Stephen C. Neal
Stephen C. Neal was born in San Francisco on March 26, 1949. After graduating high school in 1966, he attended and graduated with an A.B. from Harvard University in 1970 at the age of 21. Graduating from Harvard in only three years, this young scholar early on demonstrated determination, drive, and a desire for excellence. These characteristics would be key factors in his later professional success.
Stephen C. Neal – History
Stephen decided to pursue law and was accepted to Stanford Law School in Palo Alto, California. With characteristic zeal he applied himself to his law studies. Graduating from Stanford in 1973, Neal took a position with Kirkland & Ellis in Chicago. A valuable asset to the firm, he was made a partner after only 5 years at the young age of 29. He was also a member of the Management Committee while there. Neal remained at Kirkland & Ellis until 1995 when he left to take a position with Cooley, Godward, & Kronish. Again demonstrating his incredible talents and drive, he became CEO in 2001. When not in trial, Mr. Neal serves as Cooley Godward’s chairman as well. Within this position, he is actively involved in long-range planning and strategic expansion. He is also a member of the Firm’s Executive and Management Committees and Litigation department.
Leading a firm like Cooley Godward & Kronish is a herculean feat. With 650 attorneys and full-service offices in 9 cities and and 7 states, Stephen Neal is commanding a small army. Under his expert leadership the firm brings clients an entrepreneurial spirit and a wealth of experience. Throughout the firm there is a commitment to solving the most complex legal issues for clients ranging from small companies to large corporations involved in international endeavors.
Stephen C. Neal named Top 100 Lawyers
Stephen Neal is a nationally recognized trial attorney and in September, 2009, he was named to The Daily Journal’s Top 100 Lawyers in California list. Throughout the U.S. he has tried dozens of civil and criminal cases, jury and non-jury, in federal, state and administrative courts. He has also made more than two dozen arguments in various state appellate courts around the country. Neal has represented numerous corporations and individuals in a wide range of civil and criminal investigations.
LawDragon, a website for lawyer profiles and legal news, spoke of Mr. Neal in October 2006 saying, “Stephen Neal has represented AT&T, PG&E, and Walter Hewlett. For AT&T, his ‘dynamic courtroom presence’ convinced Microsoft to ‘throw in the towel’ and stop a two week patent infringement trial to settle its dispute with AT&T…He can tackle just about any subject matter in the courtroom, with a practice that covers securities law, insurance law, commercial contracts and antitrust, among other specialties.”
Juror William West, a retired contract negotiator, at the end of a trial won by Mr. Neal commented that “(He) was smooth as butter”, attributing much of the winning strategy to the vast experience of Stephen Neal compared to the “youth and eagerness” of the prosecution.
Stephen Neal has demonstrated superior proficiency in numerous areas of the law, including securities law, government contracts, insurance law, commercial contracts, construction contracts, tax disputes, antitrust and trade regulation, patents, copyrights, employment contracts, product defects, toxic substances, Food and Drug Act, Consumer Product Safety Act, Foreign Currency Laws, federal income tax law, state and local taxing authority, water law, banking law and bank fraud, to name a few. He is well known for his broad expertise, so much so that in Lawdragon 2008, Neal was described as “Cooley’s steely leader…eager to take on any complex civil or criminal matter.”
Mr. Neal has represented and been a consultant to audit committees and special committees of boards in numerous internal investigations. In addition, Neal has represented and advised numerous boards of directors, special committees of boards and individual directors on corporate governance and other legal matters. Some of these organizations include the Hewlett Foundation, Monterey Bay Aquarium, and in October, 2007, he was elected to sit on the board of directors for Levi Straus & Co.
“In recent years, Steve Neal has provided invaluable advice to LS & Co’s board”, commented LS & CO Chairman, Bob Haas. “…I am very pleased to welcome him now as a director. Steve is a highly respected attorney with deep knowledge and broad experience in corporate governance. We look forward to benefiting from his seasoned perspectives.”
In the 36 years that Stephen Neal has practiced law his influence has been felt across the country and in much of the world. He has proved himself to be more than competent to represent clients in multiple areas of the law and under a vast array of circumstances. With this type of diversity, it indeed seems very appropriate that he has been described as being “smooth as butter” and “steely” in his drive and desire to represent his clients’ best interests 110% of the time.
