Of Counsel Quotes Matt Wilmot on Growth in Portland of High-Tech Business and Legal Work

“More and more companies are looking at Portland because it’s a desirable place to live. And of course, it’s cheaper than the more traditional tech corridors like the Silicon Valley.”

—Attorney Matt Wilmot quoted in Of Counsel article “Six Cities Are Heating Up in High-Tech Business & Legal Work.”

The article discusses several cities in the U.S. that, although different culturally, geographically and economically, are already or are becoming centers of high tech. The popularity of the cities, which include Tampa; Portland, OR; Chicago; Salt Lake City; St. Louis; and Charleston, SC, for tech-focused businesses is creating opportunities for law firms to serve both tech startups and established technology companies in markets where competition for clients isn’t yet as fierce as it is in traditional tech corridors.

Wilmot, a partner in Stoel Rives’ Technology & Intellectual Property group, says the firm’s legal work comes from startups, which in Portland tend to be started locally because the founders live and want to stay in the area, and from existing companies looking for opportunities to grow their business. “A lot of our tech clients are looking for opportunities to expand product lines and develop new technologies,” he said. “Many companies are in growth phase now, and in addition to new products, they’re also looking for new partners to do business with, different resale channels, and different distribution channels.”

Read “Six Cities Are Heating Up in High-Tech Business & Legal Work,” published March 2017.