O’Melveny picks up tech-focused deals duo in California

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Signage is seen outside of the law firm O'Melveny & Myers at their legal offices in Washington, D.C.
Signage is seen outside of the law firm O'Melveny & Myers at their legal offices in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 10, 2021. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly
  • The firm is adding Cooley's Adit Khorana and Fox Rothschild's Daniel Wu
  • O'Melveny opened an office in Austin last week

(Reuters) - O’Melveny & Myers on Monday announced it has picked up a Silicon Valley-based Cooley partner, Adit Khorana, who helped shepherd the $3 billion merger last year between technology licensing company Xperi Corp and set-top box maker TiVo Corp.

He also advised Exor, an Italian holding company, as it poured $200 million into Via Transportation, a U.S.-based transportation software company. Reuters reported in March 2020 that it was the first time Exor, owned by the wealthy Agnelli family, invested in the tech industry.

Khorana cited his new firm's size and its practice mix as drawing him to O'Melveny from tech industry-focused Cooley.

"There are no longer really just technology companies and non-technology companies," Khorana said, adding that law firms need to have attorneys with tech industry expertise even for deals on behalf of a client that is "not a traditional technology company."

Prior to joining Cooley, Khorana led Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr's West Coast technology transactions practice and was a partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, according to his LinkedIn profile.

O'Melveny also announced another technology-focused hire on Monday: Daniel Wu is joining as a partner from Fox Rothschild's Century City office, the firm said.

Wu in a statement noted the move marks a homecoming: He started his legal career as an O'Melveny associate.

"I started my legal career at O’Melveny out of law school and I am thrilled to return - and eager to work with the firm’s emerging technologies team to help cultivate the next generation of technology leaders in Southern California and globally," he said.

The firm touted Khorana and Wu's hires as a sign of its commitment to bolstering its tech-related offerings. O'Melveny cited technology and its intersection with energy when it launched a new office in Austin last week.

Read More:

O'Melveny takes team from Thompson & Knight to launch Austin office

Exor stake values U.S.-based Via Transportation at $2.25 billion

Xperi, TiVo set to merge in all-stock deal

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David Thomas reports on the business of law, including law firm strategy, hiring, mergers and litigation. He is based out of Chicago. He can be reached at d.thomas@thomsonreuters.com and on Twitter @DaveThomas5150.

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