Munger, Tolles, & Olson LLP (MTO) is an American law firm founded in 1962 with offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington D.C. The firm is known for handling litigation and corporate matters across multiple industries, including entertainment, technology, energy, healthcare, and financial services.
As of 2025, MTO employed approximately 200 attorneys across its three offices. It is considered one of the most prestigious and selective law firms in the US.
Contents
History
Munger, Tolles & Hills was established in Downtown Los Angeles' Tishman Building on February 1, 1962. The firm was founded by three former partners from Musick, Peeler & Garrett: Charlie Munger, E. Leroy Tolles, and Roderick M. Hills.
The founding group included two additional Musick attorneys, Richard Esbenshade and Frederick B. Warder Jr. as well as Carla Anderson Hills, who was serving as an assistant U.S. attorney at the time and was married to Roderick Hills. James T. Wood, a sole practitioner with connections to the Hills family, also joined the founding team.
In 1965, Charles Munger departed the firm to focus on investment management, forming a partnership with Warren Buffett and later becoming vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, which remained a client of the firm. The addition of Charles E. Rickershauser Jr., a former clerk to Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, strengthened the firm's corporate practice and led to its renaming as Munger, Tolles, Hills & Rickershauser. Ronald Olson joined as an associate in 1968 and was elevated to partner in 1970.
MTO expanded and opened an office in San Francisco in 1991. In 2016, the firm employed former Solicitor General of the United States Donald B. Verrilli Jr. to establish its Washington, D.C. office.
In 2019, the MTO underwent a leadership transition, appointing Malcolm Heinicke and Hailyn Chen as co-managing partners, succeeding Brad Brian and Sandra Seville-Jones. Brian was named as firm chair. At the time of her election, Chen was only the second Asian woman to assume a leadership position at a major law firm. Malcolm and Hailyn served as co-managing partners from 2019-2025. Former U.S. Attorneys and veteran firm partners Martin Estrada and Daniel Levin became the firm's new co-managing partners in November 2025.
Legal practice
MTO has represented various clients in litigation and corporate transactions. The firm's client portfolio includes major corporations across various sectors, such as technology (Google, Intel), entertainment (The Walt Disney Company), financial services (Bank of America, Fortress Investment Group), transportation (BNSF Railway), utilities (Pacific Gas & Electric), and conglomerates (Berkshire Hathaway).
Industry ranking
MTO has appeared on The American Lawyer's A-List rankings multiple times between 2008 and 2025. The A-List evaluates U.S. law firms based on several metrics: revenue per lawyer, pro bono work, associate satisfaction, racial diversity, and gender diversity in equity partnerships. The firm ranked first in the publication for 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025.
Lawyers
Attorneys
Ginger Anders, a former Deputy U.S. Assistant Attorney General.
E. Martin Estrada, former U.S. Attorney
Ronald Olson, a director of Berkshire Hathaway.
Donald B. Verrilli Jr., former U.S. Solicitor General.
Alumni
Nancy Bekavac, the first female president of Scripps College.
Alan Bersin, former United States Attorney for the Southern District of California.
Jeffrey L. Bleich, former Special Counsel to President Barack Obama and United States Ambassador to Australia.
Daniel A. Bress, Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Daniel J. Calabretta, Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California.
Daniel P. Collins, Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Robert Denham, former CEO of Salomon Brothers and current chairman of the MacArthur Foundation.
John Frank, Vice Chairman of Oaktree.
Michelle Friedland, Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Joshua P. Groban, Associate Justice on the California Supreme Court.
Carla Anderson Hills, former U.S. Trade Representative and former Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Roderick Hills, former White House Counsel and Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Diane M. Johnsen, Judge on the Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One.
Brett Kavanaugh, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (1990).