Seth Gottlieb J.D. ’07 has joined Latham & Watkins LLP as a partner in their Emerging Companies & Growth Practice and as global vice chair of the Technology Industry Group.
Seth Gottlieb J.D. ’07
Gottlieb graduated in 2004 from George Washington University with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice before enrolling at Santa Clara University School of Law. His aspiration to pursue a career in law was fueled by his family’s entrepreneurial spirit and a deep interest in tech. Being in a challenging and fast-paced work environment appealed to Gottlieb, where he could also act as a trusted advisor and problem-solver for the companies shaping the world.
During his time at Santa Clara Law, Gottlieb dedicated himself to academic excellence, actively engaging in informational interviews and strategically networking with Silicon Valley entrepreneurs. His internships with the Santa Clara County Counsel’s office and Terra Law helped him discover a talent for, and keen interest in, corporate work, while also exposing him to different areas of the law. His coursework in venture capital and tax, and securities with Professor Stephen Diamond, prepared him for a role at Cooley LLP after graduation.
At Cooley, Gottlieb led dozens of IPOs and worked with some of the most well-known technology companies and venture capital firms in the world. His tenure was marked by collaborations with fellow Santa Clara Law graduate Alex Kassai J.D. ‘11, who now joins him as a partner at Latham. Together, they played a pivotal role in taking Snap public and in leading Snowflake’s IPO, which at the time was the largest software IPO ever recorded. Gottlieb’s other notable achievements include leading or contributing to the IPOs of ServiceNow, Pure Storage, Control4, Roku, Fastly, and Pulmonx. In addition to his professional endeavors, Gottlieb imparted his knowledge of venture capital and corporate governance as an adjunct professor of law at Santa Clara Law.
Now stepping into a leadership position at Latham, Gottlieb expresses enthusiasm for the future of the ever-evolving tech industry, particularly with the rise of AI. In his new role at Latham, Gottlieb will provide strategic counsel to high-growth companies at every stage of their development, guiding them from initial financing as startups to their IPOs and subsequent growth phases.
His advice for people looking to follow in his footsteps? “The most important thing when you are a young attorney is to work really hard and invest in relationships,” said Gottlieb. “You develop critical relationships as you are coming up through the ranks – investing in the people at your clients who are at a similar stage as you and becoming indispensable to their challenges will just pay dividends in all aspects of the practice.”
