Munger, Tolles & Olson
 | This article contains promotional content. (September 2021) |
 | |
| Headquarters | California Plaza Los Angeles, California |
|---|---|
| No. of offices | 3 |
| No. of attorneys | 192 (2021) [1] |
| No. of employees | 550 (2008) |
| Major practice areas | litigation, corporate, tax, real estate, bankruptcy, labor and employment, environmental |
| Key people | Hailyn J. Chen, and Malcolm A. Heinicke, Co-Managing Partners |
| Revenue | $321,595,000 (2021) [1] |
| Profit per equity partner | $2,108,000 (2021) [1] |
| Date founded | 1962 |
| Founder | Charlie Munger, Leroy Tolles, Carla Hills, Rodrick Hills |
| Company type | Limited liability partnership |
| Website | mto.com |
Munger, Tolles, & Olson LLP (MTO) is an American law firm with offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington D.C.. Charles Munger founded the firm in 1962 along with six other attorneys.[2]
History
The firm was founded in 1962 by seven partners, including Charles Munger, Edwin Leroy “Roy” Tolles, Carla Hills and Rodrick Hills.[3][4] In 1965, Munger left the firm to join Warren Buffett in a business partnership, eventually serving as vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, a client of the firm.[5] Ronald Olson was hired in 1968 and became partner in 1970.[6]
The firm opened an office in San Francisco in 1991.[7] In 2016, the firm hired former Solicitor General of the United States Donald B. Verrilli Jr. to launch an office in Washington D.C.[8]
Legal practice
Munger, Tolles & Olson is primarily known for defending corporations in civil lawsuits and individuals in criminal trials and investigations.
Recognition
Munger, Tolles & Olson ranked as the nation's top law firm on the American Lawyer A-List from 2008 to 2010.[9][10][11][12]
Notable representations
Litigation
- Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) in litigation brought against the utility as a result of several California wildfires in 2017, 2018 and 2020.[13] The firm helped broker a series of multi-million dollar settlements.[14][13]
- Vanessa Bryant in an invasion of privacy lawsuit regarding the inappropriate sharing of photos from the scene of the helicopter crash that killed her husband and daughter, Kobe and Gianna Bryant, and seven others.[15] The jury awarded Vanessa Bryant and others $31 million. The firm also represented the Kobe Bryant Estate in the wrongful death suit against Island Express, the helicopter company that was transporting the passengers who all perished in the crash.[15]
- The Getty Trust after allegations of wrongdoing in the acquisition of its antiquities collection[16]
- California candidate for governor Bill Simon after a jury returned a $78 million verdict for fraud[17]
- Southern California Edison in the reorganization of California's energy industry[18]
- Merrill Lynch in the bankruptcy of Orange County[19]
- The Philippines against Imelda Marcos and Ferdinand Marcos[20]
- Defense of AFTERMATH RECORDS regarding the percentage of royalties owed for digital downloads[21]
Transactional practice
- Warren Buffett in his $31 billion gift to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation[22]
- Berkshire Hathaway in its $22 billion purchase of General Reinsurance and $5 billion investment in Goldman Sachs[23][24]
Lawyers
Attorneys
There are 170 lawyers at Munger, Tolles & Olson.[2] In 2008, the Daily Journal named three attorneys to its list of the most Top 100 Lawyers in California.[25] Attorneys include:
- Jeffrey L. Bleich, former Special Counsel to President Barack Obama and United States Ambassador to Australia[26]
- Robert Denham, former CEO of the investment bank Salomon Brothers during the 1990s and current chairman of the MacArthur Foundation;[27]
- Ronald Olson, a director of Berkshire Hathaway, who was named the most influential lawyer in California by California Law Business;[28]
- Donald B. Verrilli Jr., former U.S. Solicitor General in the Obama administration[29]
Alumni
- Nancy Bekavac, the first female president of Scripps College;
- Alan Bersin, President Barack Obama's "Border Czar" and former United States Attorney for the Southern District of California;
- Daniel P. Collins, Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- Michelle Friedland, Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- Carla Anderson Hills, former U.S. Trade Representative and former Secretary of Health and Human Services;
- Roderick Hills, former White House Counsel and Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC);
- Brett Kavanaugh, Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States[30]
- Leondra Kruger, Justice of the California Supreme Court[31]
- Carolyn Kuhl, judge on the Superior Court of California for the County of Los Angeles and former Deputy Solicitor General at the Department of Justice;
- Felicia Marcus, Chairman of California State Water Resources Control Board[32]
- Vilma Socorro Martínez, United States Ambassador to Argentina and past president of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF);[33]
- Charles Munger, vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway
- John B. Owens, Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- Paul J. Watford, Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
See also
References
- ^ a b c "Munger Tolles & Olson LLP". Retrieved 2022-12-28.
