September 9, 2019
New York, NY (September 09, 2019) --- Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP today announced the opening of its office in San Francisco, California. The office will be the firm’s second Bay Area office.
Prominent Bay Area litigators Simona Agnolucci and Ben Hur, who are among the most highly regarded rising stars in the Bay Area, will launch the office and join the firm as partners. Both have significant experience representing leading global technology companies, investors and individual clients in bet-the-company litigation, high-stakes federal and state government investigations, criminal prosecutions, and enforcement actions.
Ms. Agnolucci specializes in complex litigation, including class actions, complex commercial disputes and white collar criminal defense. She has tried numerous cases to verdict in state and federal court. She also represents corporate and individual clients in investigations brought by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission. Ms. Agnolucci has defended against allegations of economic espionage, trade-secret theft, tax evasion, accounting and revenue recognition fraud, insider trading, obstruction of justice and violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Ms. Agnolucci also has an active pro bono practice, primarily representing women and children fleeing gender-based persecution. She received a BA from Stanford University, and a JD from UC Hastings College of the Law.
Mr. Hur has significant experience resolving complex commercial disputes for technology companies, ranging from start-ups to established corporations. Mr. Hur has deep and wide-ranging experience litigating commercial disputes involving intellectual property, unfair trade practices and commercial disparagement. He has first-chaired several cases and has handled numerous criminal and civil cases in state and federal courts across the country. Mr. Hur received a BA and an MA from Stanford University, and a JD from Harvard Law School.
The San Francisco opening follows the successful launch of Willkie’s Palo Alto office at the end of 2018. Since then, the office, which concentrates on technology transactions and M&A primarily in the technology sector, has quickly grown to 14 lawyers.
The addition of a litigation team in the Bay Area continues the firm’s growth of its litigation practice, which most recently added Michael Gottlieb in Washington, DC and Randall Jackson in New York. Ms. Agnolucci and Mr. Hur will lead the new office and build a litigation team on the West Coast. The firm also expects to continue expanding its transactional practices in the Bay Area.
Willkie Chairman Thomas Cerabino stated: “We are delighted that Simona and Ben, two highly sought after litigators, will assist us in extending our litigation practice to the West Coast. We are extremely excited to help them grow this office and expand their business with our well established litigation, corporate and other capabilities. We’re proud to enhance our firm’s ability to serve this litigation market, especially given the prominence of many technology companies and private equity funds based here in the Bay Area. In addition, Simona and Ben’s expertise dovetails perfectly with the corporate and IP work we are now doing in Palo Alto. We think these exceptional litigators will help us meet the needs of California's diverse client base.”
Mr. Hur stated: “This is a unique opportunity to help build and shape a West Coast litigation practice for a renowned international law firm. We are excited for the chance to expand Willkie’s litigation footprint and look forward to delivering outstanding results to clients in the Bay Area and beyond.”
Willkie’s international network provides comprehensive legal services to clients. The firm represents a number of clients in the technology sector in a variety of matters including M&A and other business combinations, private equity, capital markets, finance, intellectual property and litigation.
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Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP is an international law firm of more than 700 attorneys with offices in New York, Washington, Houston, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Paris, London, Frankfurt, Brussels, Milan and Rome. The firm is headquartered in New York City at 787 Seventh Avenue. Tel: 212.728.8000.
Prominent Bay Area litigators Simona Agnolucci and Ben Hur, who are among the most highly regarded rising stars in the Bay Area, will launch the office and join the firm as partners. Both have significant experience representing leading global technology companies, investors and individual clients in bet-the-company litigation, high-stakes federal and state government investigations, criminal prosecutions, and enforcement actions.
Ms. Agnolucci specializes in complex litigation, including class actions, complex commercial disputes and white collar criminal defense. She has tried numerous cases to verdict in state and federal court. She also represents corporate and individual clients in investigations brought by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission. Ms. Agnolucci has defended against allegations of economic espionage, trade-secret theft, tax evasion, accounting and revenue recognition fraud, insider trading, obstruction of justice and violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Ms. Agnolucci also has an active pro bono practice, primarily representing women and children fleeing gender-based persecution. She received a BA from Stanford University, and a JD from UC Hastings College of the Law.
Mr. Hur has significant experience resolving complex commercial disputes for technology companies, ranging from start-ups to established corporations. Mr. Hur has deep and wide-ranging experience litigating commercial disputes involving intellectual property, unfair trade practices and commercial disparagement. He has first-chaired several cases and has handled numerous criminal and civil cases in state and federal courts across the country. Mr. Hur received a BA and an MA from Stanford University, and a JD from Harvard Law School.
The San Francisco opening follows the successful launch of Willkie’s Palo Alto office at the end of 2018. Since then, the office, which concentrates on technology transactions and M&A primarily in the technology sector, has quickly grown to 14 lawyers.
The addition of a litigation team in the Bay Area continues the firm’s growth of its litigation practice, which most recently added Michael Gottlieb in Washington, DC and Randall Jackson in New York. Ms. Agnolucci and Mr. Hur will lead the new office and build a litigation team on the West Coast. The firm also expects to continue expanding its transactional practices in the Bay Area.
Willkie Chairman Thomas Cerabino stated: “We are delighted that Simona and Ben, two highly sought after litigators, will assist us in extending our litigation practice to the West Coast. We are extremely excited to help them grow this office and expand their business with our well established litigation, corporate and other capabilities. We’re proud to enhance our firm’s ability to serve this litigation market, especially given the prominence of many technology companies and private equity funds based here in the Bay Area. In addition, Simona and Ben’s expertise dovetails perfectly with the corporate and IP work we are now doing in Palo Alto. We think these exceptional litigators will help us meet the needs of California's diverse client base.”
Mr. Hur stated: “This is a unique opportunity to help build and shape a West Coast litigation practice for a renowned international law firm. We are excited for the chance to expand Willkie’s litigation footprint and look forward to delivering outstanding results to clients in the Bay Area and beyond.”
Willkie’s international network provides comprehensive legal services to clients. The firm represents a number of clients in the technology sector in a variety of matters including M&A and other business combinations, private equity, capital markets, finance, intellectual property and litigation.
*****************************************************
Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP is an international law firm of more than 700 attorneys with offices in New York, Washington, Houston, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Paris, London, Frankfurt, Brussels, Milan and Rome. The firm is headquartered in New York City at 787 Seventh Avenue. Tel: 212.728.8000.
