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Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr LLP
WilmerHale was formed through a 2004 merger of Hale and Dorr (founded 1918) and Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering (founded 1962).
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr LLP
WilmerHale was formed through a 2004 merger of Hale and Dorr (founded 1918) and Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering (founded 1962). The firm's pension fund, structured as a corporate defined-benefit plan, serves its employee base across multiple US offices. Wealth origin for the pension is the firm's annual revenue from legal services, not external family capital. The pension fund's investment strategy focuses on buyout allocations, directing capital toward private equity funds and direct investments. WilmerHale maintains offices in Boston, Washington D.C., and New York, along with a global e-discovery subsidiary, WilmerHale DiscoverySolutions. The firm's corporate art collection includes a commissioned painting by artist Bosco Sodi at its D.C. headquarters. In the last two years, the firm has continued its AmLaw 100 ranking, reflecting stable revenue from its litigation and regulatory practices. Key partners include former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara and former SEC enforcement director Stephanie Avakian, who lead the firm's litigation and regulatory practices. Those practices generate the revenue that funds the pension plan. The firm's professional network includes memberships in AmLaw 100 and Chambers USA, where it is consistently top-ranked for financial services and litigation. WilmerHale's pension fund stands apart from typical family offices because it is a corporate pension — a liability-driven structure whose payouts depend on the firm's ongoing law practice, not a family wealth dynasty. The fund's governance is tied to the partnership, with investment decisions made by firm-appointed trustees rather than a single family principal.
General information
Firm type
Pension Fund
Year founded
—
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Boston
Corporate office
Boston, MA, United States
Additional offices
Washington, DC · New York, NY
Principals
Preet Bharara
Partner
Stephanie Avakian
Partner
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions for the WilmerHale pension fund?
The pension fund is managed by firm-appointed trustees, typically senior partners or in-house investment professionals. Specific names of current trustees are not publicly disclosed. Preet Bharara and Stephanie Avakian lead the firm's legal practices, not the pension fund itself.
How does the WilmerHale pension fund source proprietary deal flow?
The fund sources investments through external private equity fund managers and direct buyout opportunities. Given the firm's legal relationships with clients like Meta and Barclays, it may have access to co-investment opportunities, though the pension fund does not market external capital.
Is the WilmerHale pension fund structured as a single family office?
No. This is a corporate defined-benefit pension fund, not a family office. The fund covers retirement obligations for current and former employees of the law firm, governed by ERISA and SEC regulations for corporate pension plans.
Does the WilmerHale pension fund participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
The fund's strategy includes buyout allocations, which typically involve committing capital to private equity funds and direct co-investments. Specific fund names or commitment sizes are not publicly available.
What investment stages does the WilmerHale pension fund typically target?
The fund targets buyout-stage investments, focusing on mature companies. It may also access real estate and alternative assets through its diversified portfolio, but primary strategy is buyout.
How is the WilmerHale pension fund related to the law firm's operating business?
The pension fund is a subsidiary vehicle of WilmerHale, funded by the firm's legal revenue. The firm's corporate structure separates the pension's assets from operating liabilities, but the fund's contributions depend on the law firm's ongoing profitability.
Does the WilmerHale pension fund maintain philanthropic structures?
Yes. WilmerHale operates a Strategic Philanthropy Program alongside its pension fund. The two are separated — the pension is for retirement obligations, while the philanthropy program is a corporate giving initiative independent of the investment portfolio.
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