Top BigLaw Firms for Intellectual Property (Patent) in San Diego

Every firm in our directory with a San Diego office that Chambers USA 2026 ranks for patent law in California, strongest band first. Morrison & Foerster LLP leads with Band 1, one of 3 firms in Band 1.

Ranked firms: 13
Band 1 firms: 3
Median first-year base: $225,000

Open in the directory Compare the top 3

13 ranked firms for patent law in San Diego

#	Firm	Chambers 2026	First-year base	2L summer applications
1	Morrison & Foerster LLP Vault #27	Band 1 · Intellectual Property: Patent Litigation · California Band 1 · Intellectual Property: Patent Prosecution · California Band 1 · Life Sciences: IP/Patent Litigation · California	$225,000+	Opened Oct 1Deadline Feb 28, 2027
2	Cooley LLP Vault #22	Band 1 · Life Sciences: IP/Patent Litigation · California Band 2 · Intellectual Property: Patent Prosecution · California Band 3 · Intellectual Property: Patent Litigation · California	$255,000+	Expected November 2026
3	Jones Day Vault #26	Band 1 · Intellectual Property: Patent Prosecution · California Band 2 · Life Sciences: IP/Patent Litigation · California Band 3 · Intellectual Property: Patent Litigation · California	$240,000	Not announced (last cycle Oct 27, 2025)
4	DLA Piper LLP (US) Vault #42	Band 2 · Intellectual Property: Patent Prosecution · California Band 2 · Life Sciences: IP/Patent Litigation · California Band 3 · Intellectual Property: Patent Litigation · California	$225,000+	Expected early January 2027
5	Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C. Vault #77	Band 2 · Intellectual Property: Patent Prosecution · California Band 2 · Life Sciences: IP/Patent Litigation · California	$225,000+	Opened Oct 1Deadline Dec 11, 2026
6	Fish & Richardson P.C. Vault #84	Band 2 · Intellectual Property: Patent Prosecution · California Band 3 · Life Sciences: IP/Patent Litigation · California Band 4 · Intellectual Property: Patent Litigation · California	$225,000+	Not announced
7	Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP Vault #66	Band 2 · Intellectual Property: Patent Prosecution · California Band 3 · Intellectual Property: Patent Litigation · California	$225,000+	Not announced
8	Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C. Vault #34	Band 3 · Intellectual Property: Patent Prosecution · California Band 4 · Intellectual Property: Patent Litigation · California	$225,000+	Expected mid-January 2027
9	McDermott Will & Schulte LLP Vault #46	Band 3 · Life Sciences: IP/Patent Litigation · California Band 5 · Intellectual Property: Patent Litigation · California	$255,000+	See the job board
10	Latham & Watkins LLP Vault #4	Band 3 · Intellectual Property: Patent Litigation · California	$225,000+	Nov 1, 2026Deadline Jan 29, 2027
11	Paul Hastings LLP Vault #21	Band 3 · Intellectual Property: Patent Litigation · California	$225,000+	Expected mid-December 2026
12	Greenberg Traurig, LLP Vault #55	Band 3 · Intellectual Property: Patent Prosecution · California	Varies by office	Not announced
13	Sidley Austin LLP Vault #11	Band 4 · Intellectual Property: Patent Litigation · California	$225,000+	Expected early November 2026

Chambers bands from Chambers USA 2026, California tables; Band 1 is the strongest, and a “Highly Regarded” band sits below every “Elite” band. Pay is each firm’s first-year base; summer dates come from each firm’s own page via the BigLaw job board. How rankings work

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Other practices in San Diego

Top patent law firms nationwide Every BigLaw firm in San Diego Summer program dates