What Morrison & Foerster does

Morrison & Foerster LLP is a global law firm founded in 1883 and headquartered in San Francisco, operating 19 offices across the United States, Asia, and Europe. The firm serves Fortune 100 companies, financial institutions, and leading technology and life sciences companies through partner-led client engagements, with practice depth in intellectual property litigation, complex commercial litigation, M&A, regulatory compliance, financial services, and emerging areas including AI, data privacy, and cybersecurity. Notable mandates include advising SoftBank on its $41 billion investment round in OpenAI, defending OpenAI and Anthropic in AI copyright litigation, and advising Sumitomo Forestry on its $4.5 billion acquisition of Tri Pointe Homes.

The firm's core technology layer centers on its June 2026 strategic partnership with Legora, which deploys AI as a firmwide platform for attorneys. The platform supports document review and analysis, automation of routine legal tasks, customized workflow building, and emerging agentic capabilities for multi-step task execution. Beyond the Legora deployment, MoFo distributes legal expertise through eight podcast series, nine specialized blogs, dedicated resource centers covering AI, cybersecurity, privacy, sanctions, and stablecoins, and an active alumni and client alert network. The firm pursues a hybrid client segmentation approach organized by both size tier (Fortune 100) and vertical (technology, life sciences, financial services).

The business model is a traditional professional services fee structure, with revenue generated through hourly rates, fixed fees for specific matters, contingency fees, and transaction-based fees that vary by practice area and engagement complexity. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. MoFo operates as a limited liability partnership owned and controlled by its partners, with Eric T. McCrath serving as Chair; the firm is not publicly traded and has no parent company or external equity backing. Recent growth has been fueled by record financial results in 2025/2026, the 2023 Durie Tangri merger that brought approximately 36 IP and litigation lawyers, the February 2026 Seattle office launch staffed by 15 lateral partners, and the Legora AI partnership.

Name

Morrison & Foerster

Legal name

Morrison & Foerster LLP

Website

https://mofo.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1883

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Morrison & Foerster is a global law firm founded in 1883 and headquartered in San Francisco, operating 19 offices worldwide. It serves Fortune 100, technology, life sciences, and financial services clients through partner-led engagements spanning IP litigation, M&A, regulatory, and AI advisory work.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Services

NAICS

Legal Services (5411), Offices of Lawyers (541110)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) & Securities Law (BPAHAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Transaction Services (Financial, Tax & Commercial Due Diligence) (BPAHAOAB), Financial Crime, AML/CFT & Sanctions Compliance (BPAHAFAE), Cross-Border M&A Advisory (FSAEAGAH)

Keywords

• Legal advisory services
• Intellectual property litigation
• Corporate transactional law
• Regulatory compliance law
• Cross-border mergers acquisitions

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices19 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Legal Services Fees: Traditional law firm model charging clients for legal services including hourly rates, fixed fees for specific matters, contingency fees, and transaction-based fees depending on practice area and client engagement type.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Morrison & Foerster LLP is an international law firm providing full-service legal representation across antitrust, appellate, bankruptcy, business restructuring, capital markets, intellectual property, privacy and data security, financial services regulation, life sciences, and government contracts practices. The firm serves enterprise clients including Fortune 100 companies, large financial institutions, and leading technology and life sciences companies through 19 offices across the United States, Europe, and Asia, with partner-led engagement on high-stakes litigation, corporate transactions, and regulatory matters.

