Incubator escapee wiki

DLA Piper

Article Discussion

Template:Short description Template:EngvarB Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox law firm

DLA Piper is a law firm with offices in over 40 countries across the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. <ref name=facts>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

It was founded in 2005 through the merger between three law firms: San Diego–based Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich LLP, Baltimore-based Piper Rudnick LLP and United Kingdom–based DLA LLP. DLA Piper is now composed of multiple partnerships operating under a shared global network in an organizational structure known as a Swiss Verein.<ref name="board">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

HistoryEdit

OriginsEdit

DLA Piper's origins can be traced back to four law firms: Dibb Lupton Broomhead, Alsop Stevens, Piper & Marbury, and Rudnick & Wolfe.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Dibb Lupton Broomhead was a UK law firm that was formed in 1988 after the merger of Dibb Lupton and Broomhead & Neals.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 1996, the firm merged with the Liverpool-based law firm, Alsop Wilkinson, and became Dibb Lupton Alsop (DLA).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Meanwhile, in the United States, Piper & Marbury was founded in Baltimore, Maryland, and merged with Chicago-based Rudnick & Wolfe in 1999 to form Piper Marbury Rudnick & Wolfe.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Formation and growth (2005–2010)Edit

DLA Piper was formed in 2005 after a merger between DLA, Piper Rudnick, and Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The merger created one of the largest law firms in the world at the time and the largest firm in the UK.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2006 the firm's name was shortened from DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary US LLP to DLA Piper.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2005, DLA Piper launched New Perimeter, an international pro bono initiative that provides legal assistance in underserved regions.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Throughout this period, the firm continued to open offices in Mexico City and São Paulo, as well as expanding its presence in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.<ref name=thelaw14212>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="thelaw71209">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The firm also grew in the Australasian region through a series of mergers and acquisitions, including an exclusive alliance with Australian firm Phillips Fox in 2006.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Also in 2006, DLA Piper expanded its Middle Eastern presence by opening an outpost in Doha, Qatar,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> later opening an office in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates in 2008.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2008, DLA Piper opened an office in Kuwait as a joint venture with Kuwaiti law firm Al Wagayan, Al Awadhi & Al Saif to provide legal services to international and local clients operating under the DLA Piper Kuwait moniker.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In the US, the firm expanded into markets such as Houston, Texas, where it opened a practice focused on energy law in 2008.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Recent developments (Since 2010)Edit

In 2010, DLA Piper entered into an cooperative agreement with Brazilian firm Campos Mello Advogados, located in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2011, DLA Phillips Fox (Australia) integrated with DLA Piper to become DLA Piper Australia.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> DLA Phillips Fox (New Zealand) followed suit, becoming become DLA Piper New Zealand in 2015.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> By February 2012, DLA became the largest firm in the world by headcount with over 4,000 attorneys,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and opened an office in Paris through a partnership with Frieh Bouhenic.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2013-2014, the firm expanded to Seoul, Indonesia, Namibia, Algeria and Mexico City.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2014, it named Simon Levine managing partner, Global co-Chair and Global co-CEO.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> His term was extended through 2024 to align with the appointment of Frank Ryan as Americas Chair, Global co-Chair and Global co-CEO in 2021.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2016, DLA Piper opened an office in San Juan, Puerto Rico.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Portuguese firm ABBC<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and the Danish firm LETT joined DLA Piper in March 2017.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2019, DLA Piper opened its Dublin office.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2023, DLA Piper entered into the digital space and launched TOKO, a blockchain-based tokenisation platform with its Aldersgate Digital Ledger Solutions (DLS) group.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2021, DLA Piper was the third largest law firm in the United States by revenue.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

OfficesEdit

DLA Piper has 80 offices in more than 40 countries across the Americas, Asia Pacific, Australasia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East.<ref>http://www.dlapiper.com/files/Publication/298c657a-beef-4bb1-9726-f98745ea1c86/Presentation/PublicationAttachment/12d97ceb-3e2d-4044-b538-16a084843bbd/Key_Facts_Document_.pdfTemplate:Dead link</ref>

Political contributionsEdit

DLA Piper employees were the twelfth-largest donor to President Barack Obama's 2012 re-election campaign.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> According to OpenSecrets, DLA Piper employees donated $2.19 million to federal candidates during the 2012 election cycle, 73% to Democrats.<ref name=topcontributors>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> By comparison, during that same period Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld employees donated $2.56 million, 66% to Democrats,<ref name=topcontributors/> while oil conglomerate ExxonMobil employees donated $2.66 million, 88% to Republicans.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Since 1990, DLA Piper has contributed $16.97 million to federal campaigns, and spent over $1 million on lobbying since 2002.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

ControversyEdit

In 2010, DLA Piper represented Paul Ceglia in his claim that he hired Mark Zuckerberg to create a website that became Facebook and that under the agreement, Ceglia was entitled to ownership of 84 percent of Facebook, then worth multiple billions of dollars.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Zuckerberg and Facebook responded that Ceglia had hired Zuckerberg to work on an unrelated site, but Ceglia had fraudulently altered that contract to make it appear to cover Facebook. A DLA Piper attorney told the Wall Street Journal that although he had not seen the original document, he had "absolutely 100% confidence that [Mr. Ceglia's] agreement is authentic."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Ceglia's document was later found to be fraudulent, and in 2014, Facebook and Zuckerberg sued DLA Piper and others, claiming Ceglia's lawyers "knew or should have known that the [initial] lawsuit was a fraud."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The suit was later dismissed.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In June 2020, Squire Patton Boggs filed Ferrellgas Partners LP et al. v. DLA Piper LLP US in Kansas,<ref>"DLA Piper Accused of Double-Crossing Propane Client, by Morgan Conley Law360 June 17, 2020. Retrieved November 11, 2021.</ref> on behalf of former firm client Ferrellgas, for a breach of fiduciary duty.<ref>"Wake Up Call: DLA Piper Accused of 'Double-Dealing'" by Rick Mitchell, Bloomberg Law, June 18, 2020. Retrieved November 11, 2021.</ref><ref>"Suit Against DLA Piper Says Firm's Mistaken Email Revealed 'Double Dealing'" by Dylan Jackson, American Lawyer, June 17, 2020. Retrieved November 11, 2021.</ref>

Notable attorneys, advisors and staffEdit

Notable former employeesEdit

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> Florida chairman for J.P. Morgan Chase & Co;<ref>Orlando Sentinel (2010). Mel Martinez to be Fla. chairman for JPMorgan Chase. Retrieved 9 September 2010.</ref><ref>Florida Trend (2013). [1]. Retrieved 14 March 2018.</ref> co-chair of the Bipartisan Policy Center<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }} Bipartisan Policy Center's Housing Commission</ref>

See alsoEdit

ReferencesEdit

Template:Reflist

External linksEdit

Template:Commonscatinline

Template:Law firms of the United Kingdom Template:Authority control

Retrieved from "https://zalansite.site/mediawiki/index.php?title=DLA_Piper&oldid=808092"