
Latham & Watkins LLP stands as a top global law firm, delivering exceptional legal services across corporate, litigation, and regulatory practices. Known for advising on the world’s largest and most complex transactions and disputes, the firm serves multinational corporations, governments, and financial institutions. With a team of over 3,000 lawyers in 14 countries, Latham combines deep sector knowledge, cutting-edge innovation, and an unwavering commitment to client success.
Company Name: Latham & Watkin
Short Overview:
Latham & Watkins LLP is a leading international law firm known for delivering innovative legal solutions in complex business and regulatory environments. With offices in major commercial hubs across the Americas, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, Latham advises on landmark transactions, high-profile litigation, and cross-border matters. The firm is globally recognized for its elite practices in M&A, capital markets, white collar defense, and regulatory compliance.
Year Established: 1934
Headquarters Address: Latham & Watkins LLP
355 South Grand Avenue, Suite 100
Los Angeles, CA 90071
United States
Contact Information:
Mission Statement:
Latham & Watkins LLP is committed to delivering the highest quality legal services through a collaborative, client-focused approach that combines legal excellence, innovation, and global perspective. The firm strives to help clients achieve their most ambitious goals while upholding integrity, inclusivity, and service to the community.
Firm Overview:
Founded in 1934, Latham & Watkins LLP has evolved into one of the world’s most respected and influential law firms. With a presence in key global financial centers, the firm offers comprehensive legal services that span corporate transactions, litigation and trial, and regulatory and government matters. Latham is especially known for its sophisticated handling of multijurisdictional transactions, complex white collar investigations, and market-defining IPOs.
The firm represents a diverse client base that includes Fortune 500 companies, emerging tech innovators, private equity funds, and sovereign states. With more than 3,000 attorneys across 14 countries, Latham combines local insight with global perspective, offering seamless counsel that adapts to rapidly changing business and legal landscapes.
Latham’s client-first philosophy is reflected in its reputation for responsiveness, clarity, and strategic counsel. The firm emphasizes teamwork over hierarchy, creating a collaborative culture that drives innovation and consistency. Its services are delivered with a commitment to diversity, sustainability, and pro bono work, earning numerous accolades from top industry organizations.
Key practice strengths include mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, project finance, intellectual property litigation, antitrust, and environmental law. Latham’s attorneys are frequently recognized in Chambers Global, Legal 500, and other prominent rankings, underscoring the firm’s leadership across sectors.
In a world of increasing legal complexity, Latham & Watkins LLP continues to set the standard for quality, integrity, and innovation in the legal profession.
Number of Offices: Latham & Watkins LLP operates 30 offices across 14 countries, including locations in Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C., London, Paris, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Dubai, Riyadh, Singapore, and Beijing, among others. This extensive network enables the firm to deliver seamless legal services in every major global business and financial hub.
Employee Breakdown:
Primary Languages Spoken:
Latham & Watkins LLP conducts client communications in a wide range of languages, reflecting its global reach and diverse client base. The primary working languages include English, French, German, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, Korean, Italian, Portuguese, and Russian. This multilingual capability enables the firm to deliver nuanced legal advice across borders and cultures with clarity and precision.
Awards and Recognitions:
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At Best100LawFirms.com, we are proud to recognize Latham & Watkins LLP as one of the world’s top 100 law firms—a distinction earned through an unmatched combination of legal expertise, global presence, and client-centered innovation. Founded in 1934, Latham has risen to become one of the largest and most influential law firms globally, with over 3,300 attorneys operating across 30 offices in 14 countries.
Latham’s consistent dominance in M&A, capital markets, white collar defense, and complex cross-border litigation reflects a remarkable ability to execute and advise on the most sophisticated legal matters. The firm’s track record includes representing Fortune 100 companies, sovereign governments, private equity firms, and global tech giants in transformative legal transactions and disputes.
Our independent review—guided by authentic client feedback, performance analytics, and verified results—highlights Latham’s strategic legal counsel, responsiveness, and unmatched depth of talent. The firm’s attorneys are consistently ranked in the top tiers by Chambers, Legal 500, and other global benchmarking agencies, reaffirming Latham’s leadership in the legal profession.
In short, Latham & Watkins LLP exemplifies what it means to be one of the Best 100 Law Firms in the world—a firm that combines elite legal capability with visionary leadership and a true commitment to its clients’ success.
Founder,
Former Dean of the Faculty of Law at Ilia State University.
