Hi, I’m Chris Walton, author of this guide and CEO of Eton Venture Services.
I’ve spent much of my career working as a corporate transactional lawyer at Gunderson Dettmer, becoming an expert in tax law & venture financing. Since starting Eton, I’ve completed thousands of business valuations for companies of all sizes.
Read my full bio here.
Expert legal counsel can be the difference between whether your startup thrives or sinks.
Over the past 15 years, I’ve worked with hundreds of startup founders for their business valuation needs and have connected them with reliable and highly experienced legal firms in the U.S.
To help you find the best startup law firms, I analyzed Pitchbook Data—a private capital market and research database—and selected 20 law firms particularly suitable for startups.
For each firm, I’ll describe:
While the number of deals and companies served doesn’t guarantee they’re great for every startup, it does show they have experience and expertise in specific fields.
Also, my own experience with some of the firms on the list indicates that they are trustworthy and reliable for startups seeking legal guidance.
However, please note that the information I’ll present does not constitute an endorsement of any specific firm. You should always conduct your own due diligence before selecting legal counsel.
Pitchbook Data, with its extensive VC and startup investment database, can help identify suitable law firms for startups. It tells you:
However, relying only on metrics like deal numbers and companies served to find the “best” firm has both benefits and limitations.
While Pitchbook Data offers valuable insights, relying solely on its metrics for a definitive “best” firm presents an incomplete picture. Consider these additional factors:
Pitchbook Data provides a helpful starting point, but the “best” law firm for your startup is a subjective decision.
Use the data, but go beyond numbers, delve into firm culture, individual experiences, and alignment with your unique needs to find the true legal partner for your venture’s success.
Based on Pitchbook Data for calendar year 2023, I selected 20 top law firms for startups, sorted by number of venture capital deals above $2.0 million during the calendar year.
Hire Business Valuation and Startup M&A SpecialistsAt Eton Venture Services, we’re a team of ex-Lawyers and Big 4 Consultants who specialize in startup advisory and business valuations. Over the years, we’ve delivered over 3000+ thorough, robust startup valuations and have supported thriving startups like Pinterest, Substack and Perplexity.ai. Contact us here to learn more about our services—and please note, if we can’t help you, we’ll be happy to help you find the best law firm for your needs.
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No. of Deals: 406 No. of Serviced Companies: 1672 Specialization: Tech and life sciences Based In: Palo Alto, California, USA, with offices worldwide including London and Brussels Company Website: https://www.cooley.com/ |
Cooley LLP is a prominent global law firm known for its expertise in representing high-growth technology and life sciences companies.
With over 1,300 lawyers across 19 offices in the United States, Asia, and Europe, Cooley excels in corporate law, intellectual property, litigation, and regulatory matters.
No. of Deals: 340 No. of Serviced Companies: 1657 Specialization: Venture capital, emerging companies Based In: HQ in California, with offices worldwide including São Paulo, Beijing, Singapore Company Website: https://www.gunder.com/en |
Gunderson Dettmer is a leading law firm for venture capital and emerging companies. (Fun Fact: I’m an ex-Gunderson lawyer!)
Ranked #1 VC firm globally by PitchBook for ten years, they offer expert legal services for all business stages.
Gunderson Dettmer works with AI, fintech, crypto, and life sciences industries.
Their specialties include corporate strategy, data privacy, mergers, IPOs, debt financing, executive compensation, and more.
📖 Related Read: Venture Capital Valuation: 7 VC Valuation Methods & the Process
No. of Deals: 315 No. of Serviced Companies: 1744 Specialization: Technology, life sciences Based In: Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, USA, with offices across the United States and internationally such as Beijing, Brussels, Hong Kong, London, and Shanghai. Company Website: https://www.wsgr.com/en/ |
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati (WSGR) is a top law firm for technology, life sciences, and growth enterprises.
Founded in 1961 in Palo Alto, they have been pivotal in major IPOs, such as Apple and Google, and recently represented Twitter in the $44 billion take-private bid by Elon Musk.
WSGR offers services in corporate law, intellectual property, litigation, and regulatory affairs.
📖 Related Read: Intellectual Property Valuation | 5 Methods & Checklist
No. of Deals: 254 No. of Serviced Companies: 696 Specialization: Technology, energy, infrastructure, finance Based In: Headquartered in San Francisco, California, USA, with offices globally including London, Paris, Tokyo, and Beijing. Company Website: http://orrick.com/ |
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP is a global law firm specializing in technology, energy, infrastructure, and finance.
The Financial Times has named them a top three innovative law firm for seven years.
Their services include antitrust, AI, cybersecurity, complex litigation, and more.
No. of Deals: 250 No. of Serviced Companies: 853 Specialization: Life sciences, private equity, real estate, technology, and financial services industries Based In: Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, with offices across North America, Europe, and Asia Company Website: http://goodwinlaw.com/ |
Goodwin Procter LLP is a global law firm started in 1912. It has offices in major financial and tech centers around the world.
The firm works in sectors like life sciences, private equity, real estate, technology, and financial services.
It’s known for its expertise in complex transactions, high-stakes litigation, and regulatory compliance.
No. of Deals: 178 No. of Serviced Companies: 781 Specialization: Life sciences and technology Based In: Headquartered in California, USA, with offices in San Francisco, Seattle, New York, and Shanghai. Company Website: http://fenwick.com/ |
Founded in 1972, Fenwick & West LLP is a top law firm specializing in technology and life sciences. They are famous for helping to incorporate Apple and taking Oracle and eBay public.
Fenwick is known for its practice in:
They also use AI and data-driven pricing tools to better serve their clients.
No. of Deals: 88 No. of Serviced Companies: 447 Specialization: Full-service firm Based In: Los Angeles, California, USA, with offices globally including London, Paris, Tokyo, Beijing Company Website: http://lw.com/ |
Latham & Watkins LLP, founded in 1934, is a leading global law firm with over 3,500 lawyers in 14 countries. They are known for handling big deals like Reddit’s $748 million IPO and Viking’s $1.54 billion IPO.
They serve many industries, including:
Latham & Watkins offers a wide range of services, such as:
They are known for their innovative approach and have received many top industry awards, including “Most Innovative Law Firm in North America” by the Financial Times.
No. of Deals: 74 No. of Serviced Companies: 247 Specialization: Energy, real estate, financial services, technology Based In: Headquartered in New York, USA, with offices across the US, Europe, and Asia Company Website: http://pillsburylaw.com/ |
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP is a well-known law firm founded in 1868. It excels in technology, energy, financial services, and real estate sectors.
Pillsbury offer many services, including:
Pillsbury is known for its innovative practices and excellent client service, with many awards from Financial Times and BTI Consulting.
No. of Deals: 66 No. of Serviced Companies: 438 Specialization: Intellectual property, litigation, privacy law, and more Based In: Seattle, Washington, USA, with offices across the United States and Asia including Beijing, Shanghai, and Taipei. Company Website: http://perkinscoie.com/ |
Perkins Coie LLP is a top international law firm, Known for working with clients like Google and Amazon.
The firm has many practice areas, including:
Perkins Coie serves various industries such as technology, aerospace and defense, energy, healthcare, and fintech.
No. of Deals: 43 No. of Serviced Companies: 170 Specialization: Energy, healthcare, technology, etc. Based In: New York, Washington D.C., London, and Beijing, and more. Company Website: http://dentons.com/ |
Founded in 2013, Dentons is the world’s largest law firm with over 12,000 lawyers in more than 200 locations across 80+ countries. They offer a wide range of legal services, including:
Dentons excels in sectors such as energy, healthcare, and technology.
No. of Deals: 34 No. of Serviced Companies: 80 Specialization: Life sciences, healthcare, technology, energy, etc Based In: Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, with offices in Denver, New York, Washington D.C., and Paris. Company Website: http://foleyhoag.com/ |
Foley Hoag LLP, founded in 1943, is known for its strong commitment to diversity and inclusion, having promoted the first African-American partner in a Boston law firm.
Their practice areas include:
They serve many industries such as:
The firm is recognized for its supportive, collegial culture.
No. of Deals: 32 No. of Serviced Companies: 62 Specialization: Venture capital deal financings Based In: Headquartered in New York, USA, with additional offices in Princeton and Santa Monica. Company Website: http://reitlerlaw.com/ |
Reitler is a premier full-service law firm and leading venture firm. They have worked on over 2,000 venture financings and are consistently ranked in the Top 10 for venture capital deal activity.
Specializations:
Reitler caters to both emerging and established businesses with a high-touch, client-specific approach.
No. of Deals: 31 No. of Serviced Companies: 215 Specialization: Venture financings and M&A Based In: Headquartered in San Francisco, California, USA, with offices in Los Angeles, Denver, and Austin. Company Website: https://www.siliconlegal.com/ |
Silicon Legal Strategy is a top boutique law firm, specializing in corporate counseling, venture financings, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and enterprise commercial transactions.
It has been recognized among the top 10 most active venture capital law firms by PitchBook for five consecutive years. Silicon Legal Strategy has handled over 2,000 venture financings and more than 125 M&A transactions since 2019.
It serves clients in various industries, including:
Notable clients include Webflow and Lyft.
No. of Deals: 28 No. of Serviced Companies: 92 Specialization: Full service Based In: Headquartered in Missouri, USA, with offices nationwide. Company Website: https://www.polsinelli.com/ |
Polsinelli, established in 1972 in Kansas City, Missouri, is a full-service law firm with over 1,000 attorneys across 23 offices nationwide.
