Pepper Hamilton

Pepper Hamilton LLP was a U.S.-based law firm with 14 offices and around 500 attorneys.[1] The firm was ranked among the 100 largest firms by revenue in the United States and was one of the 100 most prestigious firms according to Vault's surveys of the legal industry.[2] The firm's largest practices included defense of pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers in product liability litigation and related matters, patent enforcement and prosecution, corporate transactions, and commercial litigation.

Pepper Hamilton LLP
HeadquartersTwo Logan Square
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
No. of offices14 offices
No. of attorneysApproximately 500
No. of employeesApproximately 1,200 total
Major practice areasGeneral practice, health sciences, IP litigation, blockchain
Key people
  • Thomas M. Gallagher, Chairman of Executive Committee
  • Thomas J. Cole, Jr., Managing Partner
Revenue$341.8 million (2017)
Date founded1890 (1890)
FounderGeorge Wharton Pepper
Company typeLimited liability partnership
Websitewww.pepperlaw.com

On January 9, 2020, Pepper Hamilton announced its planned merger with Atlanta-based firm Troutman Sanders to form Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP.[3] The combined firm has 1,100 attorneys, making it the largest purely American law firm and one of the 50 largest law firms in the world. The merger completed on July 1, 2020.

History
George W. Pepper, founder

The firm was founded in 1890 in Philadelphia by George Wharton Pepper, who joined the practice of Bayard Henry. Pepper emerged as a leading lawyer in Philadelphia and the nation, and was prominent in Republican politics. Pepper's essays on conflicts of laws were cited by Justice Brandeis in the landmark ruling Erie Railroad v. Tompkins (1938).[4] Pepper was also instrumental in Supreme Court arguments that lead to many New Deal provisions being struck down as beyond the Federal Government's commerce power.[4]

In 1954, the Pepper firm and another Philadelphia law firm — Evans, Bayard & Frick — merged as Pepper, Bodine, Frick, Scheetz & Hamilton creating a 35-lawyer entity. This merger brought in John Johnson, an eminent antitrust lawyer who represented Standard Oil and U.S. Steel and went on the argue 168 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.[4] In 1955, shortly after the merger of the Pepper and Evans firms, George Wharton Pepper retired from practice because of failing health. He was succeeded as chairman of the firm by John D.M. Hamilton, who was chairman of the Republican National Committee in 1940. In 1960, another merger brought in the firm of Moffett, Frye & Leopold. The firm grew significantly in the 1980s, 1990s and in recent years.

In 2007, the partnership elected Nina M. Gussack as chairwoman of Pepper's Executive Committee, the first woman to be elected to that position.[5] Pepper partner A. Michael Pratt became the Philadelphia Bar Association’s 81st Chancellor in 2008.[6] He is the third African-American to serve in that office since the Association’s founding in 1802.

Notable cases

Some of Pepper Hamilton's notable cases in more recent times include the Dover, Pa. school district "intelligent design" dispute dubbed "Scopes II;" precedent-setting defense rulings on behalf of drug and device manufacturers; acting as special counsel to the city of Detroit in its bankruptcy case; big wins in patent litigation before the International Trade Commission; obtaining defense jury verdicts-twice in three years-in a long-running antitrust case for Mack Trucks; conducting investigations into misconduct at institutions of higher learning; representing several Guantanamo Bay detainees; successfully arguing against federal organ transplant rules that unfairly limited transplants for individuals under the age of 12 on behalf of two children battling cystic fibrosis; working with organizations in Delaware to improve solitary confinement conditions and mental health treatment services for inmates; and representing refugee students in Lancaster, Pa. in a case that will protect the rights of immigrant students going forward.[4]

Organization

The firm's chairman is Thomas M. Gallagher, who succeeds Louis Freeh (Feb 2013—Oct 2014). Prior to Freeh, Nina Gussak held this role.

Pepper Hamilton is organized into four departments.

Commercial Department

Department Chair: Julie D. Corelli

  • Corporate & Securities
  • Corporate Restructuring & Bankruptcy
  • Employee Benefits
  • Financial Services
  • Real Estate
  • Tax & Estates

Intellectual Property Department

Department Chair: Bill Belanger

  • Litigation
  • Transactions
  • Prosecution

Health Sciences Department

Department Chair: Rachael Bushey

Organized as one practice in intellectual property, regulatory work, transactions, products liability, white-collar criminal defense, and other related areas.

Litigation & Dispute Resolution Department

Department Chairs: Jeremy Heap & Michael Schwartz

  • Trial and Dispute Resolution
  • Construction
  • Environment & Energy
  • Labor & Employment
  • White Collar Litigation & Investigations

Offices

References
  1. "Organizational profile of Pepper Hamilton LLP". The National Law Review.
  2. "Vault 100". Vault.
  3. "Observers See 'Market Share' Strategy Behind Troutman-Pepper Merger". Law.com.
  4. Vault.com
  5. Mondics, Chris. Female law-firm head: 'Not a big deal', The Philadelphia Inquirer, November 26, 2007. Accessed December 22, 2014.
  6. Mondics,C hris. Bar's new chancellor aims at tax, diversity, The Philadelphia Inquirer, December 04, 2007. Accessed December 22, 2014.
  7. Pepperlaw.com Archived 2016-04-07 at the Wayback Machine
  8. Eli Lilly
  9. D-Mass IP Litigation
  10. Law360
  11. "Pepper Hamilton Opens Silicon Valley Office - New Office Marks Third Pepper Office in California". 12 November 2013. Archived from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 28 January 2014.
  12. "Pepper Hamilton Opens Rochester Office". 19 February 2019.
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