Snell & Wilmer Celebrates 15 Years in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES – Snell & Wilmer is happy to announce the 15th anniversary of its Los Angeles office. Since its establishment in 2009, the firm has been dedicated to providing exceptional legal services to clients across various industries and contributing to the broader community of Southern California. The Los Angeles office, situated in one of the most multicultural cities in the country, recognizes the importance of embracing diversity and community as cornerstones of its continued success. 

"At Snell & Wilmer, we believe that service to our communities and to each other is vitally important in addition to our client service focus," said Barbara J. Dawson, Firm Chair of Snell & Wilmer. "As we celebrate 15 years of growth and achievement in Los Angeles, we are proud to reaffirm our commitment to fostering a culture of growth, innovation, and belonging."

Cary D. Jones served as the managing partner from the office's opening in 2009 through 2022. Under his leadership, the office flourished and established itself as a trusted legal advisor in the region. The Los Angeles office now has a total headcount of 21 attorneys from a broad cross-section of backgrounds and outlooks, offering a wide range of services across practice areas. 

"Reflecting on the journey of the Los Angeles office over the past 15 years, we are grateful for the leadership and guidance of Cary," said Joshua Schneiderman, current managing partner of the Los Angeles office. "His dedication to excellence and commitment to our clients have been instrumental in shaping the culture and identity of our office."

Snell & Wilmer actively engages with regional and national organizations to promote diversity in the legal profession and beyond. Through pro bono work, mentorship programs, and strategic relationships, Snell & Wilmer champions diversity, equity and inclusion as part of its essential principles. Notably, Los Angeles attorneys and staff have volunteered at the Downtown Women’s Center in Los Angeles, cooking and serving breakfast as part of the non-profit’s mission to eradicate homelessness for women in the greater Los Angeles area. The office also has active members in the Los Angeles Central City Association, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, Los Angeles County Bar Association and the Constitutional Rights Foundation of Los Angeles, among other community service organizations. 

Los Angeles partner Patricia Brum, a Brazilian native and Co-Chair of Snell & Wilmer’s LGBTQ+ affinity group (SNELLGBTQ), also helped lead the Month of Service campaign, collaborating with LGBTQ+ organizations to find meaningful opportunities for community involvement across the firm’s footprint. Brum was honored as a "Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Visionary" by the Los Angeles Times B2B Publishing for three consecutive years.

The Los Angeles attorneys’ dedication to excellence is further recognized through accolades such as Snell & Wilmer partner Rose B. Sorensen's selection as a Top 100 Lawyer for 2024 by the Los Angeles Business Journal, associate Aliya Astaphan being named a Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Pathfinder, and partner Douglas Thompson's recognition as a 2024 Visionary in the Los Angeles Times B2B Banking and Finance Magazine.

"As we celebrate this milestone, I am incredibly proud of the personnel, the camaraderie and the collaboration that have defined our office since its inception," said Jones. "The dedication, hard work, and mutual support among our team members have been key to our success, and I look forward to seeing what this office will achieve together in the future." 

Founded in 1938, Snell & Wilmer is a full-service business law firm with more than 500 attorneys practicing in 16 locations throughout the United States and in Mexico, including Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego, California; Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona; Denver, Colorado; Washington, D.C.; Boise, Idaho; Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Portland, Oregon; Dallas, Texas; Salt Lake City, Utah; Seattle, Washington; and Los Cabos, Mexico. The firm represents clients ranging from large, publicly traded corporations to small businesses, individuals, and entrepreneurs. For more information, visit swlaw.com.