Dillingham & Murphy
Dillingham & Murphy was a San Francisco-based litigation and employment law boutique founded in 1982, serving clients in civil, commercial, employment, and professional liability matters. The firm was absorbed by McLaughlin & Stern in February 2026 to establish McLaughlin & Stern's first West Coast office.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1982
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Dillingham & Murphy does
Dillingham & Murphy, LLP was a San Francisco-based boutique law firm founded in 1982 that specialized in litigation and employment matters, serving clients in the San Francisco Bay Area with a horizontal segmentation approach. The firm provided legal representation across civil and commercial disputes, employment discrimination, wrongful termination, wage and hour claims, harassment, retaliation, whistleblowing, real estate litigation, professional liability defense, and FINRA securities arbitration. The firm operated as a traditional law practice, acquiring clients primarily through referrals, professional networks, and bar associations rather than digital marketing, and delivering services directly through attorney-client engagements. Headcount was reported at 11-50 employees, consistent with a small specialized litigation boutique. Effective February 2, 2026, Dillingham & Murphy was absorbed by McLaughlin & Stern, LLP, a New York-based full-service law firm established in 1898. The acquisition marked McLaughlin & Stern's first West Coast expansion, establishing its new San Francisco office at 155 Sansome Street, Ste 700, led by former Dillingham & Murphy partners Bill Murphy, Carla Hartley, and Dennis Kelly, with a continued focus on litigation and employment matters.
Dillingham & Murphy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Dillingham & Murphy
- Legal name
- Dillingham & Murphy, LLP
- Website
- https://dillinghammurphy.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1982
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Dillingham & Murphy was a San Francisco-based litigation and employment law boutique founded in 1982, serving clients in civil, commercial, employment, and professional liability matters. The firm was absorbed by McLaughlin & Stern in February 2026 to establish McLaughlin & Stern's first West Coast office.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Dillingham & Murphy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Legal Services
- NAICS
- Offices of Lawyers (541110)
- SIC
- Services-Legal Services (8111)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Employment & Labor Law (BPAHAAAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Litigation Support & Expert Witness Services (BPAHALAG), Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) & Securities Law (BPAHAAAI)
Keywords
Where Dillingham & Murphy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Dillingham & Murphy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Distribution channels1 record
Dillingham & Murphy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Dillingham & Murphy, LLP was a San Francisco-based law firm that specialized in litigation and employment matters. The firm provided legal representation in civil and commercial disputes, employment discrimination, wrongful termination, wage and hour claims, professional liability defense, real estate litigation, and FINRA securities arbitration. Effective February 2, 2026, the lawyers and staff of the firm joined McLaughlin & Stern, LLP, establishing the firm's first San Francisco presence.
Product overview
McLaughlin & Stern, LLP is a full-service law firm founded in 1898 offering comprehensive legal services across multiple practice areas. The firm provides corporate and securities services, complex commercial litigation, employment law, real estate, trusts and estates, and specialized practices including China Practice, Cannabis Practice, and Maritime services. The firm operates multiple offices across the East Coast with eight locations and serves clients in business and insurance communities across the Americas, Asia, and Europe. The Dillingham & Murphy team joined the firm effective February 2, 2026, establishing McLaughlin & Stern's first West Coast presence in San Francisco.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Litigation Handles complex commercial litigation, civil litigation, employment litigation, and class action matters with experienced trial lawyers. Serves businesses and individuals involved in disputes.
- Employment Law Handles discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, wage and hour matters, and employment contracts for both employers and employees. Represents clients in administrative proceedings and litigation.
- Real Estate Litigation Provides legal representation in real estate disputes, including commercial and residential real estate litigation matters.
- Professional Liability Defense Represents professionals in professional liability and malpractice claims and related litigation matters.
- FINRA Securities Arbitration Handles securities and investment disputes, including representation in FINRA arbitration proceedings.
