Bergeson, LLP

What Bergeson, LLP does

Bergeson, LLP is a Silicon Valley-based business litigation law firm founded in 1990 by Daniel J. Bergeson. The firm represents public and private companies, founders, executives, venture capital and private equity funds, and high-profile individuals in high-stakes civil litigation, with particular concentration in securities, intellectual property, employment, M&A disputes, media law, and digital assets. Practice areas span business litigation, corporate counseling, crisis law, employment law, IP litigation, international litigation and arbitrations, investigations and white collar defense, life sciences litigation, M&A dispute resolution, media law, securities litigation, trial advocacy, and venture capital/private equity matters. The firm operates from three California offices — San Jose (headquarters), San Francisco, and Beverly Hills — with attorneys collectively having tried more than 100 cases before federal and state courts, juries, and arbitrators, and having recovered over $100 million for clients in post-closing M&A disputes over the past five years.

The firm generates revenue through professional fees for legal services, employing hourly billing, contingency fees, alternative fee arrangements, and flat fees depending on matter type. The go-to-market motion is sales-led and reputation-driven, acquiring clients through professional recognition (Chambers, Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, Benchmark Litigation, Fortune Go-To Law Firm), referrals from existing clients and co-counsel relationships (e.g., Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati), partner-led outreach, and direct engagement via the firm's three offices. Headcount stands at approximately 10 attorneys plus 7 affiliated counsel and administrative/support staff. Notable clients include Lam Research, Super Micro Computer, DynCorp International, Allergan, Skechers USA, Rockstar Games, and the American Medical Association, spanning semiconductors, technology, government contracting, pharmaceutical, retail, entertainment, nonprofit, and healthcare industries.

Operationally, the firm is a private limited liability partnership with no parent company, no institutional investment, and no public funding rounds. Recent strategic activity includes the launch of a Digital Assets practice, two new Partner-in-Charge appointments in 2025 (John D. Pernick in San Francisco; Jaideep 'Jay' Venkatesan in Silicon Valley), associate hires D.J. Murphy and Peter Soskin, and the 2024 retirement of long-tenured partner John W. Fowler. The firm holds no proprietary technology, patents, or AI/ML assets; it is a professional services firm whose primary 'technology' is its trial expertise and multidisciplinary team combining litigators, M&A/corporate counsel, and forensic accountants.

Name

Bergeson, LLP

Legal name

Bergeson, LLP

Website

https://be-law.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bergeson, LLP is a Silicon Valley business litigation law firm founded in 1990 that represents technology companies, founders, executives, and VC/PE funds in high-stakes disputes including securities, IP, M&A, employment, and media law across its three California offices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Litigation 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)

Keywords

• Business litigation services
• Securities litigation
• Intellectual property litigation
• M&A dispute resolution
• Employment law representation

Headquarters

HQ city

San Jose

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Legal Services - Professional Fees: The firm generates revenue through legal fees for business litigation services. The firm provides outside general counsel services and represents clients in high-stakes litigation matters. Based on the nature of the practice and alternative billing structures mentioned for M&A dispute matters, the firm likely employs hourly billing, contingency fees, alternative fee arrangements, and flat fees depending on matter type.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Bergeson, LLP is a Silicon Valley-based business litigation law firm that represents public and private companies, executives, founders, venture capital and private equity funds, and high-profile individuals in high-stakes commercial disputes. Core offerings span 14 practice areas — Business Litigation, Corporate Counseling, Crisis Law, Digital Assets, Employment Law, Intellectual Property Litigation, International Litigation & Arbitrations, Investigations & White Collar Defense, Life Sciences Litigation, M&A Dispute Resolution, Media Law, Securities Litigation, Trial Experience, and Venture Capital & Private Equity — delivered through three California offices. Revenue is generated through fee-based legal engagements (hourly, contingency, alternative, or flat-fee arrangements depending on matter type).

