June 20, 2002 (Palo Alto, CA) – Fenwick & West LLP announced today the addition of Cynthia Clarfield Hess as a partner in its Palo Alto, CA office effective immediately. Hess joins as a member of the Corporate Group, and brings with her substantial experience and knowledge in representing private companies with an emphasis on meeting the broad range of issues presented by entrepreneurs and technology start-ups. While her client base is primarily start-ups, she has broad corporate expertise, including representing public companies and investment banks.
"Cindy is a terrific addition for us – she is a first-rate corporate lawyer whose work is distinguished by her tremendous intellect and skill as well as deep entrepreneurial instincts," commented Gordon K. Davidson, Firm Chair. "While our corporate group is replete with truly gifted attorneys, our strategy is to continue to strengthen our ranks and increase our market share as the business market rebounds. Over the past year, we've grown our corporate ranks by a number of lateral hires including Dan Dorosin and Jonathan Aberman. Cindy's strong relationships with a range of start-ups as well as venture capitalists, entrepreneurs and investment banks are a perfect fit for our corporate platform and strategy."
"There are many, many reasons why I'm very excited about this move," said Hess. "The focus and depth of the practice at Fenwick & West will enable me to provide an unprecedented service level to my existing clients. In addition, I was attracted not just by the deep cultural fabric, but also because the firm has one of the strongest high technology brands and client rosters among firms nationally."
Hess, 38, joins the firm from the Menlo Park and San Francisco offices of Perkins Coie where she helped the firm to establish a corporate presence in the Bay Area. She began her career at the New York office of Latham & Watkins and later joined Cohen & Grigsby in Pittsburgh before relocating to Portland and joining Perkins Coie. Throughout Hess's career, she has represented companies in a variety of areas, including start-ups, private placements, IPOs, public companies and M & A work.
Hess received her J.D. from Cornell Law School, cum laude, in 1988, where she served as an editor of the Cornell International Law Journal. She graduated from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University with a B.A. in 1985. She is admitted to practice in California, Connecticut, New York, Oregon and Pennsylvania.
Established in 1972, Fenwick & West LLP is one of the nation's premier law firms providing comprehensive legal services to national and international technology clients, particularly in the areas of intellectual property, the Internet, venture capital and other corporate finance, joint ventures, M&A and strategic relationships, litigation and dispute resolution, antitrust, taxation, and employment and labor law. The only law firm named to Fortune's 1999-2002 lists of the "100 Best Companies to Work For," Fenwick & West has offices in Palo Alto and San Francisco, CA as well as Washington, D.C. Fenwick & West's Website URL is www.fenwick.com.
Gordon K. Davidson
Chairman, Fenwick & West LLP
Palo Alto, CA
650.494.0600
gdavidson@fenwick.com
Cynthia C. Hess
Partner, Fenwick & West LLP
Palo Alto, CA
650.858.7238
chess@fenwick.com
Diane E. Hamlin
Chief, Strategic Officer Fenwick & West LLP
Palo Alto, CA
650.858.7217
dhamlin@fenwick.com