What Snell & Wilmer does

Snell & Wilmer is a full-service business law firm founded in 1938 and headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. The firm operates as a privately held limited liability partnership (Snell & Wilmer L.L.P.) owned by its attorney partners, with Barbara J. Dawson serving as Firm Chair. Its service portfolio spans corporate and securities, mergers and acquisitions, litigation and trials, intellectual property (patent, trademark, copyright, trade secrets), venture capital and private equity, technology and technology transactions, labor and employment, real estate, environmental and energy, healthcare and life sciences, gaming, and government relations, among more than 75 practice areas.

The firm employs more than 500 attorneys practicing across 17 locations in the Western United States and Mexico, including Phoenix, Tucson, Los Angeles, Orange County, Palo Alto, San Diego, Denver, Boise, Las Vegas, Reno-Tahoe, Albuquerque, Portland, Dallas, Salt Lake City, Seattle, Washington D.C., and Los Cabos. It serves large publicly traded corporations, small businesses and entrepreneurs, and high-net-worth individuals. Revenue is generated through billable hours for legal services rendered, with quote-based pricing that varies by practice area, attorney seniority, and matter complexity, and alternative fee arrangements for larger institutional clients.

The firm has no disclosed proprietary technology product; its core technology stack consists of standard legal practice management and document systems. Distribution is entirely direct, through partner-led client relationships, referrals, and co-counsel arrangements, with international reach provided through membership in the Lex Mundi network. Third-party recognition includes 372 attorneys named to The Best Lawyers in America 2026 (19 as Lawyer of the Year), IAM Patent 1000, Legal 500, World Trademark Review Global Leaders, and inclusion by azbigmedia as one of the 10 Most Innovative Law Firms in Arizona.

Name

Snell & Wilmer

Legal name

Snell & Wilmer L.L.P.

Website

https://swlaw.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1938

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Snell & Wilmer is a full-service business law firm founded in 1938 with over 500 attorneys across 17 Western US and Mexico offices, serving publicly traded corporations, small businesses, entrepreneurs, and individuals across more than 75 practice areas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110), Offices of Lawyers (54111)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Litigation Support & Expert Witness Services (BPAHALAG)

Keywords

• Business law services
• Commercial litigation
• Intellectual property law
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Corporate legal counsel

Headquarters

HQ city

Phoenix

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices17 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Legal Services: Full-service business law firm providing legal services across multiple practice areas including corporate and securities, litigation, intellectual property, real estate, labor and employment, and more. Revenue is generated through billable hours for legal services rendered to clients ranging from large publicly traded corporations to small businesses and individuals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Snell & Wilmer is a full-service business law firm providing comprehensive legal counsel across multiple practice areas including intellectual property, litigation, corporate and securities, mergers and acquisitions, venture capital and private equity, real estate, labor and employment, healthcare, environmental, and technology transactions. The firm serves clients ranging from large publicly traded corporations to small businesses, entrepreneurs, and high-net-worth individuals, generating revenue primarily through billable hours.

