Arnold & Porter has hired a group of partners from K&L Gates to spearhead the launch of its new Seattle office.
The incoming lawyers are litigator Pallavi Mehta Wahi, corporate, healthcare and technology partner Annette Becker and employment partner and class action litigator Patrick Madden. Wahi will serve as the Seattle office head and the firm’s new chair of Western US strategic growth. The firm has also added a fourth lawyer from K&L Gates – employment litigator Rosemary Alito – who will join in Newark.
The firm says the new Seattle office will benefit from the group’s experience in the local market, representing clients in commercial litigation, healthcare and corporate transactions, employment and class action litigation, and other transactional matters. It is the firm’s 11th office in the US, and adds to its existing West Coast footprint that includes offices in Los Angeles, Silicon Valley and San Francisco.
Ellen Kaye Fleishhacker, Arnold & Porter’s global co-chair, said: “We’re thrilled to grow our footprint in Seattle, a city anchored by global and emerging companies that has become a West Coast hub for cutting-edge technology. Its proximity to the Pacific Rim and strong connections to Asia reinforce Seattle’s importance to our cross-border practices.
“We are committed to the Seattle market and building strong relationships in a city that values excellence, innovation and service to the community, which aligns with who we are as a firm.”
Wahi joins after almost 19 years at K&L Gates, where she had been managing partner of its Seattle office for the past decade. Prior to her time at K&L Gates, she was an associate at Stokes Lawrence.
Wahi said: “We are very excited to launch the Seattle office of Arnold & Porter. Seattle is a city defined by innovation, growth, entrepreneurial spirit and community engagement. Arnold & Porter embodies that spirit in every way and is committed to the Seattle market and serving our industry-leading clients’ dynamic and ever-changing needs.”
Becker joins after just shy of 25 years at K&L Gates, bringing extensive experience in corporate law, including domestic and cross-border M&A and other transactional matters in the technology and healthcare industries.
Madden arrives after more than 18 years at K&L Gates, having previously been a partner at Preston Gates & Ellis. He started his legal career at Bogle & Gates.
Alito, meanwhile, was previously co-chair of K&L Gates’ global labour, employment and workplace safety practice, with extensive experience in employment law, wrongful termination and employee benefits disputes. She is the sister of US Supreme Court Judge Samuel Alito.
Michael Daneker, global co-chair alongside Fleishhacker, said: “This expansion significantly enhances our ability to support highly regulated businesses – both nationally and globally – with the strategic, solutions-driven counsel they rely on for complex, high-stakes matters.”
He added: “In addition, Rosemary Alito’s employment practice will be accretive in every respect, further enhancing the strength and depth of our Newark office.”
Last September, Kennedys launched in Seattle with a five-strong team. Japanese firm Miura & Partners also opened in the city in February this year.
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