- ^ a b "About Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP". Archived from the original on 2009-04-12. Retrieved 2009-06-16.
- ^ Arnold, Laurence (2014-10-30). "Roderick M. Hills dies at 83; head of the SEC under President Ford". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "Co-founder of Los Angeles law firm". Los Angeles Times. 2008-02-01.
- ^ Kolz, Amy (2011-05-06). "Munger Tolles's Ron Olson and Berkshire: The Question of Lawyers Serving on Client Boards". AM Law Daily.
- ^ Maharaj, Davan (1995-09-05). "HENNIGAN VS. OLSON : Court Rivals : 2 Lawyers Will Slug It Out in O.C. Bankruptcy Debacle : Ronald L. Olson: Investment Giant Is Latest of His High-Profile Clients". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Savage, David G. (2016-09-28). "Obama's former Supreme Court lawyer, Donald Verrilli, joins L.A. law firm". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Randazzo, Sara (2016-09-28). "California Law Firm Hires Former Solicitor General for Washington, D.C., Office". Wall Street Journal.
- ^ Chang, Andrea (2008-07-08). "L.A. law firm judged No. 1". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "THE AM LAW 100: Munger Revenue and Profits Flat".
- ^ Jones, Ashby (2009-06-30). "Munger Tolles Tops AmLaw's A-List, Once Again". The Wall Street Journal.
- ^ Jones, Ashby (2010-07-01). "Deja Vu All Over Again: Munger Tolles Again Tops the 'A-List'". The Wall Street Journal.
- ^ a b Atkins, Dorothy (2023-05-31). "PG&E To Pay $50M To End Criminal Case Over Zogg Fire". Law 360.
- ^ Yount, Jessie (2021-11-28). "When Disaster Strikes, Munger Tolles' Litigators Come to Clients' Rescue". Law.com.
- ^ a b Clough, Craig (2022-08-24). "Kobe Bryant Jury Awards Families $31M Over Crash Pics". Law 360.
- ^ Felch, Jason; Frammolino, Ralph (2006-09-02). "Investigators Secretly Mined Munitz's Records". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "Brad D. Brian - Lawyers - Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP". Archived from the original on 2009-11-01. Retrieved 2009-06-16.
- ^ "John W. Spiegel - Lawyers - Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP". Archived from the original on 2011-03-11. Retrieved 2009-06-16.
- ^ Maharaj, Davan (1995-09-05). "HENNIGAN VS. OLSON : Court Rivals : 2 Lawyers Will Slug It Out in O.C. Bankruptcy Debacle : Ronald L. Olson: Investment Giant Is Latest of His High-Profile Clients". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Rempel, William (1990-11-06). "Marcos Claims Pact Near With Aquino Government". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "Em2m Llc. v. Records, s. 09-55817, 09-56069". Retrieved 2023-08-21.
- ^ Thomas Jr., Landon (2006-06-27). "A $31 Billion Gift Between Friends". The New York Times.
- ^ O'Brien, Thomas L. (2005-05-01). "For Buffett, the One That Got Away". The New York Times.
- ^ Frye, Andrew (2011-08-26). "Buffett BofA Deal Is Latest to Capitalize on Bank Weakness". Bloomberg.
- ^ "Our People - Headlines - media center - Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP". Archived from the original on 2011-07-14. Retrieved 2009-06-16.
- ^ "Jeffrey L. Bleich". Archived from the original on 2014-11-07. Retrieved 2014-11-07.
- ^ "Salomon Inc. names new CEO to head up securities house". Chicago Tribune. 1992-06-03.
- ^ "Commission Members | Ronald L. Olson". Archived from the original on 2009-06-09. Retrieved 2009-06-16.
- ^ Olson, Elizabeth (2016-09-28). "Donald Verrilli, Former Solicitor General, to Join Law Firm". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2018-02-11.
- ^ https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/LSB10170.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ "Leondra R. Kruger appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown to state Supreme Court". Los Angeles Times. 25 November 2014.
- ^ Fritsch, Jane (September 2, 1990). "Felicia Marcus : Fighting for the Environment From Inside the Establishment". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2015-05-07.
- ^ LA Observed