SEATTLE, June 27, 2022: Expanding into the Pacific Northwest, Morgan Lewis today opens an office in Seattle with a 34-member team, including 19 lawyers, 14 of whom are joining from litigation boutique Calfo Eakes. Prominent trial lawyers Patty Eakes and Angelo Calfo will co-lead the Seattle office. In addition to them, another four litigators will join Morgan Lewis from Calfo Eakes as partners. Together with Morgan Lewis lawyers already established remotely in Seattle, the new office and team will provide the firm’s Northwest client base first-rate advocacy in a wide range of commercial and intellectual property litigation, employment disputes, and white collar criminal defense and investigation matters.
“Morgan Lewis has been serving clients in Seattle for decades, and we are looking forward to becoming more involved in this vibrant legal and business community with this accomplished and well-respected team,” said Firm Chair Jami McKeon. “We are dedicated to bringing to our clients the best talent to meet their broad needs, and this is the first step in what we anticipate will be an expanded offering in Seattle. We share many clients with Calfo Eakes, as well as a vision and commitment of how to exceptionally serve our Seattle-based companies and community while prioritizing a diverse, inclusive, and collaborative culture. We are very excited to be launching this venture with them.”
As part of its global footprint, Morgan Lewis has five full-service offices throughout California. Adding capabilities in Seattle is a natural extension of the work of the firm’s West Coast lawyers and the broader firm in the technology, life sciences, healthcare, retail, financial services, and energy industries. The firm currently has more than 60 clients with substantive Seattle operations, including over 20 that are headquartered in Washington state.
“Having a group of experienced lawyers join us who share clients and who seamlessly integrate with our existing practices allows us to be fully functioning on day one—a benefit to clients, the firm, and the incoming lawyers,” said Firm Managing Partner Steve Wall. “We most effectively serve our clients by combining the exceptional skills of our lawyers across industries and disciplines. By opening a new office with a strong 34-member team across our litigation, labor and employment, corporate, intellectual property, employee benefits, and tax practices, we are poised to make an immediate impact for the major companies that call Seattle home.”
In addition to Angelo and Patty, the other four litigators who join from Calfo Eakes as partners are Alicia Cullen, Damon Elder, Harold Malkin, and Molly Terwilliger. Morgan Lewis also is adding two of counsels, Tyler Weaver and Gabe Reilly-Bates; five associates, Marisa Berlinger, Kendall Scott Cowles, Andrew DeCarlow, Per De Visé Jansen, and Henry Phillips; and a senior attorney, Katie Finrow—all from Calfo Eakes. These lawyers have handled sophisticated matters and trials and have had esteemed federal court clerkships. The team of litigators has deep ties to Seattle and is recognized for handling complex commercial litigation, such as representing Fortune 100 companies in multidistrict and class actions matters and representing local businesses in a class action against the City of Seattle.
Building on that strength are five Morgan Lewis lawyers who have relocated and been working remotely in Seattle since the pandemic: associates David Bernstein and Matthew Walker, intellectual property; associate Chris Ronne, corporate transactions; senior attorney Tony Cipriano, tax; and associate Claire Rowland, employee benefits/executive compensation.
About the new partners:
Patty Eakes represents Fortune 500 companies and executives in a wide array of complex commercial litigation, employment disputes, and white collar criminal defense. Patty, a former prosecutor, is a preeminent trial lawyer and member of the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers.
Angelo Calfo, also a former federal prosecutor, has a proven track record of litigating complex civil and criminal cases. He is a highly regarded white collar criminal defense litigator who represents companies and individuals in high-stakes criminal proceedings and investigations, in addition to handling a variety of commercial disputes.
Alicia Cullen guides clients through internal investigations to both respond to and prevent government enforcement actions and employment-related claims. She represents individuals and businesses in claims related to breach of contract, trade secrets, antitrust, public corruption, healthcare, and the False Claims Act.
Damon Elder represents clients in a range of complex civil, class action, employment, product liability, contract, and insurance coverage litigation in state and federal court. He has litigated class certification in numerous putative actions across the United States.
Harold Malkin, who spent more than 20 years at the US Department of Justice, advises companies facing government investigations and enforcement proceedings. He focuses on guiding individuals and companies through civil and criminal government investigations and prosecutions, as well as state attorney general enforcement proceedings.
Molly Terwilliger is a trial lawyer who represents local and national corporations in arbitrations, mediations, and state and federal bench and jury trials. She advises on a range of intellectual property, labor and employment, and complex commercial matters.