Overview of Key Achievements in Practice Areas:
Latham & Watkins LLP is globally recognized for its broad and sophisticated legal capabilities, spanning across the most critical sectors and industries. The firm delivers elite-level legal counsel in areas including mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, white collar defense, antitrust, intellectual property, project finance, energy law, and regulatory compliance.
A market leader in M&A, Latham represents buyers, sellers, and financial institutions in some of the largest cross-border deals in history. The firm also maintains one of the world’s preeminent capital markets practices, advising on high-value IPOs, debt and equity offerings, and regulatory disclosure issues. Its white collar defense and securities litigation groups are routinely retained in high-profile investigations and enforcement actions, guiding Fortune 100 clients through complex government inquiries and class actions.
Latham’s prowess extends into project development and finance, particularly in the energy, infrastructure, and natural resources sectors. The firm is also at the forefront of technology transactions, cybersecurity, and data privacy law, offering counsel that aligns with today’s digital-first business environment. Its international arbitration and cross-border disputes teams handle high-stakes matters before major arbitral institutions and courts around the world.
In addition to its transactional and litigation excellence, Latham has earned distinction for its environmental, tax, and employment law practices, helping clients navigate evolving regulatory frameworks and workforce challenges. The firm is regularly trusted to advise on environmental risk in M&A, cross-border tax structuring, and executive compensation, showcasing its depth in advising sophisticated, high-value business matters. Latham’s dedication to client service, legal innovation, and cross-disciplinary collaboration continues to set it apart as a true full-service global powerhouse.
Latham & Watkins LLP has earned its position among the Best 100 Law Firms through a rare combination of legal excellence, global reach, and an uncompromising focus on client outcomes. With over 3,300 attorneys across 30 international offices, the firm offers one of the most sophisticated and integrated legal platforms in the world.
What sets Latham apart is its ability to provide seamless, cross-border legal services that address the full range of client needs—from high-value M&A and capital markets transactions to white collar investigations and complex international disputes. The firm’s lawyers are consistently ranked in Chambers Global, The Legal 500, and other premier directories, reflecting peer and client recognition of their leadership across industries and legal disciplines.
Additionally, Latham’s long-standing commitment to pro bono work, diversity, and innovation in legal service delivery solidifies its role not only as a top-tier commercial firm but as a legal institution that shapes the profession itself
While many firms offer elite legal services, Latham & Watkins distinguishes itself through its unique structure, culture, and execution. The firm operates under a “one-firm” global model with no headquarters and no dominant office, which allows it to deliver truly collaborative legal counsel that draws from the best minds across all regions.
Latham’s client-first ethos means every engagement is approached with strategic insight, business fluency, and a long-term view of client success. From pre-transactional advice to bet-the-company litigation, the firm brings a level of agility and industry depth that few competitors can match.
Moreover, Latham is consistently recognized for its investment in technology, sustainability, and talent development. It is one of the few global firms that combines scale with a genuine commitment to innovation, making it a trusted advisor for multinational corporations, financial institutions, private equity sponsors, and governments worldwide.
Latham & Watkins is widely regarded as a global leader in mergers and acquisitions (M&A), advising clients on landmark transactions that have redefined industries and reshaped markets. The firm represents strategic buyers, private equity sponsors, and target companies in both domestic and cross-border transactions valued in the billions of dollars.
Its M&A practice is consistently ranked in Tier 1 by Chambers, Legal 500, and IFLR1000 due to its depth of experience, creative structuring capabilities, and deal execution skills. Latham attorneys are not only skilled legal technicians but also commercial advisors who understand the strategic and operational imperatives that drive complex deals.
Whether managing hostile takeovers, carve-outs, joint ventures, or distressed acquisitions, Latham provides end-to-end legal guidance supported by elite capabilities in tax, antitrust, employment, environmental, and regulatory law. The firm’s global platform ensures that clients receive coordinated advice across jurisdictions, making Latham a go-to firm for mission-critical transactions worldwide.
Latham & Watkins LLP has built a formidable reputation in the field of international arbitration, representing sovereign governments, global corporations, and private entities in high-stakes, cross-border disputes. Its arbitration teams are strategically positioned in key global arbitration hubs including London, Paris, Dubai, Hong Kong, and New York, ensuring regional expertise paired with global strategy.
The firm handles disputes administered by all major institutions such as the ICC, ICSID, LCIA, and SIAC, and is equally adept at ad hoc proceedings. Latham’s attorneys are multilingual and often dual-qualified, bringing a nuanced understanding of different legal systems, treaties, and international conventions. This multilingual and multicultural approach enhances the firm’s ability to resolve disputes efficiently and favorably.
