Munger, Tolles, & Olson LLP (MTO) is an American law firm founded in 1962 with offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington D.C. The firm is known for handling litigation and corporate matters across multiple industries, including entertainment, technology, energy, healthcare, and financial services.[3]

As of 2024, MTO employs approximately 200 attorneys across its three offices.[4]

History

Munger, Tolles & Hills was established in Downtown Los Angeles' Tishman Building at the intersection of Flower Street and Wilshire Boulevard on February 1, 1962. The firm was founded by three former partners from Musick, Peeler & Garrett: Charlie Munger, E. Leroy Tolles, and Roderick M. Hills.

The founding group included two additional Musick attorneys, Richard Esbenshade and Frederick B. Warder Jr. as well as Carla Anderson Hills, who was serving as an assistant U.S. attorney at the time and was married to Roderick Hills.[5][6] James T. Wood, a sole practitioner with connections to the Hills family, also joined the founding team.[7][8][9]

In 1965, Charles Munger departed the firm to focus on investment management, forming a partnership with Warren Buffett and later becoming vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, which remained a client of the firm.[10] The addition of Charles E. Rickershauser Jr., a former clerk to Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, strengthened the firm's corporate practice and led to its renaming as Munger, Tolles, Hills & Rickershauser. Ronald Olson joined as an associate in 1968 and was elevated to partner in 1970.[11]

MTO expanded and opened an office in San Francisco in 1991.[12] In 2016, the firm employed former Solicitor General of the United States Donald B. Verrilli Jr. to establish its Washington, D.C. office.[13]

In 2019, the MTO underwent a leadership transition, appointing Malcolm Heinicke and Hailyn Chen as co-managing partners, succeeding Brad Brian and Sandra Seville-Jones. Brian was named as firm chair.[14] At the time of her election, Chen was only the second Asian woman to assume a leadership position at a major law firm.[15]

MTO has represented various clients in complex litigation and corporate transactions. The firm's client portfolio includes major corporations across various sectors, such as technology (Google, Intel), entertainment (The Walt Disney Company), financial services (Bank of America, Fortress Investment Group), transportation (BNSF Railway), utilities (Pacific Gas & Electric), and conglomerates (Berkshire Hathaway).[1]

Industry ranking

MTO has appeared on The American Lawyer's A-List rankings multiple times between 2008 and 2024. The A-List evaluates U.S. law firms based on several metrics: revenue per lawyer, pro bono work, associate satisfaction, racial diversity, and gender diversity in equity partnerships.[16] The firm ranked first in the publication for 2008,[17][18] 2009,[19] 2010,[20] 2013,[21] 2017,[22] 2019,[23] 2020,[24] 2022,[25] 2023[26] and 2024.[16]

