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O’Melveny & Myers, LLP [By Douglas May] O’Melveny & Myers, LLP, an international law firm based in Los Angeles, California, is truly a global power. Established in 1885, O’Melveny & Myers started as a two-lawyer partnership in what was then the frontier town of Los Angeles. It has grown to be one of the largest and most distinguished law firms in Los Angeles and worldwide.
Not long after its inception, the firm found
branch offices in New York City, Tokyo, San
influential lawyers. He is currently a partner
itself in the middle of a ripe market for legal
Francisco, and London. Some of the London
at the Century City office in Los Angeles.
services, as land and population booms
office’s representative clients were Advanced
transformed Los Angeles from a sleepy
Micro Devices, Inc.; Bankers Trust Company;
There are several other notable partners
village into one of the most important cities
Bankers Trust International, PLC; Goldman
who have been associated with O’Melveny
in the country. O’Melveny kept up with the
Sachs International; Dresdner Kleinwort
& Myers. Daniel Petrocelli achieved fame
demand, serving clients in industries as
Benson; and Korn/Ferry International. More
as the attorney who won the successful
diverse as aircraft, oil, motion picture, and
offices were started in the 1990s, including
wrongful death lawsuit against O.J. Simpson
utility services.
the Hong Kong office in 1994. In 1996, the
brought by Ronald Goldman’s family.
law firm gained approval from the People’s
Petrocelli also represented Jeffrey Skilling in
Located at 400 South Hope Street in
Republic of China to start a registered
his criminal prosecution after the collapse of
downtown Los Angeles, this prestigious
law office in Shanghai. The firm’s website
the Enron Corporation.
firm boasts a strong global presence with
claimed in 2000, “O’Melveny & Myers is only
offices in 13 cities, including San Francisco,
one of a few international law firms to be
Walter Dellinger was Solicitor General of
New York, Washington, DC, London,
granted this status, and our Shanghai office
the United States for the 1996-1997 term
Brussels, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, and
is now the largest foreign law office in the
of the Supreme Court. Current chair of
Tokyo. With more than 1,000 lawyers in its
city.”
the firm Arthur B. Culvahouse, Jr., served
employ, O’Melveny & Myers offers expert
as White House Counsel under President
representation in numerous practice areas,
Many of the firm’s attorneys have served at
Ronald Reagan. Alejandro Mayorkas served
including aviation, business restructuring
the highest levels of government under both
as U.S. Attorney for the Central District
and reorganization, class action defense,
Republican and Democrat administrations.
of California, the largest federal judicial
entertainment and media, global trade,
One of O’Melveny & Myers’s most prominent
district in the nation. He supervised more
healthcare, intellectual property, tax, and
lawyers is former Secretary of State Warren
than 240 assistant U.S. attorneys and
varied capital law.
Christopher. He had served President
oversaw the investigation and prosecution
Lyndon Johnson as deputy attorney general
of cases involving complex securities and
O’Melveny & Myers maintains an exceptional
and President Jimmy Carter as deputy
financial institution fraud, international
client list that includes top companies,
secretary of state before serving President
money laundering, civil rights violations,
financial institutions, and organizations.
Bill Clinton as his secretary of state. In a
organized crime, narcotics trafficking, and
UBS Investment Bank; Bear, Sterns &
humorous aside, at the 1999 unveiling of his
racketeering.
Co., Inc.; Southern California Edison;
portrait at the Department of State, attended
Johnson & Johnson Consumer Products;
by President Clinton, he remarked, “To
O’Melveny & Myers has a long-standing
and Neutrogena Corporation are but a few
anyone who has served in Washington, there
tradition of procuring pro bono service that
of O’Melveny and Myers’s top clients, and
is something oddly familiar about [having
ranges from firm founder John O’Melveny’s
the firm helps industry leaders across a
your portrait painted]. First, you’re painted
role as co-founder of The Legal Aid
broad array of sectors manage the complex
into a corner, then you’re hung out to dry,
Foundation of Los Angeles to the firm’s
challenges of succeeding in the global
and, finally, you’re framed.” Christopher was
current work with legal organizations like
economy.
a major force in the international growth of
The Alliance for Children’s Rights, Habitat
the firm as its chairman from 1982 to 1992.
for Humanity, and New York Lawyers for the
O’Melveny & Myers’s expansion soared in
As O’Melveny & Myers’s senior partner, he
Public Interest. When asked to pick the law
the 1980s as the law firm opened four new
was chosen as one of California’s 10 most
firm they most admired in 25 metropolitan
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LAWCROSSING
THE LARGEST COLLECTION OF LEGAL JOBS ON EARTH
FIRM PROFILE
www.lawcrossing.com
areas, nearly 1,000 directors of public
According to a survey conducted by
corporations chose O’Melveny & Myers.
Corporate Board Member magazine featured in the July/August 2007 special legal issue, “America’s Best Corporate Law Firms,” O’Melveny ranked as the top corporate law firm in Los Angeles and ranked 15th nationwide.
Now, 122 years after its inception, O’Melveny & Myers is not only one of the most esteemed law firms in the country but also one of the most profitable. It came in at number 15 on the 2006 Am Law 100 based on its gross revenue of more than $800 million,
The firm’s litigation department wins
surpassing such heavyweights as Simpson,
tremendous support from clients and
Thacher & Bartlett; Davis, Polk & Wardwell;
competitors alike. Named “Litigation
and Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton.
Department of the Year” in 2004 by The
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1. 800.973.1177
American Lawyer, the firm was honored for generating “exceptional results in a string of cases of national and international importance.” The American Lawyer noted not only O’Melveny’s representations of highprofile clients but also the firm’s “culture centered on teamwork and collegiality” as reasons for the honor. Los Angeles-based O’Melveny partner M. Randall Oppenheimer states that “collegiality is more than a quality-of-life issue [at O’Melveny.] It’s a competitive advantage.”