Arnold & Porter Expands West Coast Presence with New Seattle Office, Recruiting Four K&L Gates Partners

Seattle, WA – July 28, 2025 – Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP, a leading multinational law firm, announced the opening of its new Seattle office on Monday, marking its 16th global office and a strategic expansion on the West Coast. The firm has recruited a team of four prominent partners from rival K&L Gates LLP to spearhead the launch, bringing deep expertise and local market knowledge to one of the nation’s fastest-growing tech and innovation hubs.

The new office, located in downtown Seattle, will be led by litigator Pallavi Mehta Wahi, who previously served as the managing partner of K&L Gates’ Seattle office for nearly a decade. Wahi, also appointed as Arnold & Porter’s Chair of Western U.S. Strategic Growth, is joined by corporate, healthcare, and technology partner Annette Becker and employment and class action litigator Patrick Madden, both formerly of K&L Gates. Additionally, Rosemary Alito, a nationally recognized employment litigator and sister of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, will join Arnold & Porter’s Newark office, rounding out the quartet of recruits.

“We are thrilled to grow our footprint in Seattle, a city anchored by global and emerging companies that has become a West Coast hub for cutting-edge technology,” said Ellen Kaye Fleishhacker, Arnold & Porter’s global co-chair. “Seattle’s proximity to the Pacific Rim and strong connections to Asia reinforce its importance to our cross-border practices. We are committed to building strong relationships in a city that values excellence, innovation, and community engagement.”

The Seattle office will focus on complex commercial litigation, corporate transactions, employment disputes, and healthcare-focused matters, particularly at the intersection of technology and regulation. The recruited partners bring extensive experience representing major Seattle-based clients, including Starbucks and Providence Health & Services, in high-stakes litigation and transactional matters. Wahi noted that while some client files will remain with K&L Gates, others are expected to transfer to Arnold & Porter, leveraging the firm’s renowned regulatory expertise.

Michael Daneker, Arnold & Porter’s global co-chair, emphasized the strategic importance of the expansion: “This move significantly enhances our ability to support highly regulated businesses—both nationally and globally—with the solutions-driven counsel they rely on for complex, high-stakes matters.” The firm has secured temporary office space in Seattle and plans to move into a permanent 22,000-square-foot location to accommodate up to 60 attorneys in the coming years, with ambitions to grow the office to at least 30 lawyers within the next two years.

The incoming partners bring diverse and complementary expertise. Wahi, with nearly 19 years at K&L Gates, is a seasoned litigator and community leader. Becker, with almost 25 years at K&L Gates, specializes in domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions in the technology and healthcare sectors. Madden, with over 18 years at K&L Gates, focuses on employment and class action litigation. Alito, previously co-chair of K&L Gates’ global labor, employment, and workplace safety practice, strengthens Arnold & Porter’s employment law capabilities in Newark.

K&L Gates, which lists over 140 lawyers in its Seattle office, responded to the departures with confidence in its continued strength. Julie Anne Halter, the firm’s recently appointed Seattle office managing partner, stated, “Our Seattle office has been—and will continue to be—an industry trailblazer in the region, providing dynamic, cutting-edge legal counsel for sophisticated clients.”

The launch of Arnold & Porter’s Seattle office aligns with a broader trend of law firms expanding in the city, which is home to global giants like Amazon and Starbucks. Earlier this year, Holland & Knight and Dickinson Wright also opened Seattle offices, capitalizing on the region’s robust technology, healthcare, and consumer sectors. With a GDP exceeding $300 billion, Seattle’s economic dynamism makes it a natural fit for Arnold & Porter’s client-driven, multidisciplinary approach.

Arnold & Porter, founded in 1946 in Washington, D.C., reported a 5% revenue increase to $1.19 billion in 2024, with profits per equity partner at $1.63 million. The firm’s expansion into Seattle underscores its commitment to serving industry leaders in innovative markets while maintaining its core values of excellence, professionalism, and community service.

For more information about Arnold & Porter’s new Seattle office, visit www.arnoldporter.com.