Zuber is no stranger to big-firm life.After graduating from Columbia LawSchool in 1999, he worked as an associateat White & Case in New York, where hepracticed patent litigation. Upon acceptinga job at O’Melveny & Myers, he moved toLos Angeles.“I always knew that I would live in NewYork or L.A,” Zuber said. “For me, I justhave to be at the center of things.”While originally entertaining the ideaof becoming a neurosurgeon, Zuberchose to become a lawyer because of hisfascination with the power of words. Hebecame interested in intellectual propertylaw while in law school.Zuber, his voice reflecting the inflectionsof his New Jersey roots, pointed outside ona recent afternoon in his Westwood officesto explain the attraction of patent law.“The building out there, that building

aura Castner, of counsel at GreenbergTraurig, made the move. So didpartner Patrick Del Duca from Manatt,Phelps & Phillips. And last month, GeroldLibby, a partner from Holland & Knight, joined. All three attorneys left behind a bigfirm life to throw in their chips with thesmall but quickly growing Los Angelesboutique, Zuber & Taillieu.The firm’s leader, Thomas F. Zuber, whoat 37 years old and looks even youngerthan his age, was a large reason for thetransition.“He has an energy that rubs off onpeople,” said Libby, a corporate attorneywith a focus on cross-border transactions.Libby said he was skeptical about jumping to a small firm, especially onefilled with many partners in their 30s,but the intelligence and intensity of thelawyers he met persuaded him to move.So how has the youthful Zuber and crewmanaged to consistently entice lateralsfrom much larger firms? Since the firm’sfounding in 2003, it has grown from three to22 attorneys, including 11 partners. Zubersaid he sells the excitement that comes frombuilding a law firm together. As a result, thefirm has appealed to top lawyers with anentrepreneurial bend, he said.“[I told them] ‘You’re going to buildsomething that reflects a bit of you. Youcan help us to steer this thing,’” Zubersaid. “That’s going to appeal to somepeople and not appeal to some. There’s thenotion that things are not as predictable asat a large law firm because we’re growing.That thing that is unattractive to somebodycan be attractive to another type of personand it’s that second type of person we’relooking for.”

Managing Partner’s EntrepreneurialEnthusiasm Inspires Excitement in Recruits

By Rebecca U. Cho

Daily Journal Staff Writer

exists whether or not a lawyer says itdoes,” Zuber said. “IP rights don’t existin that way unless a lawyer says it does.So that challenge of making somethingconcrete out of nothing is very appealingto me.”He knew early on that he would one daybuild a law ﬁrm. After meeting OlivierTaillieu, with whom he worked as apatent litigator at O’Melveny, Zuber leftto form the ﬁrm, along with his brother,Jeffrey Zuber. The three set up shop inWestwood.“I like the idea of creating things. Here,we’re creating a business, my partners andI. That’s what gets me up in the morning,”he said.Less than two years later, Josh Lawler,a close friend and a Los Angeles attorneyat Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, joined them in the venture. He brought his

Industry Watch

SINCE 1888

MONDAY,

JUNE 29, 2009

Thomas F. Zuber Traded a big firm for boutique. His Westwood firm, Zuber & Taillieu, now has a growinglist of like-minded attorneys and a growing roster of domestic and international clients.

ROBERT LEVINS / Daily Journal

The Upstart

Thomas F. Zuber, who at 37 years oldlooks even younger than his age, is alarge reason that seasoned attorneysare willing to leave behind big firm lifeto join the small but quickly growing LosAngeles boutique Zuber & Taillieu.