History
Dana Latham and Paul Watkins founded Latham & Watkins in January 1934 in Los Angeles, California. Latham's practice focused on US state and federal tax law and he eventually served as Commissioner of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under President Dwight Eisenhower. Watkins' practise focused primarily on labor. Although Latham & Watkins began with a focus on labor and tax law, the firm has grown into an international, full-service law practice with highly regarded practices in transactional, disputes and regulatory areas.
When Latham & Watkins was founded, the firm consisted of three attorneys. The firm grew slowly, and, in 1960, there were 19 attorneys. The firm grew significantly in the 1960s, increasing the attorney headcount to 46 in 1970.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Latham & Watkins utilized a system of internal committees to run the firm and allowed associates to participate in the majority of these committees. The Associates Committee was founded in 1971 and governs the career development of the firm's associates. The Associates Committee includes both associates and partners. Through this committee, Latham & Watkins includes associates in the promotion process. Associates are also involved in the Diversity Committee, Recruiting Committee, Pro Bono Committee and TACE (Training and Career Enhancement) Committee.
Jack Walker became the firm's managing partner in 1988 and set out to grow the firm. Latham & Watkins expanded into San Francisco, London, Moscow, Hong Kong and New Jersey. Bob Dell took over as managing partner in 1994 and remains in that position presently. Dell's tenure has been marked by the firm's international growth.
The firm's focus on corporate transaction and its dependency on financial services clients resulted in difficult trading conditions in 2008. In that year, profits declined and in early 2009, the firm laid off 190 lawyers and 250 staff members in the largest layoff up to that time by an American law firm. Such was the severity of the cuts that the term "Lathamed," which by its most polite definition means to be laid off, was coined. By 2010 revenues and profits were roughly equivalent to the figures in 2008. The firm has returned to growth mode, opening new offices in Houston and Boston in 2010 and 2011, respectively.
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