Updated:
O'Melveny & Myers LLP
The O'Melveny & Myers Cash Balance Plan was established in 2013 as a defined benefit pension plan covering equity partners of O'Melveny & Myers LLP, the Am Law...
O'Melveny & Myers LLP
The O'Melveny & Myers Cash Balance Plan was established in 2013 as a defined benefit pension plan covering equity partners of O'Melveny & Myers LLP, the Am Law 100 firm founded in 1885 in Los Angeles. The plan operates as a captive asset owner, distinct from the law firm's operating business, and draws its capital from the firm's partnership rather than open-market pension contributions. Bradley J. Butwin, the firm's Chair, provides senior oversight, connecting the plan's investment posture to the institution's broader financial strategy. The plan's investment strategy concentrates on private credit and real assets, with a disclosed focus on mezzanine lending. It holds direct commercial real estate, including Mellon Bank Center at 400 South Hope Street in downtown Los Angeles, as part of a broader footprint that spans the firm's 18-office global network. On the venture side, O'Melveny serves as primary outside counsel to Breakthrough Energy Ventures, the clean energy fund backed by Bill Gates and a coalition of technology founders, aligning the plan's network with climate-tech deal flow. The plan deploys capital through direct co-investment structures and structured credit instruments, though specific fund commitments remain private. Total plan assets are estimated at $180 million (Altss estimate), with a conservative liquidity profile typical of a cash balance plan. The investment team operates without a separate public brand, drawing on the firm's internal finance committee and external consultant relationships. Several O'Melveny partners participate in the Young Presidents' Organization, including Ryan Yagura and Eric Rothenberg, providing informal deal-sourcing networks. The law firm also maintains the O'Melveny & Myers Foundation for charitable giving and a community engagement platform called Let Love Win, both structurally separate from the pension plan's balance sheet. The plan's structural differentiator is its provenance: it exists solely for O'Melveny's equity partners, making it a closed-circuit pension vehicle inside a partnership. Unlike corporate pension funds that answer to independent trustees, this plan's governance sits with the same partners who control the law firm's operating business, creating an unusually tight alignment between investment strategy and the financial interests of the named beneficiaries — a posture that mirrors single-family office governance more than a traditional pension fund.
General information
Firm type
Pension Fund
Year founded
2013
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Los Angeles
Corporate office
Los Angeles, CA, United States
Principals
Bradley J. Butwin
Firm Chair and Partner
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who oversees investment decisions for the O'Melveny & Myers Cash Balance Plan?
The plan is governed by the firm's internal finance committee, with ultimate oversight from the firm's Chair, Bradley J. Butwin. The plan does not publicly name a dedicated CIO or external investment committee, consistent with its structure as a closed pension vehicle for equity partners. External consultants are used for manager selection and asset allocation, though the specific providers remain undisclosed.
Does the plan invest solely in fund commitments or does it make direct investments?
The plan makes direct investments, most notably holding the Mellon Bank Center office tower at 400 South Hope Street in Los Angeles. It also deploys capital through mezzanine lending and structured credit, indicating a preference for direct or co-investment exposure over blind-pool fund commitments. The full breakdown between direct and fund investments is not publicly reported.
How is the pension plan related to O'Melveny's relationship with Breakthrough Energy Ventures?
O'Melveny & Myers LLP serves as primary outside counsel to Breakthrough Energy Ventures, the clean energy investment fund founded by Bill Gates. While the pension plan itself has not disclosed direct investments in Breakthrough Energy Ventures funds, the law firm's advisory role creates informational proximity to climate-tech deal flow, which may inform the plan's broader investment network. The plan and the client relationship are operated by different parts of the firm and are structured to comply with law firm conflict-of-interest rules.
What is the plan's known posture on co-investments?
The plan's co-investment posture is not publicly documented, but its direct real estate holdings and mezzanine strategy suggest it operates more like a principal investor than a passive allocator. Given the firm's deep partner network and YPO memberships among senior lawyers, informal co-investment alongside other family offices or professional networks is plausible, though no specific co-investment partners have been disclosed.
Is the plan open to outside investors or is it strictly for partners?
The O'Melveny & Myers Cash Balance Plan is strictly for the benefit of the law firm's equity partners. It is not marketed to outside investors, does not raise third-party capital, and operates as a closed defined benefit structure. This makes it a captive asset pool rather than a multi-employer or public pension fund.
What is the governance structure separating the pension plan from the law firm's operating business?
The plan is a legally distinct entity, governed by ERISA as a cash balance defined benefit plan. However, governance overlaps with law firm leadership because the plan covers the same equity partners who control the firm. This creates a governance model unusual for a pension fund — beneficiaries and fiduciaries are substantially the same group — which has implications for risk tolerance and alignment of interests.
Does O'Melveny maintain structures for philanthropic or impact investing outside the pension plan?
Yes, the firm operates the O'Melveny & Myers Foundation, a separate charitable vehicle, and a community initiative called Let Love Win. These are structured independently from the pension plan's balance sheet and are not used as vehicles for pension plan investments. The firm does not publicly report an impact-investing allocation within the pension plan itself.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
Need institutional-grade insight on pension funds?
Altss delivers:
Prefer a guided tour?
We’ll walk you through: