. . And Who Are The Two Sole Practice Attorneys Who Are Facing Off Again In Their Second Multi-Billionaire Divorce Proceeding

The law firms sharing in the multi-billionaire split between Bill and Melinda Gates involve a variety of legal heavy hitters.

The Gates divorce appears to be another civilized and organized affairs in the spirit of the previous mega-split of Jeff Bezos and his wife McKenzie Scott.

And once again, two of the matrimonial lawyers involved in the Bezos-Scott split will be making guest appearances in the Gates’ divorce proceedings.

However, that hasn’t meant there will not be equally mega-fees charged in the Gates’ split, as shown on the divorce papers filed in Washington state this week which involves legal power firms, but also a sole practitioner. Among Gates divorce firms –

Munger, Tolles & Olson –

Who Are The Power Law Firms Getting A Cut In The Bill & Melinda Gates Divorce? — Ronald Olson

Bill Gates has called on Ronald Olson from the firm founded by his friend Warren Buffett’s partner Charlie Munger, who serves as vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

LA-based Olson is also a Berkshire director and has had some heavy duty clients apart from the legendary investment company, including Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page and Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg.

With offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., Munger Tolles has a large practice extended internationally focused on litigation, corporate, labor, real estate, tax and financial restructuring. But they have also maintained what they describe as we maintain a national and international practice.

“We believe our one-to-one overall partner-to-associate ratio instills a work ethic that results in a cost-effective approach for our clients. In every representation, our 200 lawyers are expected to make a difference in developing and implementing strategies to obtain the best results for the client,” the firm website says.

The partners at Munger Tolles who will also be involved in the Gates divorce for the Microsoft founder will be Robert Denham and Eric Tuttle.

Stoel Rives –

A multi billion dollar divorce is also going involve heavy duty legal work on the financials and Stoel Rives, the commercial law firm based in Portland Oregon will also play a role in sorting those matters.

, Wendy Goffe, at Portland-based Stoel Rives and the Washington-based lawyer Ted Billbe.

With billions at stake in their divorce, Bill and Melinda Gates have turned to heavyweight partners at Munger, Tolles & Olson and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, as well as to Washington state veterans of another multibillion-dollar breakup.

The Law Office of Ted Billbe

The Bellevue, WA office of family law specialist Ted Billbe is also one of the lawyers to be used by the Bill Gates team. Billbe preciously represented McKenzie Scott in her divorce from Jeff Bezos and so is familiar with high stakes matrionial battles. A former Perkins Coie attorney returned to practice in his native Seattle, noting on his website that “I appreciate the personal connection I make with each of my clients and the opportunity to positively impact their lives.”

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison –

Melinda Gates has hired the high profile, highly profitable Wall Street headquartered Paul, Weiss, tapping partner Bruce Birenboim, a prominent trial lawyer who has represented a variety of major league clients including the National Football League, Citigroup Inc and others.

Paul Weiss, employing more than 1000 lawyers and focused upon litigation and corporate law also recently received som unflattering publicity in Vanity Fair over allegations in a new book on the Caesars Palace collapse.

Cohen Clair Lans Greifer Thorpe & Rottenstreich

Cohen Clair bills itself as one of the United States’ most prominent matrimonial law firms, having acted for a large number of both high- and low-profile divorce proceedings. They note that their strength lies in their “creative skill, honed through decades of focus on family law.

“Our understanding of the complicated issues we face together with our clients, along with the reputation which precedes us, frequently leads to deftly and efficiently negotiated resolutions. Obtaining a favorable result while avoiding the costs of litigation is our initial approach and ultimate goal,” the firm says.

Law Office of Sherri M Anderson

Sherri Anderson has crossed swords on billionaire divorces before, having represented none other than Jeff Bezos in his divorce.

She bills herself as handling ‘complex divorce representation’ with an emphasis upon mediation as a divorce resolution process involving complex financial, spousal and family issues.

The Older-Age Divorce Syndrome

The Gates’ divorce appears to represent a trend for longer-lasting marriages to end with the couples in their 50s and 60s, the children having left home and a longer retirement looming. They are also often a less acrimonious affair according to some.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s PM last week, The Guardian reported divorce lawyer Amanda McAlister said that divorce among those approaching or in retirement tend to be more “amicable” affairs because the relationships have become more like friendship.

Meanwhile, the Gates divorce will occupy squadrons of lawyers for some time to come, although a largely mediated outcome would be the ultimate result – its just that the mountain of fees will be peripheral to one of the world’s largest fortunes.