K&L Gates
| K&L Gates | |
| Headquarters | K&L Gates Center Pittsburgh[1] |
|---|---|
| No. of offices | 46 |
| No. of attorneys | Over 2000 |
| Major practice areas | General practice |
| Key people | Peter Kalis (chairman) |
| Date founded | 1883 (Seattle, U.S.A.) |
| Company type | Limited Liability Partnership |
| Website | www.klgates.com |
K&L Gates LLP is a US-based international law firm with offices in Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, South America, and the United States.[2] Measured by headcount, it is the 8th largest law firm in the United States [3] and the 11th largest among law firms worldwide.[4] 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.[5]
Corporate governance
As of 2016[update], the chairman and global managing partner of the firm is Peter Kalis.[6] He has held that position since 1997.[7] In 2013, Kalis was named both one of the top legal innovators of the past 50 years by The American Lawyer magazine [8] and among the legal industry’s most innovative and groundbreaking thinkers on The National Law Journal’s inaugural list of “Top 50 Legal Business Trailblazers & Pioneers”[9]
History
- 1858: London-based Nicholson Graham & Jones Ltd is founded
- 1883: Preston Gates & Ellis is founded in Seattle,[10] emerging out of the private law offices of Harold Preston.
- 1946: Pittsburgh-based Kirkpatrick & Lockhart is founded
- 2005: Kirkpatrick & Lockhart and Nicholson Graham merge to become Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Nicholson Graham
- 2007: On January 1, K&L Gates is formed in a merger between Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Nicholson Graham and Preston Gates & Ellis to form Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Preston Gates Ellis.[11] The name was later shortened to K&L Gates.
- 2008: In January, K&L Gates combined with Hughes & Luce, a Dallas-based firm of 150 attorneys with offices in Austin, Dallas, and Fort Worth
- 2008: In July K&L Gates combined with Kennedy Covington Lobdell & Hickman LLP, a North Carolina-based firm of 200 attorneys with offices in Charlotte, Raleigh, and Research Triangle Park.[12]
- March 1, 2009: K&L Gates merged with Bell, Boyd & Lloyd, a Chicago-based firm with approximately 215 attorneys with offices in Chicago, San Diego and Washington, D.C.
- 2013: K&L Gates combined with Australian national firm Middletons with offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, and Brisbane
Political contributions
According to the Center for Responsive Politics, K&L Gates was one of the top law firms contributing to federal candidates during the 2012 election cycle, donating $1.29 million, 52% to Democrats.[13] By comparison, during that same period Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld donated $2.56 million, 66% to Democrats,[13] while oil conglomerate ExxonMobil donated $2.66 million, 88% to Republicans.[14] Since 1990, K&L Gates contributed $10.26 million to federal campaigns, and spent $1.25 million on lobbying since 1999.[15]
Notable lawyers and alumni
- Dick Thornburgh, former Attorney General of the United States and two-term Governor of Pennsylvania[16][17][18]
- Bart Gordon, former twelve-term U.S. Congressman
- Slade Gorton, former two-term U.S. senator[19][20]
- Charles J. Queenan, Jr., chairman emeritus of firm; served as firm chairman from 1975 to 1990 (2014 recipient of Lifetime Achievement Award from The American Lawyer).[21]
- Peter J. Kalis, current chairman and global managing partner
- Craig W. Budner, current global integration and strategic growth partner, former administrative partner of Dallas and Houston offices
- William H. Gates, Sr, attorney and philanthropist. One of the founders of Preston Gates & Ellis[22] (which merged to become K&L Gates)
- Bill Neukom, former American Bar Association president and managing partner of the San Francisco Giants [23]
- Michael S. Greco, former American Bar Association president[24]
- Michael C. Ormsby, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington
- Jack Abramoff, former lobbyist, writer[25][26]
- Eric Schneiderman, the current New York Attorney General[27]
- Rick Santorum, former two-term U.S. Representative, former two-term U.S. Senator and 2012 Republican presidential candidate[28][29]
References
- ^ [1]
- ^ http://www.klgates.com/places/
- ^ "The NLJ 250:Our Annual Survey". The National Law Journal. ALM Media Properties, LLC. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
- ^ "The 2011 Global 100: Most Lawyers". The American Lawyer. ALM Media Properties, LLC. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
- ^ http://www.klgates.com/aboutus/xpqGC.aspx?xpST=AboutUsGeneral&key=ec9cb923-6322-4cc9-838c-bda359f6626e&activeEntry=7cc28745-1d6a-44fc-8d41-33be565591ac
- ^ Smith, Jennifer (2012-12-10), "With Cross-Border Mergers, Law Firms Enter Arms Race", The Wall Street Journal, p. B1;B6
{{citation}}:|format=requires|url=(help) - ^ "Kalis elected to fifth terms as head of K&L Gates," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Sept. 25, 2012, http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/business/news/kalis-elected-to-fifth-terms-as-head-of-kl-gates-654825/
- ^ http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/news/2013/07/30/peter-kalis-among-top-50-innovators.html
- ^ http://pdfserver.amlaw.com/nlj/LBTP2013Web.pdf
- ^ Riggio, Jim (3 November 2005). "Former Congressman, Judge James Rogan Joins Orange County Firm". Metropolitan News Enterprise. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
- ^ James, Andrea (14 December 2006). "Preston Gates & Ellis OKs merger". Seattle Pi. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
- ^ Press release from K&L Gates
- ^ a b "Lawyers & Lobbyists: Top Contributors to Federal Candidates, Parties, and Outside Groups". OpenSecrets.org. Center for Responsive Politics.
- ^ "Energy/Natural Resources: Top Contributors to Federal Candidates, Parties, and Outside Groups". OpenSecrets.org. Center for Responsive Politics. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
- ^ "Organizations: K&L Gates". OpenSecrets.org. Center for Responsive Politics. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
- ^ Thornburgh Shares Lessons From Three Mile Island Crisis
- ^ K&L Gates - People - Dick Thornburgh
- ^ Testimony of Dick Thornburgh, Former Attorney General of the United States, Counsel, K&L Gates LLP
- ^ Congress is on a health-reform path that will raise premiums
- ^ K&L Gates - People - K&L Gates
- ^ http://www.americanlawyer.com/id=1202667573523/Lifetime-Achiever-Charles-Queenan-Jr-
- ^ http://support.wilsoncenter.org/page.aspx?pid=429
- ^ ABA Journal ABA President to Replace Magowan as Managing Partner of San Francisco Giants
- ^ K&L Gates - People - Michael S. Greco
- ^ Nelson, Robert T. (January 27, 1995). "Democratic Firm Learns To Do Business With New Congress". The Seattle Times.
- ^ Postman, David; Bernton, Hal (2006-02-07). "How scheming lobbyist operated in Seattle firm". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2012-08-26.
- ^ Eric Schneiderman
- ^ 10 Things You Didn't Know About Rick Santorum
- ^ 9 Things You Need to Know About Rick Santorum