulatory, corporate, and IP representations for many clients in Northern California, so our new San Francisco and Silicon Valley offices will further strengthen our commitment to our clients with interests there, building upon our existing Los Angeles office.”
The new West Coast additions bring the total number of offices worldwide to 27, spanning the United States, Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. By the end of October, subject to a favorable partnership vote, Hogan & Hartson expects to bring on more than 20 lawyers in the firm’s newest two offices and New York.
The
San Francisco office additions will include:
- Michael J. Shepard, Partner: A trial lawyer and former federal prosecutor and Justice Department official, Shepard led the white collar criminal defense practice at his former firm and focuses on trials, white collar criminal defense and related civil litigation, and internal corporate investigations. Shepard has extensive securities class action experience and recently led a team that won a verdict for the former CEO of a leading technology company in a securities fraud class action in which the damage claim was $20 billion.
- Douglas M. Schwab, Of Counsel: Schwab is a trial lawyer and Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. His practice includes securities litigation and corporate governance, and professional liability litigation for domestic and foreign accounting firms. Schwab held a variety of leadership positions at his former firm, including serving as a member of the Executive and Policy Committees, as firmwide Chair of the Litigation Department, and as Chair of the San Francisco Litigation and Securities Litigation Departments.
- Howard S. Caro, Partner: Caro is a securities litigation lawyer whose practice emphasizes private securities litigation, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), SEC enforcement proceedings, and internal corporate investigations. He was a lead lawyer on a team that won a verdict for the former CEO of a leading technology company in a securities fraud class action involving a $20 billion damage claim.
- Megan Dixon, Partner: Dixon is a litigator focusing on internal corporate investigations and criminal antitrust matters, including cartel defense. She formerly served as a federal prosecutor and has significant experience in the area of international criminal antitrust law.
The
Silicon Valley office additions will include:
- Norman J. Blears, Partner: A former Co-chair of the securities litigation practice at his previous firm, Blears’s work emphasizes complex securities law matters, including securities class action and corporate governance litigation.
- Michael L. Charlson, Partner: Both a former Co-chair of the securities litigation practice and a former Office Managing Partner at his previous firm, Charlson’s practice involves complex business litigation with a primary focus on securities class actions, corporate governance, and related regulatory and exchange proceedings. Charlson was also a lead lawyer in a $20 billion damage claim securities fraud class action involving a former CEO of a leading technology company.
- Robert B. Hawk, Partner: Hawk has extensive experience in commercial litigation, antitrust, and intellectual property litigation, including substantial experience in consumer class actions and California Unfair Competition claims.
- Laurence A. Weiss, Partner: Weiss is a securities litigator whose practice includes significant experience in securities fraud, corporate governance and merger litigation, internal investigations, and related regulatory and enforcement matters.
The firm will also add these lawyers in the
New York office:
- Robert B. Buehler, Partner: A former Assistant United States Attorney in the Criminal Division of the Southern District of New York, Buehler has extensive experience representing individuals and institutions in complex civil and criminal matters, including SEC enforcement investigations and litigation and white collar criminal defense cases. For three years, he was Chief of the Organized Crime and Terrorism Unit in the U.S. Attorney's Office.
- Kenneth Kirschner, Partner: Kirschner was most recently Chair of the labor and employment practice at his previous firm. He is an accomplished litigator who represents corporations and management exclusively.
About Hogan & Hartson Hogan & Hartson is an international law firm founded in Washington, D.C. with more than 1,100 lawyers in 27 offices worldwide.
In addition to the San Francisco and Silicon Valley locations, Hogan & Hartson has offices in Abu Dhabi, Baltimore, Beijing, Berlin, Boulder, Brussels, Caracas, Colorado Springs, Denver, Geneva, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Miami, Moscow, Munich, New York, Northern Virginia, Paris, Philadelphia, Shanghai, Tokyo, Warsaw, and Washington, D.C.
For more information about the firm, visit www.hhlaw.com.
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