WilmerHale has extensive experience representing both venture-backed companies and venture capital firms in industries such as software, semiconductors and electronics, telecommunications and networking, life sciences and medical devices. Venture capital deals are a cornerstone of our corporate practice and reflect our long-standing focus on technology, life sciences and entrepreneurial companies. We have a strong presence in the venture capital community throughout the United States and Europe. We regularly serve as company counsel in venture financings and represent leading venture capitalists in fund formation and portfolio investments.
Our experience with venture-backed clients dates back to the rise of the computer industry in the early 1960s, when we incorporated some of the first technology start-up companies, including Analog Devices, Prime Computer and Storage Technology. Since then, our practice has kept pace with the emergence of new technologies and industries: from mainframes in the 1960s to minicomputers in the 1970s; to software and biotech in the 1980s; to telecom, Internet and life sciences in the 1990s; and now to the most advanced technologies in nanotechnology, genomics, bioinformatics and countless other fields. Throughout this time we have advised leading companies in their formation, growth and eventual IPO or acquisition.
Today, emerging companies and leading venture capitalists throughout the United States and Europe continue to turn to WilmerHale for legal advice and business advantage. Hundreds of start-up companies have relied on us from formation to funding to market leadership and successful IPOs or acquisitions. In 2012, we served as counsel in more than 200 venture financings raising approximately $1.5 billion, including some of the largest and most prominent deals of the year. Since 2005, we have handled approximately 2,000 venture financings raising over $18 billion. With one of the top venture capital practices in the world, we are counsel to more venture capital-backed companies in the eastern half of the United States, and in Europe, than any other law firm.
Our extensive experience with VC-backed companies enables us to efficiently navigate the complexities of venture capital financings, as well as provide advice and insight to venture-backed clients as they build their businesses. Our start-up company clients also benefit from the advice of our attorneys concentrating in intellectual property, labor and employment, environmental, litigation and real estate law, who have worked extensively with start-up companies.
We have also represented venture capitalists for nearly four decades. At a time when many law firms were scarcely familiar with the concepts underlying venture financing, we assisted some of the earliest venture capital firms in their initial investments. Today we represent many premier US and European venture capital firms in portfolio investments.
Our practical, problem-solving approach and our collective experience, accumulated through our many years in the venture capital field, enable us to cost-effectively represent venture capitalists and VC-backed companies. In addition to our legal experience, we offer the advantage of technical and scientific knowledge and work experience from attorneys with degrees in fields such as biochemistry, biology, biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, chemistry, computer science, electrical engineering, genetics, immunology, information systems, mathematics, mechanical engineering, medicine, microbiology, organic chemistry and systems engineering. As a result, we have a sophisticated understanding of issues facing technology and life sciences companies.
Additional Venture Capital experience: 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001
WilmerHale has extensive experience representing both venture-backed companies and venture capital firms in industries such as software, semiconductors and electronics, telecommunications and networking, life sciences and medical devices. Venture capital deals are a cornerstone of our corporate practice and reflect our long-standing focus on technology, life sciences and entrepreneurial companies. We have a strong presence in the venture capital community throughout the United States and Europe. We regularly serve as company counsel in venture financings and represent leading venture capitalists in fund formation and portfolio investments.
Our experience with venture-backed clients dates back to the rise of the computer industry in the early 1960s, when we incorporated some of the first technology start-up companies, including Analog Devices, Prime Computer and Storage Technology. Since then, our practice has kept pace with the emergence of new technologies and industries: from mainframes in the 1960s to minicomputers in the 1970s; to software and biotech in the 1980s; to telecom, Internet and life sciences in the 1990s; and now to the most advanced technologies in nanotechnology, genomics, bioinformatics and countless other fields. Throughout this time we have advised leading companies in their formation, growth and eventual IPO or acquisition.
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