Product overview

Morrison & Foerster is a global law firm providing legal services rather than a technology product company. The firm's 'products' consist primarily of legal service practice areas organized across Business & Finance, Litigation, Intellectual Property, and Regulatory categories. The firm offers value-added services including multiple podcast series (MoFo Perspectives, MoForecast, Above Board, Life Sciences, MoFo Competition, ESG Pathway Series, ESG + BSR Conversation Series, Cyber Defense Dialogues) and specialized resource centers covering AI, Cybersecurity, Privacy, Sanctions, Stablecoins, and ESG topics. In 2026, the firm announced a strategic partnership to deploy the Legora AI platform firmwide to enhance attorney productivity through document analysis, task automation, and workflow capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Antitrust Law Legal representation in antitrust and competition matters, including merger clearance, antitrust investigations, cartel defense, and competition counseling for enterprise clients across multiple jurisdictions.
• Intellectual Property Litigation Complex IP litigation services including patent infringement (including Section 337 ITC investigations), trademark, copyright, and trade secret disputes, with notable depth in AI copyright litigation and technology patent cases.
• M&A and Corporate Transactions Full-service corporate and M&A advisory including cross-border transactions, joint ventures, corporate governance, and securities matters for enterprise clients including Fortune 100 companies.
• Capital Markets Legal counsel on capital markets transactions, securities offerings, fund formation, and broker-dealer regulation for issuers, underwriters, and financial institutions.
• Privacy and Data Security Privacy, data protection, and cybersecurity legal services including GDPR compliance, data breach response, regulatory investigations, and privacy litigation. Band 1 ranked in Chambers USA 2026.
• Financial Services Regulation Legal advisory on financial services regulation, banking law, fintech compliance, investment management, securities enforcement, and BSA/AML compliance for financial institutions.
• Business Restructuring + Insolvency Legal counsel on bankruptcy litigation, business restructuring, insolvency proceedings, and distressed asset transactions for corporate debtors, creditors, and stakeholders.
• Life Sciences Legal Services Specialized legal counsel for biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device, and healthcare companies covering FDA regulatory compliance, drug approval, IP licensing, and clinical trial matters.
• Government Contracts Federal government contracts and national security advisory including bid protests, claims, investigations, and compliance for federal contractors and defense industry clients.
• Crisis Management Crisis and risk management advisory for enterprises facing high-stakes regulatory, reputational, or operational crises, including investigations and government enforcement defense.

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• LegoracoreTechnology or Integration · 16 June 2026Strategic partnership with Legora implementing AI as a core technology platform firmwide. The platform provides advanced AI capabilities supporting attorneys across legal work including reviewing and analyzing large document sets, automating routine tasks, and building customized workflows with emerging agentic capabilities for complex task execution.
• Insta360minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2026Represented Insta360 in patent infringement case brought by GoPro under Section 337 investigation at US International Trade Commission, achieving favorable final ruling.
• Paul Hastings LLPminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2026Paul Hastings served as co-advisor alongside Morrison Foerster on the $4.5 billion Tri Pointe Homes acquisition.
• Durie TangricoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Merger with Durie Tangri effective January 1, 2023, strengthening Morrison Foerster's intellectual property and complex civil litigation capabilities. The acquisition involved 36 lawyers including 12 partners, enhancing capabilities in technology and life sciences sectors.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Kirkland & Ellis LLP: Largest global law firm by revenue and a dominant player in private equity, M&A, and tech/IP litigation. Directly comparable as a full-service global AmLaw firm with strong tech and life sciences practices and similar scale ambitions.
• Latham & Watkins LLP: Top-tier global AmLaw firm with deep tech, life sciences, and M&A practices and comparable international footprint. Directly competes with MoFo for Fortune 100 tech mandates and high-stakes cross-border transactions.
• Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP: Elite global law firm with strong M&A, securities, and litigation practices, regularly engaged on the largest cross-border deals. Comparable to MoFo in transactional scale and global reach.
• Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP: Elite global AmLaw firm with premier M&A, litigation, and white-collar practices. Comparable in handling of mega-deals and high-stakes litigation, and co-advisor to MoFo on the Sumitomo Forestry/Tri Pointe transaction.
• Sullivan & Cromwell LLP: Top-tier global law firm renowned for M&A, securities, and financial services work. Comparable in serving Fortune 100 enterprises and handling the largest cross-border transactions, with strong capital markets practice.
• Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP: Premier global AmLaw firm with strong M&A, securities, and international dispute resolution capabilities. Comparable to MoFo in cross-border M&A and global financial regulatory work.
• Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP: Elite Wall Street law firm with premier securities, M&A, and litigation practices. Comparable in serving Fortune 100 financial institutions and handling the largest corporate transactions.

Direct peers

• Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati: Premier tech and life sciences law firm based in Silicon Valley, deeply embedded with technology companies and venture capital. Most direct competitor to MoFo's tech/IP/AI practice, frequently competing for the same Silicon Valley client mandates.
• Cooley LLP: Major tech and life sciences law firm with strong emerging-company and venture capital practice. Directly competes with MoFo for tech client mandates, AI company representation, and high-growth transactional work.
• Goodwin Procter LLP: Tech and life sciences-focused AmLaw firm with strong private equity, IP, and technology transactions practices. Comparable client overlap in tech M&A and life sciences, and similar Bay Area/California presence.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/MorrisonFoersterLLP
• Facebookfacebook.com/MoFoLLP
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/morrison-foerster-llp
• Xx.com/MoFoLLP

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Morrison & Foerster