Silicon Valley Law Firm Opens London Office for U.K. Tech

(Bloomberg) -- Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, a law firm based in Palo Alto, California, known for representing some of the world’s top technology companies and venture capital firms, will open its first London office this summer.

"By opening an office in London, we are extending the many resources we offer to U.K.-based technology and life sciences companies to help them launch and scale U.S. operations, raise U.S. capital and complete cross-border transactions," Doug Clark, managing partner, said in a statement.

Wilson Sonsini’s move comes at a time when London’s technology sector is experiencing record level of investment, despite Britain’s vote to leave the European Union in March 2019. More than $3.3 billion was plowed into tech companies in the capital in 2017, almost twice the amount invested the year before and more than 30 times the amount seen in 2010, according to data from PitchBook cited by Wilson Sonsini.

But other tech hubs throughout Europe are also experiencing unprecedented levels of funding and some cities -- like Berlin and Paris -- are seeing investment grow at a faster rate than London. Many technology entrepreneurs in London are worried that their access to skilled tech professionals will be strained after Brexit and a third have already reported that hiring has become more difficult since the June 2016 referendum, according to survey data from Global Tech Advocates, an industry networking organization.

Rajesh Agrawal, London’s deputy mayor for business, applauded the law firm’s decision in a statement, calling it "further proof London is a leading global center for international technology and legal firms."

Wilson Sonsini’s office, which it plans to open on Aug. 1, will be located at 41 Old Street, close to a traffic circle dubbed "Silicon Roundabout" because of the number of technology startups located in the surrounding area.

Founded in 1961, Wilson Sonsini’s clients include many of the world’s best-known technology and biotech companies, including Alphabet Inc.’s Google, Amazon.com Inc., Apple Inc., Tesla Inc., and Twitter Inc.

The firm has 750 lawyers in 15 offices, including the new London location and international bureaus in Brussels, Beijing, Hong Kong and Shanghai. The London office will be headed by Wilson Sonsini partner Daniel Glazer, who joined the firm in 2016 after having previously worked at the New York law firm Fried Frank.

To contact the reporter on this story: Jeremy Kahn in London at jkahn21@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Giles Turner at gturner35@bloomberg.net, Molly Schuetz, Lisa Wolfson

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