Heller Ehrman had its beginning in 1890 when Emanuel S. Heller opened his law practice at 124 Sansome Street, Room 30, in
San Francisco,
California. Heller was a graduate of the
University of California, Berkeley, received his
law degree from the
University of California, Hastings College of the Law and passed the California
Bar in 1889. In 1891, he became the primary attorney of banker
Isaias W. Hellman and moved his office to the headquarters of Hellman's Nevada Bank (Heller married Hellman's daughter in 1899). In 1896,
Frank Hubbard Powers joined with Heller and the partnership name changed to
Heller & Powers. In 1905, Sidney M. Ehrman (married to Isaias W. Hellman's other daughter Florence) Between the years 1974 to 2007, Heller Ehrman realized an increase in business, causing the firm to branch out from the west coast with an additional 12 offices in locations ranging from London to Singapore. In 1986 the San Francisco headquarters was moved to a new skyscraper at 333 Bush Street. By 1991, the firm had 370 lawyers, over 3.5 times the number it had employed just ten years earlier. In 1993, the first advertisement ever sold on the Internet was sold on the
Global Network Navigator (now
America On-Line) to Heller Ehrman LLP, and in 1994, Heller Ehrman launched the first law firm website. 2001: Heller Ehrman represents ALZA in its $12 billion merger with pharmaceutical giant
Johnson & Johnson. The firm had represented ALZA since its incorporation in 1968. 2002: In the first high-profile case involving stem cell research, attorneys represent the
Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation in a settlement with
Geron Corporation that "could jump-start commercialization of stem cell research", according to
The Wall Street Journal. 2002: Heller Ehrman negotiates an innovative settlement package for several related class action cases involved in the publicized "french fry" litigation on behalf of client
McDonald's Corporation. 2003: Heller Ehrman represents
Northrop Grumman Corporation in the $4.7 billion sale of
TRW Automotive to
The Blackstone Group. The transaction resulted in one of the largest leveraged buyouts in world history. 2003: Heller Ehrman's Hong Kong office adds 25 corporate attorneys from the Hong Kong law firm Siao, Wen and Leung. 2003: Heller Ehrman merges with Venture Law Group and expands its Silicon Valley presence to approximately 100 attorneys. 2003:
The American Lawyer recognizes Heller Ehrman as one of the Top 20 "A-List" law firms in the U.S. The firm is again recognized in 2004 and 2005, one of only a handful of firms to make the list every year since its inception. 2004: Heller Ehrman opens its office in Beijing. 2004: Heller Ehrman adds 12 dispute resolution lawyers from the Hong Kong office of the London firm
Denton Wilde Sapte. 2005: Heller Ehrman's FDA regulatory and patent teams, led by James Czaban (FDA law), and Joshua Rosenkranz (lead litigation counsel) receive a 9–0 decision in the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of client
Merck KGaA in
Merck KGaA v. Integra LifeSciences, a case establishing a patent infringement safe harbor for biotechnology research in pursuit of FDA regulatory approval. 2007: Heller Ehrman opens offices in London and Shanghai. 2008: Heller Ehrman dissolves. ==Other cases and transactions==