(LONDON) 25 March 2008 – Last week, Heller Ehrman was named the “Technology Law Firm of the Year” at the UK Technology Innovation and Growth 2008 Awards. The annual award recognises law firms that have a talented industry team dedicated to the sector and that provide support and expertise above and beyond the call of duty to their technology clients.

According to the judges, “After less than one year, the new London office of Heller Ehrman has really hit the ground running, having captured a leading position advising European venture-backed companies. Their representation of Autonomy through the two secondary offerings on the London Stock Exchange and through their acquisition of Zantaz makes Heller Ehrman stand out from the crowd.”

Since its opening one year ago, Heller Ehrman’s London office has:

• capitalised on its Silicon Valley strengths to attract numerous new technology clients seeking its industry sector expertise;
• captured the leading position in advising European venture-backed companies, handling more than 40 technology venture capital financings;
• advised on eight technology public offerings on the LSE and AIM, raising over $350 million;
• represented clients on 10 M&A transactions with an aggregate transactional value of more than $1.2 billion;
• achieved the top tier of the Legal 500 (2007) directory of UK firms advising on venture capital financings; and
• expanded and strengthened its relationships with existing clients by attracting new European business from such clients, including Microsoft Corp.

About Heller Ehrman

Heller Ehrman has 650 attorneys and professionals in 14 offices worldwide – Anchorage, Alaska; Beijing; Hong Kong; London; Los Angeles; Madison, Wis.; New York; San Diego; San Francisco; Seattle; Shanghai; Silicon Valley; Singapore; and Washington, D.C. Heller Ehrman represents a wide range of industry leaders, from entrepreneurial, technology-driven enterprises to established, multinational conglomerates. The firm’s core values are Excellence, People, Teamwork, Innovation, Community and One Firm. 

About UK Technology Innovation and Growth Awards

The UK Technology Innovation and Growth 2008 Awards recognise those individuals and organisations that drive the success of the UK's fastest growing technology companies. Award nominations go through an exhaustive process of investigation by an esteemed panel of judges and over last nine years these awards have become one of the most coveted accolades within the industry. The awards, now in their ninth coveted year, recognise talent and success across the UK technology industry at both individual and company level. Each award category is individually judged according to stipulated criteria. In addition to Heller Ehrman, the finalists for Technology Law Firm of the Year were Brown & Rudnick; Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP; Osborne Clarke; and Taylor Wessing LLP. The other award categories are: Entrepreneur of the Year; Technology CEO of the Year - Private Firm; Technology CEO of the Year - Small / Medium Cap Public Firm; Hottest UK Technology Prospect of the Year; Hottest International Newcomer Award; UK Spin-out of the Year; Cleantech Advancement of the Year; Mediatech Impact of the Year; Technology Venture Exit of the Year; IPO of the Year; Venture Capital House of the Year; Partnering for Innovation Award; and PR/Marketing Campaign of the Year. For more information, visit http://www.innovationandgrowthforum.com/awards/about/.