Their core industries include healthcare, finance, real estate, technology, private equity, and life sciences.
They offer many services, some of them being intellectual property, labor and employment, litigation, and corporate and transactional law.
The firm is highly regarded for its collaborative culture and commitment to client service.
No. of Deals: 27 No. of Serviced Companies: 209 Specialization: Intersection of government and business Based In: Headquartered in Washington D.C. and Massachusetts, USA, with offices across the US and internationally in Berlin, Brussels, Frankfurt, London, and Beijing. Company Website: https://www.wilmerhale.com/ |
WilmerHale, established in 2004, is a leading international law firm working at the intersection of government and business to support clients across industries, from finance to life sciences to technology.
With over 1,000 lawyers in 13 offices globally, their practice includes more than 500 litigators with deep trial, appellate, and Supreme Court experience; a preeminent securities law practice with over 200 lawyers; a regulatory practice with 100+ former high-level government officials; an IP practice with 100+ lawyers holding scientific degrees; and nearly 200 corporate lawyers, plus experts in bankruptcy, environmental, labor and employment, real estate, and tax matters.
No. of Deals: 24 No. of Serviced Companies: 94 Specialization: Health, Life Sciences, media, and more Based In: Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, USA, with offices globally. Company Website: http://mwe.com/ |
McDermott Will & Emery is an international law firm.
They serve many industries, including:
Some of the many services they offer include antitrust, business restructuring, corporate, crisis management, employment, cybersecurity, intellectual property, international trade, litigation, ESG, and tax.
McDermott focuses on client goals, honest communication, and a commitment to continuous improvement and excellence.
No. of Deals: 24 No. of Serviced Companies: 46 Specialization: Full-service law firm Based In: Headquartered in Wisconsin, USA, with offices across the US Company Website: http://michaelbest.com/ |
Michael Best & Friedrich LLP is a full-service law firm.
They offer services in the following:
It works across industries such as:
The firm is known for its collaborative, interdisciplinary approach to serving clients worldwide.
No. of Deals: 24 No. of Serviced Companies: 58 Specialization: Transactional, litigation, and regulatory services Based In: Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, with offices in Washington D.C., Raleigh-Durham, and Savannah. Company Website: http://mmmlaw.com/ |
Morris, Manning & Martin LLP is a full-service AmLaw 200 law firm. It works with all kinds of clients, from Fortune 50 companies to tech start-ups, and real estate businesses to international companies.
Known for their excellence in transactional, litigation, and regulatory services, they specialize in industries like corporate technology, financial services, healthcare, hospitality, insurance, and real estate.
MMM focuses on building strong relationships with their clients, treating them as partners rather than transactions.
No. of Deals: 23 No. of Serviced Companies: 58 Specialization: Corporate law, employment, intellectual property, and litigation Based In: Headquartered in Massachusetts, USA, with an additional office in Boston Company Website: https://www.morse.law/ |
Morse served clients from startups to Fortune 1000 companies. The firm focuses on corporate law, employment, intellectual property, and litigation.
They cater to industries such as AI, fintech, healthtech, life sciences, SaaS, IoT, and media, among others.
No. of Deals: 22 No. of Serviced Companies: 146 Specialization: Corporate, litigation, intellectual property, and government relations Based In: Headquartered in South Carolina, USA, with offices across the US Company Website: https://www.nelsonmullins.com/ |
Nelson Mullins is an Am Law 100 firm. It specializes in corporate, litigation, intellectual property, and government relations for Fortune 500, venture funds, emerging growth companies, academic institutions, non-profits, individuals, and trusts.
Have any questions about these law firms or about our business valuation services? Please feel free to call or email me here. I will be happy to answer all your questions. |
Have more questions about law firms for startups? I answered them below:
Startups operate in a dynamic and complex legal environment, and often require support to navigate various challenges. Here are key reasons why:
Specialized legal support empowers startups to navigate complex legal landscapes, secure funding, and achieve sustainable growth.
It’s an investment that provides not just legal expertise, but also strategic guidance and access to valuable networks, ultimately contributing to the success of the young company.
The dynamic world of startups necessitates legal support that can keep pace. Here are key trends shaping startup law firms in 2024:
By embracing these trends, startup law firms can provide the specialized, adaptable, and cost-conscious support that young companies need to navigate the legal landscape and achieve sustainable growth.
The cost of legal services for a startup can vary widely based on factors like location, complexity of legal needs, and the specific services required. Here’s a general range to give you an idea:
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Chris co-founded Eton Venture Services in 2010 to provide mission-critical valuations to venture-based companies. He works closely with each client’s leadership team, board of directors, internal / external counsel, and independent auditor to develop detailed financial models and create accurate, audit-proof valuations.
