Pillsbury Law
- Founded
- 1868-01-01 in New York City, New York, USA
- Headquarters
- New York City, New York, USA
- Phone
- (212) 858-1000
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, commonly known as Pillsbury Law, is a full‑service international law firm headquartered in New York City. With roots tracing back to 1868, when Elihu Root opened a practice in New York that later became Winthrop, Stimson, Putnam & Roberts, Pillsbury today operates as a limited liability partnership with a global footprint spanning the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The firm is particularly known for advising clients at the intersection of technology, capital, energy and government, serving everyone from entrepreneurs in their garage to the world’s largest public and private companies. Pillsbury’s market‑leading practices cover Technology & Life Sciences, Energy & Infrastructure, Financial Services, Real Estate & Construction, and Life Sciences & Digital Health. The firm also has highly regarded capabilities in litigation, corporate and securities, intellectual property, regulatory compliance, and public‑private partnerships (P3). Pillsbury has been consistently recognised by Chambers & Partners, Financial Times and other independent publications for the quality of its legal work and client service. The firm operates through offices in Austin, Beijing, Boston, Doha, Hong Kong, Houston, London, New York, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Singapore, Tokyo and Washington, D.C., as well as a Global Operations Center in Nashville, Tennessee. Pillsbury has approximately 700 lawyers globally and employs a total workforce that includes legal professionals, business services and operational staff.
Detailed Review
History and Formation
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP emerged from a series of mergers among several historic law firms, including Pillsbury, Madison & Sutro (founded 1874 in San Francisco); Winthrop, Stimson, Putnam & Roberts (traceable to Elihu Root’s 1868 New York practice); Shaw, Pittman, Potts & Trowbridge (founded 1908 in Washington, D.C.); and other predecessor firms. The current entity was formed in 2001 through the merger of Pillsbury Madison & Sutro with Winthrop Stimson Putnam & Roberts; the combined firm later added Shaw Pittman in 2003.
Practice Areas
Pillsbury advises clients on the most complex and high‑stakes legal issues across multiple industries. Its Technology & Life Sciences practice serves startups, growth companies and established enterprises, covering corporate finance, IP strategy, data privacy, and commercial transactions. The Energy & Infrastructure practice is a global leader in nuclear and fusion energy, oil and gas, renewables, and project development. The Financial Services practice handles regulatory, transactional and litigation matters for banks, insurers and fintechs. Real Estate & Construction lawyers advise on development, financing, leasing and public‑private partnerships. The firm’s Litigation practice handles complex commercial disputes, securities litigation, white‑collar defense, intellectual property litigation, and international arbitration. Pillsbury’s Corporate & Securities lawyers manage M&A, private equity, venture capital, capital markets and governance for clients around the world. In eDiscovery, Pillsbury leverages the OpenText™ Axcelerate™ platform to manage the entire discovery process in‑house, using machine learning and cloud‑based analytics to improve efficiency and security for litigation clients. The firm also provides integrated regulatory and compliance counseling, consumer protection, antitrust, and environmental law services.
Recognition and Financials
Pillsbury has earned extensive recognition: Chambers USA 2025 ranked it a leader in 52 categories; Best Lawyers in America named 193 Pillsbury lawyers as leading practitioners; and the firm has received multiple “Deal of the Year” awards for its public‑private partnership work. In fiscal year 2025, Pillsbury reported revenue exceeding $939 million, reflecting strong demand in technology, government and infrastructure sectors.
Culture
The firm’s culture emphasises collaboration, innovation and inclusivity through its “Pillsbury 360” initiative, which fosters professional development, diversity, and a collegial partnership model. Pillsbury is consistently ranked among the world’s leading law firms by independent legal directories and publications.
Key Products
Technology & Life Sciences
Legal counsel for startups, growth companies and enterprises in tech, digital health, biotechnology, and life sciences, covering corporate, IP, data privacy, and commercial transactions.
Energy & Infrastructure
Market‑leading practice in nuclear/fusion energy, oil & gas, renewables, project development, and regulatory matters.
Financial Services
Regulatory, transactional, and litigation services for banks, insurers, asset managers, and fintech firms.
Real Estate & Construction
Development finance, leasing, construction contracts, and public‑private partnerships (P3).
Litigation
Complex commercial disputes, securities litigation, white‑collar defense, IP litigation, international arbitration.
Corporate & Securities
M&A, private equity, venture capital, capital markets, governance, and securities offerings.
Intellectual Property
IP strategy, patent/trademark/copyright prosecution, enforcement, and portfolio management.
Regulatory & Compliance
Consumer protection, antitrust, environmental, energy regulatory, and government investigations.
Public-Private Partnerships (P3)
Advising government agencies and private developers on infrastructure projects, including transportation, energy, and social infrastructure.
eDiscovery (Axcelerate Platform)
In‑house cloud‑based eDiscovery using OpenText Axcelerate for processing, hosting, analysis, and machine‑learning review.
Key Persons
- Sean Patrick Whelan
Chief Operating Officer
- Jason A. Bovis
Chief Strategy Officer