Thelen LLP

The firm that would become Thelen LLP was founded in 1924 as Thelen, Marrin, Johnson & Bridges (TMJB) in San Francisco, California. The firm counseled contractors and developers in a wide range of big ticket infrastructure projects, including the Hoover Dam, the Golden Gate Bridge, the San Francisco-Oakland Bridge and the second stage of Grand Coulee Dam. United States Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy was a TMJB Associate Attorney from 1961 to 1963.{{Cite web|url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/justices/kennedy.bio.html|title = LII: US Supreme Court: Justice Kennedy}} In June 1998, Thelen Marrin merged with New York–based Reid & Priest, a firm with 160 attorneys founded in 1935 with a Washington, D.C., office, known for its industry experience in the electric utility sector.{{cite web |url=http://www.thelawyer.com/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=98582 |title=Bi-coastal US merger to go ahead |date=14 April 1998 }} The combined firm reportedly sought to merge with an English law firm following the revelation that New York–based Rogers & Wells and London-based international firm Clifford Chance were in merger talks that eventually reached fruition.{{cite web |url=http://www.thelawyer.com/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=89301 |title=Thelen Reid trawls City for merger |date=8 February 1999 |author=Sean Farrell }} However, the firm did not ultimately engage in a transatlantic merger. Instead, it opted for domestic growth by acquiring the 10 lawyers of San Francisco–based boutique technology firm Britton Silberman & Cervantez in 2000. Three years later, the firm established a joint venture with UK firm Pinsent Masons focused on construction and project finance, called Masons Thelen Reid.{{cite web |url=http://www.thelawyer.com/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=85110 |title=Masons launches US joint venture |date=17 February 2003 |author=Steve Hoare}} The joint venture later launched a link-up with a law firm in Iraq in 2004 to assist firms involved in reconstruction.{{cite web |url=http://www.thelawyer.com/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=108567 |title=Masons Thelen Reid launches in Iraq |date=23 February 2004 |author=Emma Vere-Jones}} The joint venture was abandoned in 2007.{{cite web |url=http://www.legalweek.com/Articles/1043945/Pinsents+and+US+ally+pull+plug+on+projects+JV.html |title=Pinsents and US ally pull plug on projects JV |date=9 August 2007 |author=James Illman }}

Thelen Reid & Priest LLP merged, effective on December 1, 2006, with Brown Raysman Millstein Felder & Steiner, LLP, to form Thelen Reid Brown Raysman & Steiner LLP.{{cite news| url=https://blogs.wsj.com/law/2006/10/30/law-blog-wedding-announcement-thelen-reid-brown-raysman/ | work=The Wall Street Journal | title=LB Wedding Announcement: Thelen Reid & Brown Raysman | first=Peter | last=Lattman | date=2006-10-30}} The transaction was the largest law firm merger in 2006, according to the Hildebrandt International consulting firm creating a bicoastal firm of over 600 attorneys with revenues of over $400 million.[http://www.hildebrandt.com/Documents.aspx?Doc_ID=2482 Hildebrandt International – Hildebrandt International's MergerWatch: Year End 2006]

According to the results of the National Law Journal's 2007 survey of the nation's largest law firms, Thelen Reid Brown Raysman & Steiner ranked 70.[http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1194516246671 Law.com – The 2007 NLJ 250] The firm later launched in London and Shanghai.

Thelen's merger with Brown Raysman created a culture clash on several levels. Thelen had historically been a conservative firm with "older and bigger" clients, while Brown Raysman was a more "entrepreneurial" firm that focused on technology and real estate clients. Thelen linked partner compensation to firm performance while Brown Raysman followed a "payout" model that provided income to capital partners regardless of how the firm performed. Several key partners began to leave the combined firm in early 2007.{{Cite web|url=http://www.law360.com/in-depth/articles/820381|title=Why Law Firm Mergers Fail - Law360|website=www.law360.com|access-date=2016-07-26}}

By autumn 2008, the firm saw the departures of the three "name partners" from the Brown{{cite news|url=http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=900005561664|publisher=The Recorder|title=Thelen Loses Peter Brown to Baker & Hostetler|author=Niraj Chokshi|date=2008-04-30}} Raysman{{cite news|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/12/business/12law.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin |publisher=Blog of Legal Times|title=Name Partner Leaving Thelen Reid|author=Jeff Horowitz|date=2008-08-12}} Steiner{{cite news|url=http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202424054742|publisher=National Law Journal|title=Defections Continue at Thelen|author=Leigh Jones|date=2008-08-26}} side. The firm shortened its name to Thelen LLP in August 2008.[http://abovethelaw.com/2008/08/thelen_new_name_merger.php Thelen Their Oats: Will A New Name Lure Suitors?] The firm lost almost 200 attorneys between merger and the October 2008 dissolution vote, including many important rainmakers and practice groups, who moved to such leading firms as DLA Piper,{{cite news|url=http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202424054742|publisher=National Law Journal|title=Defections Continue at Thelen|author=Leigh Jones|date=2008-08-26}} Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe,{{cite news|url=http://amlawdaily.typepad.com/amlawdaily/2008/08/thelen-loses-fo.html|publisher=American Lawyer|title=Thelen Loses Four Partners to Orrick|author=Nate Raymond|date=2008-08-20}} Proskauer Rose,{{cite news|url=http://legalpad.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/04/three-practice.html|publisher=Legal Pad|title=Three Practice Heads Dump Thelen for Proskauer|author=Niraj Chokshi|date=2008-04-23}} and Loeb & Loeb.{{cite news|url=http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202424510917|publisher=New York Law Journal|title=Two Thelen Outsourcing Partners Join Loeb & Loeb|author=Anthony Lin|date=2008-09-15}} In late September 2008, twenty attorneys in the firm's China practice group in its Washington, D.C., and Shanghai offices left for Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman.{{cite news|url=http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202424900449|publisher=The Recorder|title=Thelen's China Practice Joins Pillsbury|author=Niraj Chokshi|date=2008-09-30}}{{cite news|url=http://abovethelaw.com/2008/10/pillsbury_continues_to_poach_t.php|publisher=Above The Law|title=Pillsbury Continues to Poach Thelen Partners|author=Elie Mystal|date=2008-10-01}}

