WilmerHale announced today that former Co-Managing Partners William F. Lee and William J. Perlstein received the 2014 Distinguished Law Firm Leaders Award from The American Lawyer for their exemplary management of the successful merger and formation of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr.
As quoted by The American Lawyer, "In orchestrating the merger they were determined that one plus one would equal more than two, and they tirelessly pursued this vision as co-managing partners. They achieved their vision to heights no one could have calculated," said WilmerHale Co-Managing Partner Robert Novick.
Two widely admired law firms, Boston's Hale and Dorr, established in 1918, and Washington DC's Wilmer Cutler & Pickering, established in 1962, officially merged in 2004. The two firms combined their economically and professionally complementary practices to create a firm with the capability and experience demanded by today's global economy. More importantly, Lee and Perlstein worked to ensure the firm had a culture built upon hard work, great work, teamwork and respect for every member of the community.
According to Perlstein, the proof of their success lies in the numbers—with increases in revenue per lawyer, profits per partner and geographic reach, the firm ranked number 22 in the most recent AmLaw 100 report. As important, the firm ranks in the top five on the AmLaw 10-Year A-List, reflecting the combination of financial and professional success that is the core of the firm.
In 2011, Lee and Perlstein stepped down allowing the opportunity for Susan Murley and Robert Novick to become co-managing partners.