Cooley LLP

About Cooley in Palo Alto

Cooley is a large national law firm with deep roots in the technology industry. Its Palo Alto office sits at 3175 Hanover Street, inside Stanford Research Park, the office district south of the Stanford campus. The firm lists the office phone as 650-843-5000 and the fax as 650-849-7400. Shannon Eagan is named as partner in charge.

The firm describes itself as having nearly 1,400 lawyers across 19 offices in the United States, Asia and Europe, with more than 400 partners in a single-tier partnership and a total staff of more than 3,000 people. Rachel Proffitt is the firm's CEO. In the United States, Cooley's offices include Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Reston, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Monica, Seattle and Washington. Abroad it lists Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, London and Brussels.

Roots in the valley

Cooley's own timeline traces the firm to the 1920s and the Humboldt Bank Building on Market Street in San Francisco. In the 1950s, the firm says, it advised on the formation of Raychem and National Semiconductor. In 1958 it formed Draper, Gaither and Anderson, which the firm calls the first venture capital partnership on the West Coast. That story connects to the wider history in our guide to venture capital on the Peninsula.

According to the same timeline, Cooley opened its first Silicon Valley office in 1980. Its work with young technology and life sciences companies has shaped the firm ever since, which is why it keeps a large presence near Stanford rather than only in San Francisco.

Practice areas

Cooley organizes its work into four broad groups on its firm overview page:

• Corporate work, including company formation, venture financing, public offerings, mergers and acquisitions and investment fund formation
• Litigation, including shareholder suits and patent disputes
• Regulatory work, such as healthcare and FDA matters, financial services, CFIUS reviews, privacy and cybersecurity
• Intellectual property, including patent prosecution, trademark filings and diligence for deals

The firm highlights technology and life sciences clients in particular, along with education institutions and broadcast media companies. The Palo Alto office page itself is brief, listing the address, contact numbers and the partner in charge, so check individual lawyer profiles on the firm's site to see who in Palo Alto works in a given area.

This listing describes the firm and its stated focus. It is not legal advice. It does not describe or rate any case, deal or client result.

Who the office works with

Like other large firms in Stanford Research Park and downtown Palo Alto, Cooley works mostly with businesses: startups, growth-stage companies, public companies and the funds that invest in them. Founders raising a first round, investors closing a fund and companies facing patent or securities claims are typical of the clients the firm describes. For background on the funding side, see our pages on term sheet basics and startups in Palo Alto.

People with personal matters such as a will, a lease dispute or a family case are usually better served by a smaller local practice that lists those areas. You can check any California lawyer's license status through the State Bar of California's online attorney search.

Getting in touch

Cooley meets clients by appointment. Call the main number, 650-843-5000, or use the contact details in each lawyer's profile on the firm's website. The site also posts firm news and insights, which give a sense of the issues its lawyers follow. Startups that already work with a Cooley lawyer in another city can ask for an introduction to the Palo Alto team.

Visiting the office

Hanover Street is in the research park, an area of low office buildings, lawns and parking lots rather than shops. Driving is the simplest way to arrive. The firm's office page links to a map and directions. Visitors coming by train can use the California Avenue Caltrain station and continue by rideshare or bike. The cafes and lunch spots of California Avenue are the closest place to meet before or after an appointment.

Location and getting there

Cooley LLP is at 3175 Hanover Street, Palo Alto, CA 94304, in the Barron Park area of Palo Alto. Our Barron Park guide covers what else is around.

The nearest train stop is the California Avenue Caltrain station, about 1.0 miles away. That is roughly a 25 minute walk or a short bike ride.

Parking: street spaces or a small lot nearby; check posted limits.

What is nearby

• FedEx Office Ship Center, El Camino Real, service business, 0.5 mi
• First Tech Federal Credit Union, Palo Alto, service business, 0.5 mi
• Driftwood Deli and Market, food shop, 0.5 mi
• Yutori, cafe, 0.5 mi
• Tie Mu Zhen, restaurant, 0.5 mi
• Bol Park and its bike path, 0.3 mi
• Boulware Park, 0.6 mi
• Weisshaar Park, 0.6 mi

Other professional services nearby: J.P. Morgan Private Bank (0.1 mi); Haynes Boone (0.4 mi); Wilson Sonsini (0.5 mi); Simpson Thacher & Bartlett (0.5 mi). Browse the full professional services list.

Before you go

• Most firms meet by appointment only. Call or email before visiting the office.
• Ask about fees, billing and what is included before you sign an engagement letter.
• Check professional licenses through the relevant California board, such as the State Bar or the Department of Real Estate.

About this listing

Checked October 30, 2026 against Cooley Palo Alto office page; Cooley firm overview; Cooley timeline; Cooley offices. How our listings work. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

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