Simmons launches in Silicon Valley as A&O enters Boston

City outfit opens first US office whilst magic circle player continues expansion across the pond

International law firm Simmons & Simmons is looking to tap into California’s thriving tech scene with the launch of a new office in Silicon Valley, while Allen & Overy (A&O) is set to make further inroads into the US legal market — this time in Boston.

Simmons confirmed this week it had recruited Osborne Clarke’s former Silicon Valley managing partner, Emily Jones, to oversee its first venture on US soil. Jones, who specialises in data privacy, cyber security and technology law, will join the firm as a partner in May.

The office will not be practicing US law, the firm said.

The Legal Cheek Firms Most List 2022 shows the new addition means Simmons now has 22 offices across 16 countries.

Commenting on the Silicon launch and Jones’ arrival, head of telecommunications, media and technology (TMT) Alex Brown said: “This is a globally significant move for the firm’s TMT sector service. Silicon Valley is the epicentre of the global technology sector and is home to many of the world’s largest technology companies.”

Brown continued:

“With Simmons’ existing TMT sector expertise and its new on the ground presence, the firm is poised to win new work and forge stronger relationships with our existing US TMT sector clients. Together with the firm’s office in Shenzhen, this will give us a presence in the two largest tech hubs in the world.”

Separately, A&O has put down roots in Boston after it secured the services of five IP litigation partners from US outfit Goodwin Procter.

US senior partner Tim House said the aim is “to become the only elite global law firm to offer scaled, coordinated, top tier intellectual property litigation capabilities to life sciences businesses across the US, UK, continental Europe and Asia-Pacific”.

The magic circle player has been ramping up its presence in the US over the past year or so. Last March it launched in Los Angeles with 19 lawyers from Akin Gump and several months later it opened in Silicon Valley when it scooped seven partners from White & Case. It also has more established offices in Washington DC and New York.