Lawyers

MTO Office 2023

Attorneys

Alumni

Former summer associate

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "How to Be a Firm that Businesses Call When Billions are at Stake". LA Business Journal. 16 May 2022. Retrieved 2022-05-16.
  2. ^ a b "Munger Tolles & Olson". ALM Law.com.
  3. ^ Orzeck, Kurt (2014-07-22). "California Powerhouse: Munger Tolles & Olson". Lae360.
  4. ^ "Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP". U.S. News Law.
  5. ^ https://www.mto.com/Templates/media/files/Daily_Journal_firm_profile.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  6. ^ https://stacks.stanford.edu/file/druid:sm857zv4444/sm857zv4444_HillsC_Transcript.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  7. ^ https://www.mto.com/Templates/media/files/A-list2012.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  8. ^ Arnold, Laurence (2014-10-30). "Roderick M. Hills dies at 83; head of the SEC under President Ford". Los Angeles Times.
  9. ^ "Co-founder of Los Angeles law firm". Los Angeles Times. 2008-02-01.
  10. ^ Kolz, Amy (2011-05-06). "Munger Tolles's Ron Olson and Berkshire: The Question of Lawyers Serving on Client Boards". AM Law Daily.
  11. ^ 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.
  12. ^ Savage, David G. (2016-09-28). "Obama's former Supreme Court lawyer, Donald Verrilli, joins L.A. law firm". Los Angeles Times.
  13. ^ Randazzo, Sara (2016-09-28). "California Law Firm Hires Former Solicitor General for Washington, D.C., Office". Wall Street Journal.
  14. ^ Packel, Dan (2019-03-06). "Munger Tolles Elects New Managing Partners; Brad Brian Named Chair". American Lawyer.
  15. ^ Chen, Vivia (2019-05-10). "News Flash: Asian American Woman Is New Leader at Elite Law Firm". American Lawyer.
  16. ^ a b "The 2024 A-List: Top 20 Firms". The American Lawyer.
  17. ^ Chang, Andrea (2008-07-08). "L.A. law firm judged No. 1". Los Angeles Times.
  18. ^ "THE AM LAW 100: Munger Revenue and Profits Flat".
  19. ^ Jones, Ashby (2009-06-30). "Munger Tolles Tops AmLaw's A-List, Once Again". The Wall Street Journal.
  20. ^ Jones, Ashby (2010-07-01). "Deja Vu All Over Again: Munger Tolles Again Tops the 'A-List'". The Wall Street Journal.
  21. ^ "The 2013 A-List: The Complete Report". The American Lawyer.
  22. ^ "The 2017 A-List". The American Lawyer. Retrieved 2024-10-31.
  23. ^ Zaretsky, Staci (2019-07-24). "The Am Law A-List: Ranking The Most Elite Law Firms In America (2019) - Above the Law". abovethelaw.com.
  24. ^ "The 2020 A-List: Amid Upheaval, Firms Focus on Finding Balance". The American Lawyer.
  25. ^ "The 2022 A-List: Top 20 Firms". The American Lawyer.
  26. ^ "How the 2023 A-List Firms Manage to Holistic Success". The American Lawyer.
  27. ^ "Munger Tolles adds former US deputy assistant attorney general". World Preview. 2017-03-08.
  28. ^ "Salomon Inc. names new CEO to head up securities house". Chicago Tribune. 1992-06-03. Archived from the original on October 21, 2012.
  29. ^ "Commission Members | Ronald L. Olson". Archived from the original on 2009-06-09. Retrieved 2009-06-16.
  30. ^ 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.
  31. ^ Korosec, Kirsten (2020-04-21). "Cruise hires PG&E board chairman Jeff Bleich as chief legal officer". Techcrunch.
  32. ^ "CUA Law Adjunct Professor Daniel Bress Confirmed to Serve as Circuit Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit". Law.edu. 2019-07-09.
  33. ^ "First openly Gay judge for U.S. Eastern District of California receives U.S. Senate confirmation". Elk Grove News. 2023-02-24.
  34. ^ "John Frank". Oaktree Capital. Retrieved 2024-02-21.
  35. ^ Lyons, Byrhonda (2022-10-25). "California Supreme Court". LAist.
  36. ^ "Arizona appeals judge joins Phoenix law office". Phoenix Business Journal. 2022-03-03.
  37. ^ "Leondra R. Kruger appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown to state Supreme Court". Los Angeles Times. 25 November 2014.
  38. ^ Fulcher, Robb (2010-06-03). "Assemblyman Ted Lieu confident in Attorney General run". Easy Reader & Peninsula.
  39. ^ Fritsch, Jane (September 2, 1990). "Felicia Marcus : Fighting for the Environment From Inside the Establishment". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2015-05-07.
  40. ^ LA Observed
  41. ^ "President Biden Announces Fourth Slate of Judicial Nominations". White House. 15 June 2021. Retrieved 2024-02-21.
  42. ^ "President Biden Names Seventh Round of Judicial Nominees". White House. 8 September 2021. Retrieved 2024-02-21.
  43. ^ Schonfeld, Zach (July 15, 2024). "JD Vance's wife leaving law firm". The Hill. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  44. ^ "Brett M. Kavanaugh: Selected Primary Material". Congressional Research Service. July 17, 2018.
Allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munger,_Tolles_%26_Olson
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