In addition to serving as counsel, Latham lawyers are frequently appointed as arbitrators, reflecting the respect they hold in the global arbitration community. Their depth of expertise spans investment treaty arbitration, energy disputes, construction conflicts, and intellectual property claims, making the firm a leader in this evolving and complex area of international law.
Latham & Watkins provides legal counsel across nearly every major global industry, with especially strong representation in technology, financial services, life sciences, energy and infrastructure, telecommunications, media, and healthcare. The firm’s cross-disciplinary teams work closely with industry specialists to deliver tailored, business-aligned solutions.
In the technology sector, Latham advises on venture capital deals, cybersecurity, privacy compliance, and IP disputes. In life sciences, the firm handles regulatory issues, licensing, and M&A for pharmaceutical giants and biotech startups alike. The financial services practice is highly regarded for its work with banks, asset managers, and fintech platforms navigating regulatory changes and complex transactions.
Latham’s reach into energy and infrastructure is particularly noteworthy, where it supports global clients on project finance, environmental compliance, and regulatory risk. This industry-spanning experience ensures that Latham clients benefit from both legal depth and commercial insight, regardless of sector.
Latham & Watkins maintains one of the most respected white collar defense and government investigations practices in the world. The firm represents clients in criminal, civil, and regulatory investigations conducted by entities such as the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), SEC, CFTC, FCA (UK), and other enforcement bodies globally.
Its white collar team includes former federal prosecutors and regulators, offering clients insider perspectives and seasoned advocacy in high-stakes proceedings. The firm routinely handles cases involving FCPA violations, market manipulation, accounting fraud, cyber breaches, and sanctions compliance, often resolving matters without formal charges or reputational harm.
What distinguishes Latham’s practice is its ability to coordinate multi-agency, multijurisdictional defenses across continents. Clients rely on the firm not just for reactive defense but also for proactive compliance counseling, internal investigations, and crisis management, making it an indispensable partner in today’s complex enforcement environment.
Latham & Watkins is a globally dominant force in capital markets law, advising issuers, underwriters, and institutional investors in some of the world’s largest securities offerings. The firm excels in both equity and debt capital markets, including IPOs, high-yield offerings, convertible bonds, and secondary transactions.
The team brings unmatched technical knowledge and transactional insight, guiding clients through every aspect of the issuance process—from regulatory filings to roadshow preparation, and post-offering compliance. The firm is highly adept at navigating the evolving landscape of U.S. securities laws, ESG disclosures, and cross-border listing requirements.
Latham’s integrated global practice ensures coverage across major financial centers including New York, London, Hong Kong, and Frankfurt, delivering coordinated and consistent counsel on complex multinational deals. This capability, combined with its deep bench of seasoned capital markets attorneys, solidifies Latham’s status as a go-to firm for major offerings and market-shaping transactions.
Latham & Watkins LLP is a recognized global leader in antitrust and competition law, representing clients in merger control, cartel investigations, and civil litigation. The firm advises companies on compliance with competition laws across the U.S., EU, UK, and Asia, frequently appearing before regulators such as the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Department of Justice (DOJ), European Commission, and UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
The firm’s antitrust lawyers are known for their skill in navigating multi-jurisdictional merger reviews, including high-profile transactions in technology, healthcare, telecommunications, and financial services. Latham’s litigation team also handles private antitrust claims, class actions, and criminal cartel proceedings, offering clients full-spectrum defense strategies.
Latham stands out for its collaborative approach, combining deep industry knowledge with regulatory insights to craft forward-thinking solutions. Clients trust the firm to minimize antitrust risks, respond to dawn raids, and successfully guide deals through intense scrutiny—all while maintaining business momentum.
Regulatory compliance is at the heart of modern business risk management, and Latham & Watkins delivers comprehensive counsel across a wide range of domestic and global regulatory frameworks. The firm’s attorneys advise on financial regulations, data protection laws, environmental statutes, healthcare compliance, and sanctions enforcement.
Clients benefit from Latham’s interdisciplinary teams that integrate former government officials, industry consultants, and in-house counsel veterans to provide practical, real-world strategies. Whether it’s advising on compliance program development, conducting internal investigations, or responding to regulatory inquiries, Latham ensures legal strategies are aligned with business priorities.
The firm also supports clients with ESG disclosures, SEC filings, cybersecurity compliance, and emerging global regimes such as the EU’s Digital Markets Act. Latham’s strength lies in its ability to deliver compliance solutions that not only meet regulatory requirements but also support long-term growth and resilience.
