Keker, Van Nest & Peters partner Tom Gorman was interviewed by Bloomberg Law editors for a series titled "They've Got Next: The 40 Under 40." The piece aims to "represent the best of the future of the legal profession...they are first and foremost stellar young lawyers. They are also innovators and pro bono advocates." Part of Tom's interview is excerpted below. Click here to read the full piece.
Please describe two of your most substantial, recent wins in practice.
I am proud of the $179 million judgment that we obtained for Google in Google v. Levandowski, a matter that involved allegations of employee disloyalty and breach of contract.
In another recent matter for Google, a privacy case involving smartphone and internet technology, we obtained a swift victory right off the bat. The plaintiff’s complaint completely misconstrued our client’s technology, so we used our motion to dismiss to present a clear explanation of how everything actually worked. Plaintiff’s counsel was apparently convinced because they dismissed Google voluntarily!
What is the most important lesson you learned as a first-year attorney and how does it inform your practice today?
It is critical to stay curious. When you go to law school to become a lawyer – you don’t learn law, you learn how to think about law and policy, how to advocate effectively, and how to solve problems. I have such a varied practice, which means learning about different clients’ businesses, markets, emerging technology, as well as all types of law. Sometimes the subject matter is so dense and esoteric that my eyes could glaze over (high-density plasma semiconductor wafer bonding!), so I always need to find something interesting about a subject, allowing me to fuel my curiosity in a way that keeps the job thrilling. My practice today is informed by looking for ways to have fun in the little joys of learning new things everyday--about the law and my clients’ work.