Companies that use Dillingham & Murphy
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Dillingham & Murphy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Dillingham & Murphy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- McLaughlin & SterncoreEffective February 2, 2026, the lawyers and staff of Dillingham & Murphy, LLP joined McLaughlin & Stern, LLP, a New York-based law firm established in 1898. This transaction represents McLaughlin & Stern's first expansion into the California market and the establishment of its San Francisco office. The new San Francisco office is led by Dillingham & Murphy partners Bill Murphy, Carla Hartley, and Dennis Kelly, along with associate attorneys, and focuses on litigation and employment matters.
Recent moves3 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Dillingham & Murphy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Fisher Phillips: Fisher Phillips is an employment-law boutique representing employers in litigation, counseling, and traditional labor, matching Dillingham & Murphy's niche focus on employer-side employment matters and complex civil litigation.
- Ogletree Deakins: Ogletree Deakins is a leading employment-law firm focused on labor, employment, immigration, and workplace safety litigation for employers — closely aligned with Dillingham & Murphy's employment and litigation core.
- Jackson Lewis: Jackson Lewis is a national employment-law boutique serving management in workplace law, litigation, and class actions, making it directly comparable in target clients (employers), service mix, and geographic spread.
- Littler Mendelson: Littler is the largest U.S. firm dedicated exclusively to employment and labor law, representing employers in discrimination, wage-and-hour, and class action matters — a direct functional match to Dillingham & Murphy's employer-side employment litigation practice.
- Constangy: Constangy is a management-side labor and employment law firm with a national footprint in employment litigation and class action defense, directly comparable in client base and practice scope.
Broad incumbents
- BakerHostetler: BakerHostetler is a national full-service firm with a strong employment and litigation practice that competes with boutique employment firms in complex civil and class action matters.
- Akerman: Akerman is a national full-service firm with a notable employment and labor practice and active litigation and real estate groups, offering an overlapping service mix to corporate and employer clients.
- Seyfarth Shaw: Seyfarth Shaw is a full-service firm with a particularly large employment litigation practice, making it a relevant broader incumbent that competes for the same employer-side litigation and employment matters.
- Duane Morris: Duane Morris is a full-service firm with a sizable employment, labor, and benefits practice and active commercial litigation group, overlapping with Dillingham & Murphy's core practices at a broader scale.
Regional players
- Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe: Orrick is a San Francisco-based global firm with strong employment, litigation, and corporate practices; it competes for the same Bay Area employer clients and complex matters that Dillingham & Murphy served, but at a much larger scale and from the same geography.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Dillingham & Murphy social profiles
Digital presenceDillingham & Murphy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Dillingham & Murphy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Dillingham & Murphy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Dillingham & Murphy M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Dillingham & Murphy
What does Dillingham & Murphy do?
Dillingham & Murphy, LLP was a San Francisco-based law firm that specialized in litigation and employment matters. The firm provided legal representation in civil and commercial disputes, employment discrimination, wrongful termination, wage and hour claims, professional liability defense, real estate litigation, and FINRA securities arbitration. Effective February 2, 2026, the lawyers and staff of the firm joined McLaughlin & Stern, LLP, establishing the firm's first San Francisco presence.
Is Dillingham & Murphy a public or private company?
Dillingham & Murphy is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was Dillingham & Murphy founded?
Dillingham & Murphy was founded in 1982. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Dillingham & Murphy based?
Dillingham & Murphy is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Dillingham & Murphy's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Fisher Phillips, Ogletree Deakins, Jackson Lewis, Littler Mendelson and Constangy. Broad incumbents are BakerHostetler, Akerman, Seyfarth Shaw and Duane Morris. Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe is listed as a regional player.
Does Dillingham & Murphy have an API?
No public API is recorded for Dillingham & Murphy.
What industry is Dillingham & Murphy in?
Dillingham & Murphy's product category is Legal Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAAAD, Employment & Labor Law, with a secondary code of BPAHALAG, Litigation Support & Expert Witness Services. Its NAICS code is 541110 and its SIC code is 8111.