What Irell & Manella does

Irell & Manella LLP is a privately held American law firm organized as a limited liability partnership under California law, founded in 1939 (with firmographic sources also citing 1941) and headquartered in Los Angeles. The firm operates three US offices in Los Angeles, Newport Beach, and Washington D.C., and has evolved over approximately 85 years from a Hollywood tax practice into a premier intellectual property litigation boutique, recognized by Chambers USA as 'the best of the best in patent litigation' and by World Trademark Review as having 'an enduring presence at the pinnacle of the patent litigation market.'

The firm's core offerings center on intellectual property litigation — particularly patent disputes, patent office trials, and patent portfolio management — complemented by securities litigation, antitrust and unfair competition, and appellate practices. A notable technical differentiator is the proprietary Irell Technical Analysis Laboratory, an in-house scientific analysis capability supporting complex patent matters. The firm also holds ISO 27001 certification for information security management, a meaningful compliance asset for corporate clients handling sensitive IP data. In 2024, Irell was featured in the Financial Times Innovative Lawyers rankings for investments in AI adoption, digital transformation, and new service delivery models.

Irell generates revenue through professional legal fees charged to enterprise and corporate clients on a traditional law-firm billing model (hourly rates and likely contingency or alternative fee arrangements on major matters). The firm serves large corporations requiring high-stakes IP litigation and complex commercial disputes, with a recent notable outcome of a $191 million result for client Pictiva. Client acquisition is driven by industry rankings, peer referrals, and reputation rather than traditional marketing, and the firm maintains deep partner-led client relationships across its three US offices.

Name

Irell & Manella

Legal name

Irell & Manella LLP

Website

https://irell.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1939

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Irell & Manella LLP is a privately held California-based law firm specializing in intellectual property litigation, patent prosecution, and complex commercial disputes for enterprise clients, with offices in Los Angeles, Newport Beach, and Washington D.C.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Intellectual Property Litigation and Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Litigation & Dispute Resolution (BPAHAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

IP Licensing, Transactions & Technology Transfer (BPAHAMAF), Litigation Support & Expert Witness Services (BPAHALAG)

Keywords

• Intellectual property litigation
• Patent litigation services
• Patent prosecution
• Legal advisory services
• IP portfolio management

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Legal Services - Professional Fees: Irell & Manella generates revenue through professional legal fees charged to corporate clients for intellectual property litigation, patent portfolio management, securities litigation, antitrust, appellate, and art law services. The firm operates on a traditional law firm billing model, likely billable hours and/or contingency/alternative fee arrangements for major litigation matters.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Irell & Manella LLP is a full-service American law firm providing intellectual property litigation and transactional legal services to enterprise clients, with a core focus on high-stakes patent litigation. The firm also delivers securities litigation, antitrust, appellate, and art law services, supported by an in-house Irell Technical Analysis Laboratory. Clients are served through offices in Los Angeles, Newport Beach, and Washington, D.C.

Product overview

Irell & Manella LLP is a premier law firm specializing in intellectual property litigation and transactions. The firm operates from offices in Los Angeles, Newport Beach, and Washington, D.C., offering a comprehensive suite of legal services centered around IP law. The firm's core offerings include intellectual property litigation (particularly patent litigation), patent portfolio management, and patent office trials, supported by an internal technical analysis laboratory. The firm is recognized as a leading IP practice by Chambers USA and World Trademark Review, described as 'the best of the best in patent litigation' with 'an enduring presence at the pinnacle of the patent litigation market.'

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Intellectual Property Litigation Full-service representation in high-stakes IP litigation, with emphasis on patent litigation, for enterprise clients described by Chambers USA as 'the best of the best in patent litigation.'
• Patent Portfolio Management Intellectual property transactions and patent portfolio management services provided to corporate clients.
• Patent Office Trials Representation in patent office trials and related inter partes proceedings.
• Securities Litigation Legal services for corporate clients in securities litigation matters.
• Antitrust and Unfair Competition
• Appellate Practice

Quantifiable outcome

• Secured $191 million settlement for Pictiva client

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Fish & Richardson: Large IP-focused law firm often cited alongside Irell among the top U.S. patent litigation practices. Directly comparable on patent litigation, prosecution, and IP counseling for technology clients.
• Finnegan: Premier IP boutique with strong patent litigation and prosecution bench, frequently appearing together with Irell in Chambers "Best of the Best" patent litigation rankings. Closest direct specialist competitor on complex patent mandates.
• Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan: Litigation-only firm known for high-stakes bet-the-company work, including a deep IP litigation practice. Comparable on complex patent and commercial litigation matters for sophisticated corporate clients.
• Munger, Tolles & Olson: Elite litigation-focused firm based in California, frequently appearing alongside Irell on major West Coast litigation matters. Comparable in caliber and client base for high-stakes disputes, including antitrust and appellate.
• Boies Schiller Flexner: Litigation-driven firm handling complex commercial disputes with significant IP exposure. Comparable to Irell on high-stakes bet-the-company litigation for sophisticated corporate and technology clients.

Broad incumbents

• WilmerHale: Large full-service firm with one of the strongest U.S. IP litigation groups, frequently engaged in major patent disputes. Comparable to Irell on patent litigation scope but with broader corporate/IP prosecution footprint.
• Cooley LLP: Full-service firm with a deep technology and IP litigation practice particularly strong in life sciences and technology matters. Comparable to Irell on IP litigation intensity but with a much wider practice offering.
• Kirkland & Ellis: Global law firm leader with significant IP litigation capability, especially in high-stakes patent and Hatch-Waxman matters. Competes with Irell for high-value patent mandates while offering broad transactional reach.
• Latham & Watkins: Global full-service firm with strong IP litigation practice often engaged on big-ticket patent disputes. Directly comparable on premium IP litigation mandates; competes on cross-practice scope and global reach.
• Sidley Austin: Full-service global firm with established IP litigation and prosecution groups serving technology and life sciences clients. Comparable to Irell on IP depth; broader offering across corporate, regulatory, and litigation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/irell-&-manella
• Xx.com/irellandmanella

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Irell & Manella