Product overview

Bergeson, LLP is a Silicon Valley-based business litigation law firm founded in 1990 offering a comprehensive suite of legal services organized into distinct practice areas. The firm's core offerings include Business Litigation (handling contract disputes, M&A matters, and high-stakes commercial cases), Corporate Counseling (providing outside general counsel services for venture startups and business transactions), and specialized litigation practices covering Intellectual Property (patent, trade secret, trademark), Securities, Employment Law, International Litigation & Arbitrations, M&A Dispute Resolution, Media Law, Life Sciences Litigation, Digital Assets, Investigations & White Collar Defense, Crisis Law, and Venture Capital & Private Equity matters. The firm distinguishes itself through extensive trial experience (over 100 cases), serving clients from startups to Fortune 500 companies across California and the western United States.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Business Litigation Full-spectrum business litigation services including contract disputes, creditor-debtor issues, M&A disputes, breach of fiduciary duty claims, fraud claims, and insurance coverage matters in federal and state courts, arbitrations, and mediations.
• Corporate Counseling Outside general counsel services and advisory support for shareholder and board of director matters, venture start-up, and domestic and international business transactions.
• Crisis Law Crisis management and media law services including pre-publication interfacing with journalists, retraction and take-down demands, settlement negotiations, litigation, jury trials, and appeals for reputational emergencies.
• Digital Assets Legal representation for clients in digital assets and blockchain space, including high-stakes civil litigation matters involving digital asset technologies.
• Employment Law Representation for employers and employees in wrongful termination, discrimination, retaliation, sexual harassment, and wage and hour matters, including counseling and advisory services.
• Intellectual Property Litigation Patent, trade secret, trademark, and unfair competition litigation for publicly-traded companies and startups, including patent litigation, trade secrets protection, trademark counseling, and IP licensing.
• International Litigation & Arbitrations Representation before U.S. courts and international arbitral tribunals including ICC, UNCITRAL, HKIAC, and SIAC for disputes involving foreign investment, cross-border transactions, and international contracts.
• Investigations & White Collar Defense Internal investigations for public and private companies on corporate governance, finance, accounting, cross-border transactions, and alleged securities fraud or insider trading; plus defense of individuals in criminal prosecutions and grand jury investigations.
• Life Sciences Litigation Legal representation for biotech and medical device sector clients in patent, trade secret, and commercial disputes related to health technology development.
• M&A Dispute Resolution Post-closing M&A dispute resolution including earnouts, purchase price adjustments, contingent value payments, escrow arrangements, and indemnification claims with a multidisciplinary team approach.
• Media Law First Amendment and media law services including defamation, commercial disparagement, invasion of privacy, misappropriation of name/likeness, and crisis management for individuals and corporations.
• Securities Litigation Securities litigation including class actions, shareholder derivative actions, SEC investigations, securities fraud, insider trading, and revenue recognition issues for companies and individuals.
• Trial Experience Trial advocacy services with over 100 cases tried before federal and state court judges, juries, and arbitrators, covering antitrust, commercial contracts, IP, securities fraud, and workplace discrimination.
• Venture Capital & Private Equity Legal representation for venture capital and private equity funds in transactions and disputes including fund creation, partner governance, fiduciary duty issues, and fund dissolution.

Quantifiable outcome

• Recovered in excess of $100 million for equity holders in post-closing M&A disputes over past five years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Peeyush JainminorOthersAffiliated counsel specializing in intellectual property licensing and providing general counsel services. Former Deputy General Counsel for United Microelectronics Corporation and Director of Legal Affairs at Chromatic Research, Inc.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Cooley LLP: Silicon Valley-headquartered full-service firm with major litigation practice serving technology and life sciences companies. Broader offering than Bergeson but competes directly for tech-sector mandates.
• Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati: Premier Silicon Valley tech and life sciences firm with extensive litigation capability. Often acts as referral co-counsel with Bergeson on matters where full-service coverage is required.
• Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan: Largest litigation-only global firm with deep tech-litigation practice and a strong trial bench. Competitor for high-stakes commercial disputes but at significantly greater scale and geographic reach.
• Gibson Dunn: Global AmLaw 50 firm with leading litigation practice and significant presence in technology, securities, and white-collar defense matters. Competes for premium litigation engagements in Silicon Valley.

Direct peers

• Folger Levin LLP: San Francisco boutique focused on business litigation, trust and estate, and real estate disputes for high-net-worth individuals and closely held businesses. Comparable boutique model serving Northern California clients.
• Susman Godfrey: Nationally recognized trial boutique with a strong track record in high-stakes commercial litigation, including representation of public companies and individuals in securities and corporate disputes.
• Keker, Van Nest & Peters: Elite San Francisco trial boutique with a similar high-stakes business litigation focus and a comparable bench of top-tier trial attorneys serving technology clients. Direct competitor for bet-the-company commercial and IP litigation work in the Bay Area.
• Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein: San Francisco-based plaintiffs' litigation firm handling complex class actions, securities fraud, and consumer cases. Comparable Bay Area footprint and overlap in securities and shareholder litigation.
• Bartko Zankel Bunzel: San Francisco-based boutique specializing in business and intellectual property litigation for technology and life sciences companies. Comparable in size, focus, and Silicon Valley client base.
• Durie Tangri: San Francisco IP and complex commercial litigation boutique with strong trial credentials. Highly comparable in size, practice mix, and tech-sector client base.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/bergesonllp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bergeson-llp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Bergeson, LLP