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Think Howrey What do Senator John McCain, Apple Computer, and Howrey Simon Arnold & White? Not much, beyond a fundamental desire to think different. Since its founding, Howrey has cast itself as an innovator among law firms. Headquartered in Washington, DC, the firm specializes in intellectual property, antitrust law, and complex dispute resolution, and has branch offices in Los Angeles and Menlo Park, CA. Envelope pusher Take, for example, the firm's technology infrastructure. Howrey now offers its clients a handsome array of intranet, extranet, and other multimedia goodies, but Ralph Savarese, managing partner until January 2000, told Red Herring that Howrey had prioritized its technology strategy since the 1970s. "We're constantly trying to find sustainable competitive advantages," Savarese noted, "and making a commitment to technology that other firms can't match is one way we can do that." Technology isn't the only way that Howrey pushes the envelope. The firm was one of the first to embrace branding, and launched a 1991 scale ad campaign in The Wall Street Journal that featured the tag line: "Human Side of Genius." Howrey has also made waves for its extensive use of in-house financial and environmental consultants, its willingness to change its dress code, even its experimentation with open workspaces and movable office furniture. Protecting the world's most valuable IP rights The firm's work in the IP field began in earnest in 1974, with the addition of litigation partners James Davis and Alan Grimaldi. Since then, Howrey has broadened the array of its IP capabilities to copyright, trademark, trade-secret, and patent litigation. The firm has won considerable recognition for the latter category, particularly for its work on behalf of clients such as COMSAT, Ciena, and PRC Inc. Indeed, Howrey takes care to note that it was the most frequently listed firm in IP Worldwide's 1999 "Special Report: Who Protects the World's Most Valuable IP Rights?" In September 1999, Howrey & Simon made headlines when it announced its intention to merge with Houston-based IP boutique Arnold, White & Durkee. At the time of the merger's announcement, the combined firms could boast of an IP team of 250 lawyers. Robert Ruyak, managing partner as of January 2000, noted to The Lawyer that the firms "wanted to develop the deepest and broadest group of technology lawyers, and to be attractive to more lawyers who might want to join such an enterprise." Ruyak suggested that Europe was a likely target for growth, particular by means of new offices in London, Brussels, and Geneva.
Selectivity: A notch below ultra Describing Howrey's selectivity, a commercial litigator muses: "There are two levels of selectivity to consider. On the first level, there are big firms in general, like Howrey & Simon, who select only from the top of the classes at the top schools. On that level, we are a '10' in terms of selectivity. But, after that point, when comparing only the top law firms in the city against each other, we are less selective than, say, Arnold & Porter or Covington & Burling. On that level, we are a 7 or 8." Another contact agrees that "Howrey is very competitive, a notch below the top perhaps, such as Cravath or Covington, but definitely first-rate." Naturally, IP insiders recommend having "technology qualifications or some demonstration of an aptitude for technology." In fact, a Menlo Parker notes that "there seems to be a shortage of recent law school graduates and lateral associates with the technical knowledge necessary to do intellectual property litigation and patent prosecution work." "I think that firms in this area," that contact continues, "including Howrey & Simon, are hiring candidates that they would not have considered attractive in previous years. This hiring boom is being driven by the amount of IP work in this area."
Howrey's metallic culture Those looking for a tweedy, old-school law firm experience should think twice before they send in an application to Howrey. Our contacts at Howrey often cast their firm in hard-edged, corporate terms. One commercial litigator describes Howrey as "aggressive and serious; a team place. Not academic." "Metallic," says another contact of Howrey Simon's corporate culture. "High-tech," an environmental lawyer offers, noting that Howrey is "eager to expand and eager to incorporate good corporate management principles into the business of the law." Others don't reach as far into the adjective bag, but still underscore the firm's corporate sensibilities. In Washington, an associate in the firm's Commercial Trial group explains that "the firm is a corporation and it is run like one." "Work hard," says a colleague, who adds: "Keep your nose clean. Go home when your shift is over." Still another sees Howrey as "more and more corporate-like every day," and draws on the following cliches: "'Bigger is better,' 'No more Mr. Nice Guy.'" Diversity: "treating people as people" Regarding issues affecting members of minority groups, a senior attorney heartily suggests that "there are few firms in the area that can match Howrey's record of providing minority attorneys an equal opportunity to work on coveted matters within the firm." Others give more subdued comments. "We are receptive to hiring minorities," says another senior attorney in Washington, "but our attraction and retention rate is low." An antirust contact responds to the criticism: "Howrey has been criticized lately for diversity issues, but I think the firm tries hard to treat everyone the same. We do have some special recruiting efforts aimed at minority law students. Perhaps being rather blind to gender, race, etc. is perceived as a lack of concern for diversity - to me, it's just treating people as people, and should generally be applauded."
Arnold & Porter; Covington & Burling; Crowell & Moring; Fish & Neave; Hogan & Hartson; Kenyon & Kenyon; Kirkland & Ellis; Latham & Watkins; Lyon & Lyon; Pennie & Edmonds More Company Profiles For more career information, go to Vault.com ©2000, Vault.com Inc
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