It is with profound sadness and a broken heart that we share news of the passing of our friend and longtime colleague, Fred Muto. Fred passed away December 18, following a courageous battle with Lewy Body Dementia. He passed peacefully surrounded by loved ones. His loss is deeply felt across our firm, and especially by those who had the privilege of knowing and working alongside him over his 37-year career with Cooley.

Fred was a Cooley lifer, and his impact on the firm, particularly on our San Diego office, is immeasurable. He was instrumental in shaping not only our presence in the region, but also the culture, values and excellence that continue to define it. As a critical part of the senior leadership team of the firm for decades, he played a central role in building the firm we are today. It is not an overstatement to say that Fred was one of the most consequential partners of his generation.

Fred attended Harvard University and the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law (Boalt Hall), where he received his JD in 1979. He joined Cooley in 1980 as a first-year associate in our San Francisco office and was promoted to partner in 1986. A brilliant lawyer, Fred specialized in corporate and securities law, with a focus on representing emerging and public technology and growth companies, as well as venture capital investors and investment banking firms. His counsel was trusted, his judgment respected, and his contributions to clients and colleagues alike were profound.

In 1992, Fred relocated from the Bay Area to help establish Cooley’s San Diego office as a founding partner, and in 2000 he became partner in charge. Fred embodied the spirit and culture of the San Diego office and played a central role in building it into the force it is today.

From 2012 to 2016, Fred served as chair of our global business department, where he oversaw a period of unprecedented growth and success, setting new benchmarks across a number of core areas. Among his many accolades, Fred was named by Nature magazine as one of 25 individuals – and one of only two attorneys – instrumental to San Diego’s emergence as a leading high-technology and biotechnology hub.

Fred was an extraordinary leader, but even more so, an exemplary partner, mentor and friend. He cared deeply about Cooley, which was a second family to him. His integrity, generosity and unwavering commitment to others left an indelible mark on our firm and on all who knew him.