Latham & Watkins is a powerhouse in energy and infrastructure law, advising developers, investors, lenders, and governments on project development, finance, regulation, and dispute resolution. The firm handles transformative projects in renewables, oil and gas, power generation, clean energy, and transportation infrastructure around the globe.
From multi-gigawatt solar farms to LNG terminals and smart grid systems, Latham’s lawyers guide clients through all phases of the project lifecycle—including permitting, risk allocation, PPA structuring, and environmental impact compliance. The firm’s finance teams work closely with global financial institutions to secure project financing, green bonds, and multilateral funding.
Latham’s work in this sector is regularly recognized by Project Finance International, IJGlobal, and Chambers, with clients praising the firm’s ability to deliver on complex, cross-border infrastructure mandates that require technical skill, political insight, and deal certainty.
In a digital-first economy, Latham & Watkins stands at the forefront of technology law, advising on data privacy, IP protection, cybersecurity incidents, AI regulation, and technology transactions. The firm counsels a wide spectrum of clients—from global tech giants to emerging startups—on regulatory compliance, deal structuring, and risk mitigation.
Latham’s privacy and cybersecurity practice is widely recognized for its expertise in laws such as the GDPR, CCPA, and China’s Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL). The firm assists companies in building global data governance programs, managing breach response, and responding to regulator inquiries in multiple jurisdictions.
The team also advises on AI governance, open-source licensing, software development agreements, and SaaS platforms, integrating legal guidance with technological fluency. By combining legal rigor with technical understanding, Latham helps clients safeguard innovation while staying ahead of the rapidly evolving regulatory curve.
Latham & Watkins LLP is internationally respected for its litigation and dispute resolution capabilities, handling everything from bet-the-company trials to multinational class actions and regulatory enforcement proceedings. The firm’s litigators are known for their strategic thinking, courtroom presence, and success in high-stakes disputes across a wide array of industries.
The litigation practice spans federal and state courts, international tribunals, and arbitral forums, with expertise in securities litigation, intellectual property, antitrust, commercial disputes, and government enforcement. Latham’s trial lawyers include former U.S. prosecutors, Supreme Court clerks, and recognized courtroom advocates who deliver victories in complex legal environments.
Clients rely on Latham not just to win cases but to develop dispute avoidance strategies, resolve sensitive matters confidentially, and protect long-term business interests. Its litigation team works closely with transactional, regulatory, and industry-specific counsel to provide a holistic legal defense strategy that mitigates risk and maximizes results.
Latham & Watkins is deeply committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion within the legal profession. The firm has established comprehensive DEI programs that foster inclusive recruitment, equitable career development, and representation at all levels of leadership.
Initiatives such as the Latham Diversity Leadership Academy, 1L Fellowship Program, and global affinity groups support underrepresented attorneys and promote diverse perspectives within the firm and client service. Latham has consistently earned recognition from Diversity Lab, Human Rights Campaign, and Law360 for its inclusive culture and measurable impact.
Importantly, DEI at Latham extends beyond internal policies. The firm actively partners with clients on diversity initiatives, supports pipeline programs in underserved communities, and contributes to thought leadership on racial equity and workplace inclusion. DEI is not just a value—it’s a strategic imperative embedded in Latham’s global platform.
Pro bono service is a cornerstone of Latham & Watkins’ culture, with the firm committing over 250,000 hours annually to pro bono matters across the globe. The firm takes on high-impact cases involving human rights, asylum and immigration, racial justice, veterans’ benefits, nonprofit formation, and more.
Latham attorneys have argued and won landmark cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, provided ongoing support to international NGOs, and helped refugees and victims of persecution secure legal protections. The firm ensures that attorneys across all levels—from partners to new associates—are encouraged and empowered to take on meaningful pro bono work.
The firm’s pro bono practice is not just generous; it’s strategic and impactful, designed to leverage Latham’s global resources to create systemic change. Recognition from organizations like Pro Bono Institute and Human Rights First affirm Latham’s standing as a leader in access to justice.
Clients can reach Latham & Watkins LLP through multiple global contact points, with dedicated teams ready to respond to inquiries regarding corporate transactions, litigation, regulatory advice, and more. For direct contact, clients may:
Visit the official website: www.lw.com
Email the firm at: info@lw.com
Call the main office line: +1.213.485.1234
Additionally, clients may search by office or region using the “Offices” tab on the firm’s website to contact a specific location. Each office page includes profiles of key partners and practice area leaders, making it easy to find the right legal expert based on geography and subject matter. With 30 offices across 14 countries, Latham offers personalized legal service anywhere in the world.
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