Cooley LLP announced today that C. Thomas Hopkins and Ian Smith have joined the firm’s Business department as partners in its Los Angeles office. Both Hopkins and Smith join Cooley from Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP. Hopkins joined Sheppard as a partner in 2001, and co-chaired the firm’s global corporate practice group. Smith also joined Sheppard in 2001 and became a partner in 2008.
“Tom and Ian’s substantial experience and expertise working with growth companies makes them a natural fit with our strategy of bringing together the best legal talent in Greater Los Angeles to serve the needs of the region’s thriving growth sector,” said David Hernand, partner-in-charge of Cooley’s Los Angeles office. “The synergies are obvious and we are all thrilled to welcome them to the team and to the firm.”
Hopkins has a broad corporate practice focused on public offerings, mergers and acquisitions, and the representation of public and private companies on governance and a variety of other general corporate legal matters.
Smith has extensive experience in venture capital, mergers and acquisitions and the representation of growth companies in a variety of sectors including media and technology.
“Ian and I are excited to be part of Cooley’s efforts to grow their Greater Los Angeles presence and capitalize on the firm’s strengths in technology, media and venture capital,” said Hopkins.
“Cooley believed in the momentum we could create in the Los Angeles market and the arrival of two such capable partners demonstrates this well,” said Fred Muto, chair of Cooley’s Business department. “They are a great addition to our dynamic Los Angeles team.”
Hopkins received his B.A. from American University and his J.D. from University of Southern California where he was elected to Order of the Coif and was the Notes Editor for the University of Southern California Law Review. Smith received his B.S. with honors from the Art Center College of Design and his J.D. from the University of Southern California.
Since opening the Los Angeles office in July 2012 with four founding partners – David Hernand, Dave Young, Chris Shoffand Jennifer Massey – Cooley has added eleven attorneys. The office, which recently moved to a larger, permanent location in Santa Monica, is expected to continue to grow in 2013 as it continues to pursue its full-service strategic growth objectives.