Product overview

Snell & Wilmer is a full-service business law firm offering comprehensive legal services rather than a technology product company. The firm provides integrated legal counsel across multiple practice areas including Intellectual Property (patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets), Litigation/Investigations/Trials, Venture Capital and Private Equity, Corporate and Securities, Technology and Technology Transactions, Employment and Labor Law, Real Estate, Mergers and Acquisitions, Healthcare and Life Sciences, and Environmental and Energy Services. With over 500 attorneys in 17 locations, the firm serves clients ranging from large publicly traded corporations to small businesses and entrepreneurs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Intellectual Property Services Comprehensive IP legal services including trademark, patent, trade secret, and copyright counseling, prosecution, portfolio management, enforcement, defense, litigation, and licensing agreements domestically and internationally.
• Litigation, Investigations, and Trials Services Full-service commercial litigation practice covering class actions, bet-the-company litigation, arbitrations, appeals, and alternative dispute resolution across state, federal, and international courts.
• Venture Capital and Private Equity Services Transactional legal services covering majority buyouts, minority investments, acquisitions, financings (including 144A and PIPEs), going-private transactions, and spin-off transactions for venture capital, private equity, and hedge funds.
• Corporate and Securities Services Corporate governance, securities offerings, M&A transactions, SEC reporting, capital markets, and regulatory compliance services for publicly traded and private companies.
• Technology and Technology Transactions Legal counsel for technology companies covering software licensing, technology agreements, data privacy, cybersecurity compliance, and emerging technology sectors including digital currency and IoT.
• Employment and Labor Law Services Labor counseling, NLRB practice, wage and hour compliance and litigation, OSHA and MSHA compliance, and workforce management for employers across industries.
• Real Estate Services Commercial real estate transactions, development, leasing, lending, zoning, land use, eminent domain, and real estate dispute resolution and litigation.
• Mergers and Acquisitions Transactional legal services including buy-side and sell-side acquisitions, divestitures, reorganizations, joint ventures, and corporate governance advisory for domestic and international deals.
• Healthcare and Life Sciences Services Legal services for healthcare providers, life sciences companies, and medical technology firms covering regulatory compliance, FDA matters, and healthcare litigation.
• Environmental and Energy Services Environmental litigation, regulatory compliance, energy infrastructure, renewable energy, oil and gas, and natural resources legal counsel.

Quantifiable outcome

• 372 attorneys recognized by Best Lawyers in America 2026
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and notable.

• Lex MundicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of Lex Mundi, a global network of independent law firms providing access to legal services in jurisdictions worldwide. This affiliation enables Snell & Wilmer to serve clients with multi-jurisdictional legal needs through trusted relationships with member firms globally.
• The Trial NetworknotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliation with The Trial Network providing access to trial attorneys and litigation resources across the network for complex litigation matters.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cooley: Cooley is a leading West Coast-based law firm with offices in Palo Alto, San Diego, Los Angeles, and Seattle. It competes with Snell & Wilmer for technology, life sciences, venture capital, and M&A work, particularly in California.
• Polsinelli: Polsinelli is a national AmLaw 200 full-service business law firm with strong offices in Phoenix, Denver, Las Vegas, and other Western markets. It competes directly with Snell & Wilmer across corporate, healthcare, real estate, and IP practices.
• Greenberg Traurig: Greenberg Traurig is a global AmLaw 100 firm with major offices in Phoenix, Los Angeles, Silicon Valley, Denver, and Las Vegas. It competes with Snell & Wilmer for Western US-based M&A, IP, real estate, and corporate securities work.
• Buchalter: Buchalter is a Western US full-service business law firm with offices in California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. It competes with Snell & Wilmer across similar practice areas and regional markets.
• Quarles & Brady: Quarles & Brady is a national full-service business law firm with offices in Phoenix, Tucson, and other Western US markets. It offers overlapping practice areas including corporate, healthcare, IP, and litigation.
• Lewis Roca: Lewis Roca is a full-service business law firm headquartered in Phoenix with offices across the Western US. It directly competes with Snell & Wilmer for corporate, litigation, IP, and regulatory work in the same regional markets.

Broad incumbents

• Latham & Watkins: Latham & Watkins is a global AmLaw 5 firm with offices in Los Angeles, San Diego, Silicon Valley, and Seattle. It competes for large M&A, securities, and litigation matters across the Western US but operates at much larger scale.
• DLA Piper: DLA Piper is a global full-service law firm with offices in Phoenix, San Diego, and Silicon Valley. It competes across corporate, IP, real estate, and litigation in overlapping Western US markets but at significantly larger scale.
• Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati: Wilson Sonsini is a premier Silicon Valley-based firm focused on technology, life sciences, and venture capital. It overlaps with Snell & Wilmer's tech and VC/PE practices, particularly for high-growth California-based clients.
• Kirkland & Ellis: Kirkland & Ellis is the world's highest-grossing law firm with major offices in Los Angeles and San Francisco. It competes for the largest private equity, M&A, and restructuring mandates that Snell & Wilmer's clients may also pursue.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/swlawnews
• Facebookfacebook.com/swlawnews
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/13234

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Snell & Wilmer