Top tech clients reveal their law firm picks
Top tech companies, including Apple, Google, and Microsoft, have revealed what they want from their external law firms. According to the report, these companies value commercially savvy, strategic leadership from their law firms, which is essential for financial guidance and advice.
Willkie Farr & Gallagher, WilmerHale, Orrick, White & Case, and Perkins Coie are the firms that received the highest scores for overall client service from respondents at large tech businesses.
Silicon Valley-based Orrick partner Matthew Gemello says tech companies have different needs than other types of clients. They move at hyper-speed, and they need to see around corners – more so than most traditional businesses, as innovation frequently outpaces regulation.
Mindy Sooter, who co-chairs WilmerHale’s IP litigation practice, underlines the importance of law firms having a deep understanding of their tech clients’ business and the wider industry. A firm must be willing to invest the time and resources to develop that deep knowledge, which is crucial for an attorney’s success.
The data collected from the research includes scores across various client service metrics, such as service delivery, lawyer quality, and sector knowledge. It also identifies potential areas of improvement for law firms, including resourcing and delivery.
Perkins Coie partner Miranda Cole says tech clients are looking for strategic input that only experienced advisers with a deep understanding of the sector can provide. They’re looking for help to address the ‘so what’ questions, such as ‘What does it mean?’ and ‘How can we use this to best effect?’
Matthew Berger, Willkie Farr’s chair of IP, technology, and commercial transactions, points to the vast legal resources that many tech companies already have in-house. They’re being asked to come in and help by adding depth and breadth in certain areas – they’re giving them additional input into critical decisions.
At Kirkland & Ellis, corporate partner Edward Lee echoes that point. The legal teams at the top tech companies are, in many cases, as good as any law firm. They do not need to be taught the law; they need a counterparty who can pressure-test their thinking, which is essential for navigating the future legal landscape.
One hugely important factor in all of this is AI. The data shows that tech clients are considerably happier with the utilisation of AI by their external counsel than clients in other sectors.
Perkins Coie’s Cole explains: “As tech companies themselves develop AI, they’re focused on making sure their lawyers – both in-house and external – are using it in a smart fashion.”
There is also a growing impetus on firms to demonstrate exactly how they are adding value with AI, with clients increasingly asking for specifics on how AI is being used.
Gemello explains: “Tech clients prioritise tech adoption more than traditional industries because it is their core business and it is part of their DNA. Clients are looking for advisers who really speak the language, understand how products work, but also understand the business drivers.”
The findings from the data demonstrate that tech leaders are among the most demanding clients, and that delivering the basics is not sufficient – they need their lawyers to go above and beyond.
Kirkland’s Lee summarises: “Every sophisticated client wants judgement, responsiveness and partnership. Tech giants want all of that, compressed into a tighter timeframe, layered over more novel facts, and delivered by advisers who can credibly operate in the world they are actually building.”
The data was gathered during the US research cycle from December 2025 to March 2026, focusing specifically on responses from referees working at the largest 20 tech companies in the US.
