A Legacy of Excellence
More than 80 years ago, Arthur Cooley and Louis Crowley started a law partnership in the Humboldt Bank building in San Francisco. From that small seed grew the flourishing law firm now known as Cooley LLP, which today has nine offices and approximately 650 attorneys practicing law in areas ranging from Life Sciences and Venture Capital to Technology Transactions and Intellectual Property and Commercial Litigation to Tax and Bankruptcy.
The path from our founding to the present has not been without challenges. Nine years after the Firm began in 1920, the Great Depression rocked the nation. World Wars and numerous regional conflicts followed, as have myriad fluctuations in the stock market and several cultural revolutions. These social, political and economic phenomena have changed the practice of law and numerous business paradigms.
Our founders and those who joined the Firm in its early years ensured its adaptability and shaped its future. Those such as Fred Supple, Bill Godward, Rowan Gaither, Ed Huddleson, Gus Castro and Sandy Tatum were much more than talented attorneys. They were engaging, bright, warm individuals with great integrity and respect for the people who comprised their firm. For many years, the Firm was known as Cooley Crowley Gaither Godward Castro & Huddleson. In 1972, we became Cooley Godward Castro Huddleson & Tatum; and in 1996, we became known simply as Cooley Godward until the fall of 2006. The Cooley of today is the product of the strong foundation laid by these mentors and friends.
Cooley has adapted and grown with the times, all the while staying true to the culture established by our predecessors. The Firm has been at the forefront of several emerging industries, including venture capital, information technology and life sciences. In 1958, Cooley formed Draper, Gaither and Anderson, the first venture capital partnership to be organized on the West coast. The Firm also established its prominence in the field of information technology when it formed Raychem in 1957 and National Semiconductor in 1959. Cooley took Genentech public in 1980 and Amgen in 1983, positioning the Firm as one of the leaders in the life sciences industry.
The litigation practice at Cooley has always been of the highest caliber and has grown in conjunction with the increasingly complex needs of our clients. In 1998, Cooley assisted Qualcomm in resolving disputes and entering into a series of agreements with Ericsson, which paved the way for the future of global wireless communications. Recently the firm successfully represented PacifiCare Health Systems, Inc. in the U.S. and California Supreme Courts in defining the scope of commercial arbitration in today's business environment.
As the Firm grew in size and reputation, it also expanded geographically. In 1980, the strategic decision was made to establish a presence in Silicon Valley, and Cooley's second office was opened in Palo Alto. In the early 1990s, Cooley expanded beyond the San Francisco Bay area. In 1992, Cooley took Qualcomm public and soon opened an office in San Diego to support this and other clients in the Southern California region.
Cooley also became the first Silicon Valley firm to establish a presence in Colorado when it opened an office in Boulder in 1993. Today, Cooley serves the Rocky Mountain corridor from Broomfield, Colorado. In 1999, Cooley expanded to the East coast with an office in Reston, Virginia and immediately became a leading firm in this newest technology hotbed. In 2005, Cooley opened its second East coast office, expanding into Washington, DC.
In the fall of 2006, Kronish Lieb Weiner & Hellman LLP, a premier New York firm, with highly ranked bankruptcy, tax and complex commercial and white collar litigation practices joined Cooley. The union created a Firm with a coast-to-coast, high-caliber litigation practice, extensive corporate and transactional capabilities and a significant presence in New York. The name of the new firm became Cooley Godward Kronish LLP.
In July 2007, Cooley solidified its presence on the East coast when it expanded into Boston. With market-leading expertise in emerging and public companies, life sciences, venture and private equity fund representation, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property and commercial litigation, Cooley positioned itself in one of the leading technology and life sciences centers in the world.
The fall of 2008 brought further expansion with the addition of 15 partners, four of whom opened Cooley's Seattle, Washington office. By adding significant Pacific Rim and Pacific Northwest-based life sciences, clean technology and technology experience, Cooley deepened its national position as a market leader representing emerging growth companies, established technology businesses and investors.
Now a renowned national law firm, Cooley still retains its core values and culture. Among these values is a strong commitment to delivering high-quality work, supporting clients' business goals, observing the highest ethical standards and maintaining a collegial atmosphere with an emphasis on teamwork and mutual respect. In addition, the Firm's long tradition of community service and commitment to pro bono work remains paramount. However, the most important attribute of the Firm, and the key to its continued success, is the people. To celebrate and encourage the continued high regard for human values at Cooley, the Firm established the William W. Godward award in 1991. Throughout his career, Mr. Godward demonstrated that we succeed in our common enterprise at Cooley by showing support, respect and concern for those around us. This esteemed annual award recognizes an individual in each office who has shown stellar effort in sustaining the human values of the Firm, and in turn, preserving our culture.
Cooley was built upon the quality, integrity and camaraderie of its people—attributes that continue to be its greatest legacy.