In July 2008, the firm internally announced its intention to seek another merger partner to boost its headcount and stem the tide of partner defections.{{cite news|url=http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202423083617|publisher=The Recorder|title=Amid Departures, Thelen Muses on Mergers|author=Niraj Chokshi|date=2008-07-18}} After merger discussions with East Coast firm Nixon Peabody failed, the firm began looking to shed practice groups and offices under the threat of dissolution.{{cite news|url=http://www.law.com/jsp/ca/PubArticleCA.jsp?id=1202425304691|publisher=The Recorder|title=Firms Consider Taking Pieces of Thelen|author=Niraj Chokshi, Petra Pasternak|date=2008-10-16}}

On October 28, 2008, the firm's partnership council recommended that the firm's partnership dissolve the firm.{{cite web |url=http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202425607847 |title=Thelen Launches Dissolution Vote |date=28 October 2008 |author=Niraj Chokshi}} The firm's line of credit was cut off due to many partners departing the firm.{{cite news|url=http://abovethelaw.com/2008/10/thelen_officially_dissolves.php|publisher=Above The Law|title=Thelen Officially Dissolves|author=Elie Mystal|date=2008-10-28}} In early November, between 60 and 90 attorneys from offices in San Francisco, Silicon Valley, New York, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and Shanghai were reportedly hired by Nixon Peabody.{{cite news|url=http://sanfrancisco.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2008/11/03/daily110.html?jst=m_ln_hl&surround=lfn|publisher=San Francisco Business Times|title=Nixon Peabody Snaps Up Thelen Lawyers|author=Eric Young|date=2008-11-07}} Other practices and groups of attorneys were hired by Howrey LLP, Reed Smith LLP{{cite news |work= San Francisco Business Journal |url= http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/othercities/sanfrancisco/stories/2008/11/10/daily66.html?brthrs=1 |date= 2008-11-12 |title= Law firm Howrey snares Thelen construction unit |author= Eric Young}} Farella Braun + Martel,{{cite news |publisher=San Francisco Chronicle |url= http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/28/BUA914VFVM.DTL |date=2008-12-27 |title=A look at business news in the Bay Area}} and Winston & Strawn,{{cite news |url= http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2008/11/24/story8.html?b=1227502800^1737104&brthrs=1 |publisher=San Jose Business Journal |date= 2008-12-21 |title= Thelen lawyers find a new home at Winston & Strawn, Reed Smith |author= William-Arthur Haynes }} among other firms. The shut-down was completed by the end of 2008.

On September 17, 2009, Thelen filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in the Southern District of New York, after the firm's only secured creditor, Citibank, was also no longer willing to advance funds for the cost of collection and to wind down operations.{{cite news|url=http://www.lawyrs.net/news/show/2392/85-year-old-us-law-firm-thelen-files-for-bankruptcy|publisher=lawyrs.net| title=85-year old US law firm Thelen files for bankruptcy|date=2009-09-21}}{{Cite web |last=Fuchs |first=Erin |title=The Eight Most Crushing Law Firm Implosions In The Nation's History |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/the-eight-most-spectacular-law-firm-collapses-in-history-2012-6 |access-date=2024-10-02 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}}

This subsequently ended the 85-year-old operation that peaked in the year 2006 with offices in a number of cities in the United States, England and China.

• Provided legal counsel to China Water and Drinks Inc., a Chinese beverage company in its $625 million acquisition by Heckmann Corp in 2008.
• Represented underwriters led by Morgan Stanley with Credit Suisse as co-manager in a $1.135 billion debt offering portion of a leveraged lease financing of the Bruce Mansfield Unit 1 coal-fired generating station by FirstEnergy Generation Corp., a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. in 2007.
• Advised UniSource Energy Corporation in its $3 billion acquisition by a consortium consisting of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, JPMorgan Partners and Wachovia Capital Partners in 2003.
• Represented the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the 2001 $2.6 billion privatization of Nigerian Telecommunications plc.

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.thelen.com Thelen website]

{{Defunct law firms of the United States}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thelen Llp}}

Category:Law firms established in 1924

Category:Law firms based in San Francisco

Category:Defunct law firms of the United States

Category:Law firms disestablished in 2008

Category:1924 establishments in California

Category:2008 disestablishments in California