Simpson Thacher & Bartlett

About the Palo Alto office

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett is an international law firm headquartered in New York City. It says it has put its experience to work for clients for more than 140 years and employs about 2,000 lawyers. The firm opened its Palo Alto office in 1999. The office is at 2475 Hanover Street. Its phone number is 650-251-5000.

Some map listings spell the name "Simpson Thatcher." The firm's own spelling is Thacher, with no second t, which is worth knowing if you are searching for a lawyer's profile.

The firm's website notes a San Francisco office launched in early 2026, so the Palo Alto team now works alongside a second Northern California office. The firm's other offices include New York, Boston, Houston, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., London, Brussels, Luxembourg, Beijing, Hong Kong, Tokyo and São Paulo. It announced a new Chicago office in August 2026.

A long history

The firm traces its start to 1884, when John Woodruff Simpson, Thomas Thacher and William Milo Barnum opened a practice on Wall Street in lower Manhattan. All three were Columbia Law School graduates. The early firm, then called Simpson, Thacher & Barnum, became an advisor to several major railroads. Philip Bartlett became a named partner in 1904 and gave the firm its current name.

Expansion came much later. The firm opened in London in 1978, Tokyo in 1990, Hong Kong in 1993 and Los Angeles in 1996. Palo Alto followed in 1999, ahead of offices in Washington, D.C. in 2005, Beijing in 2007, São Paulo in 2009 and Houston in 2011. The Palo Alto office opened during a period of rapid growth in venture capital and high technology. The firm describes the office as a leader in corporate and litigation services in Silicon Valley and beyond. Our history of venture capital on the Peninsula has more on that era.

Practice focus

The firm says its Bay Area lawyers advise Northern California's most prominent technology companies, private equity firms and financial institutions. The office page lists these areas among its work:

• Mergers and acquisitions
• Capital markets
• Private funds
• Litigation
• Intellectual property
• Artificial intelligence

Firm wide, the work falls into two big groups, litigation and corporate. The corporate side includes banking and credit, capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, real estate and private funds. Industry groups cover financial services, health care and life sciences, technology and energy. The firm also lists client solutions in areas such as artificial intelligence, shareholder activism and spin-offs.

The office page does not assign each practice to Palo Alto specifically. For a current picture of the firm's work, read the news section of its website.

This page describes the office and its stated focus. It is not legal advice. It does not describe or evaluate any case or client result.

Who the office works with

The firm's overview says its clients range from financial and philanthropic institutions to Fortune 500 companies and high-tech startups. It describes its approach as commercial problem-solving that helps clients reduce risk and find opportunities. Its private equity work has deep roots: the firm began advising Kohlberg Kravis Roberts in 1976. Simpson Thacher's clients are companies, investment firms and institutions rather than individuals with personal legal matters. The firm's own description of its Bay Area work names technology companies, private equity firms and financial institutions, which matches its strengths in deals, funds and capital markets.

If you are an individual looking for help with a will, a divorce or a lease dispute, look for a local practice that lists those areas. Founders at an early stage may find our guides to term sheet basics and venture capital useful background before they talk to any firm.

Getting in touch

Call the office at 650-251-5000 or contact a lawyer directly through the firm's website. The fax number is 650-251-5002. Arrange any meeting in advance rather than dropping in. You can confirm any California attorney's license status through the State Bar of California's public attorney search.

Visiting the office

The office is on Hanover Street near Stanford Research Park, the office and lab district our guide covers in detail. Most visitors drive or take a rideshare. Our getting around Palo Alto page covers buses and bikes. Visitors staying overnight can compare hotels in our where to stay guide.

Location and getting there

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett is at 2475 Hanover Street, Palo Alto, CA 94304, in the College Terrace area of Palo Alto. Our College Terrace guide covers what else is around.

The nearest train stop is the California Avenue Caltrain station, about 0.8 miles away. That is roughly a 20 minute walk or a short bike ride.

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

What is nearby

• Wells Fargo California Avenue, service business, 0.4 mi
• BMO Palo Alto, service business, 0.4 mi
• Fambrini's Cafe, cafe, 0.4 mi
• Learnika Language and Tutoring Center, school or studio, 0.4 mi
• Provident Credit Union, service business, 0.4 mi
• Weisshaar Park, 0.1 mi
• Werry Park, 0.3 mi
• College Terrace Library, 0.3 mi

Other professional services nearby: Paul Hastings (under 0.1 mi); Wilson Sonsini (0.3 mi); Candice Kistner - State Farm (0.4 mi); Haynes Boone (0.4 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 29, 2026 against Palo Alto office page; Official website. How our listings work. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Frequently asked questions