Gunderson Joins Atlanta Raid of Morris Manning in New Office (1)

Silicon Valley law firm Gunderson Dettmer is opening an Atlanta office with three partners from Morris Manning & Martin, including the firm’s co-chair.

Veteran tech lawyer John Yates joins Gunderson after more than 35 years at Morris Manning, where he was named co-chairman in June. Joe Berklund, who was co-chair of Morris Manning’s emerging companies and venture capital practice and the firm’s Florida practice lead, and partner Zach Crowe are also making the jump.

“After more than a decade in the region, this expansion marks a significant milestone in our growth strategy. We are doubling down on the region’s thriving venture capital and emerging companies ecosystem,” said Jeff Higgins, Gunderson’s managing partner in a statement.

The departures are another blow for Morris Manning, which saw around a dozen partners, including several practice leads, decamp to Reed Smith earlier this month.

“We wish our former partners well,” Simon Malko, Morris Manning’s managing partner, said in an email. “As I shared when they announced when they were leaving, we have diverse practice areas and industries, and we remain financially strong and committed to continuing to grow the firm.”

Gunderson, which has some 500 lawyers across 12 offices, focuses heavily on emerging companies and venture capital work. The Morris Manning hires will be joined in Atlanta by Gunderson partner Jason Cummings, who helped launch the firm’s physical southeast presence, the firm said.