International law firm Simmons & Simmons has today announced that it will be opening its first office in the US, to be based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The office will be managed by Emily Jones. She is a specialist in data privacy, cyber security and technology law who spent five years as head of Osborne Clarke’s Silicon Valley offices. Emily will join the firm as partner on 1 May, 2022. The office will not be practicing US law.
Emily’s practice focuses on advising fast growing technology companies as they launch and grow their businesses internationally and she will work with Simmons colleagues across its Europe, Middle East and Asia network to deliver legal solutions that help those companies succeed globally.
Commenting on Simmons’ new office and Emily’s arrival, head of TMT Alex Brown said: “This is a globally significant move for the firm’s TMT sector service. Silicon Valley is the epicentre of the global technology sector and is home to many of the world’s largest technology companies. With Simmons’ existing TMT sector expertise and its new on the ground presence, the firm is poised to win new work and forge stronger relationships with our existing US TMT sector clients. Together with firm’s office in Shenzhen, this will give us a presence in the two largest tech hubs in the world.”
Emily commented: “Having spent the last five years building my client base and reputation in Silicon Valley, working closely with companies as they expand outside the US and gaining valuable experience and understanding of the issues and challenges that are most important to them, I am ideally placed to represent Simmons on the US West Coast. It’s a time of tremendous growth and innovation in the technology market and Silicon Valley remains the focal point of this activity. I look forward to joining the firm and working with Simmons’ experts across the firm’s international TMT network.”
In 2019, Simmons opened an office in Shenzhen and together the offices will give the firm a presence in the two largest tech hubs in the world. This will allow the firm to continue to build and develop relationships with its clients in order to advise them on their international expansion and legal requirements.