Welcome to CaseWell
Sophisticated counsel for complex matters
Halden & Vale represents founders, operating companies, and institutional clients across mergers, intellectual property, employment, and cross-border transactions.
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15
Years in practice
Founded in 2011, we've spent fifteen years building a practice around senior judgment and selective work.
Recognized by
Practice Areas
Where we counsel
Each of our practice areas is led by a partner with twenty-plus years of senior judgment in the matter
Immigration
Intellectual Property
Tax
Mergers & Acquisitions
Employment & Labor
Commercial Litigation
Immigration
Intellectual Property
Tax
Mergers & Acquisitions
Employment & Labor
Commercial Litigation
The best legal outcome rarely looks like a victory speech. It looks like a deal closed cleanly, a dispute resolved before it grew, a founder protected before they knew they needed it.
— Eleanor Halden, Founding Partner
Representative Matters
What we've done
A selection of matters from the last twenty-four months. Client identities are anonymized where confidentiality requires.
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21
Years average experience, per partner
100%
led by a partner from intake to close
24 hrs
Maximum response time
8
Top firms in our partners' backgrounds
ATTORNEYS
Counsel you'll work with directly
At Halden & Vale, the partner you meet is the partner who works your matter. We staff lean by design
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Outcomes over hours
We measure ourselves on whether the client got what they needed. The billable hour is how we invoice — not how we work.
Selective intake
We turn down more matters than we take. The work we accept gets our full attention because we're not running thin across forty engagements at once.
$2.4B+
Capital protected and deployed
Direct communication
You'll have a partner's mobile number. Updates arrive in plain English, not redacted memoranda. Questions get answered the same business day.
Partner-led, always
Every matter is led by a partner with twenty-plus years in the practice. Associates support, but the senior judgment you're paying for is the judgment you receive.
Partner-led, always
Every matter is led by a partner with twenty-plus years in the practice. Associates support, but the senior judgment you're paying for is the judgment you receive.
Honest scoping
We tell clients what a matter is worth before we agree to take it. If it doesn't fit our expertise or your budget, we say so and refer thoughtfully.
INSIGHTS
Recent thinking
Practical commentary on developments our clients ask about. Written by our attorneys, not by content teams.
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Recognitions
Ranked, year after year
Independent rankings from peers and publications that practice law for a living — no self-nominated awards, no paid placements.
Recognitions
Common questions, candidly answered
Direct answers to what clients typically ask before signing an engagement letter — drawn from fifteen years of first calls.
What kinds of matters does Halden & Vale handle?
We're a boutique firm built for complex, partner-led matters across M&A, intellectual property, employment, immigration, tax, and selective commercial litigation. If your matter sits outside those areas — or sits well below the complexity that justifies senior counsel — we'll tell you in the first conversation and refer you thoughtfully.
Who will actually work on my matter — a partner or an associate?
A partner leads every matter from intake to close. Associates support specific tasks (research, document preparation, due diligence), but the strategic judgment and client conversations stay with a partner. We staff lean by design.
What kinds of clients do you typically work with?
Three groups: founders and principals at growth-stage companies, general counsel at mid-market operating businesses, and individuals at career inflection points (executive separations, equity events, immigration). Most of our work sits in the $5M–$500M transaction range.
Do you work with clients outside New York and London?
Yes. Roughly forty percent of our clients are based elsewhere in the US, in EU jurisdictions, or further afield. We're admitted in twelve US states and qualified in England and Wales, and we work with vetted local counsel where we don't directly practice.
How do you bill — hourly, flat fee, or something else?
Most matters are billed hourly with detailed timekeeping. Where scope is well-defined — a single transaction, a specific filing, a discrete dispute — we offer flat-fee engagements with clear in-scope and out-of-scope terms. We don't take contingency-fee work.
What does an initial consultation cost?
Nothing. The first conversation is confidential and complimentary. It's for both of us to determine whether we're the right firm and you're the right client. If it's not a fit, we'll say so directly.
Will you give me an estimate before we begin?
Yes. Before any engagement letter is signed, we'll walk you through likely cost, what could change it, and how we'll communicate any shift early. Honest scoping is a principle, not a negotiation tactic.
Are retainers required?
For new engagements, generally yes. Retainers are credited against ongoing work and refunded at engagement close if unused. Existing clients with recurring matters typically work on an open-account basis.
Can we use your firm alongside our existing outside counsel?
Frequently. Roughly a third of our engagements involve coordinating with another firm — typically BigLaw handling a specific specialty, or a regional firm with local expertise. We coordinate cleanly and bill only for the scope we own.
How is my information protected from the first inquiry?
All initial communications — by phone, email, or our intake form — are treated as confidential under attorney-client privilege from first contact. Information you share is not retained, indexed, or used for marketing. If we can't take your matter, we securely destroy the intake record.
What happens if you can't take my matter?
We tell you directly, explain why, and recommend specific attorneys or firms better suited to the work. We've built referral relationships across the US, EU, and UK over fifteen years — and we don't accept referral fees, so recommendations are based on fit alone.
Do you handle conflict checks before agreeing to take a matter?
Yes. Every prospective engagement is run against our active and historical client database before we agree to take it. If a conflict surfaces, we'll explain the issue and, where appropriate, discuss whether a waiver is possible — or refer the matter onward if it isn't.
Can you handle cross-border matters between the US, UK, and EU?
Yes — cross-border work is one of our core capabilities. Our New York and London offices coordinate directly, and we maintain working relationships with senior counsel across Germany, France, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Switzerland for matters that touch those jurisdictions.
How quickly will I hear back after an initial inquiry?
Within one business day, always. If a matter is time-sensitive — a pending filing deadline, a court appearance, a signed LOI moving fast — we prioritize accordingly and respond within hours.
REQUEST A CONSULTATION
Tell us about the matter
Initial consultations are confidential and complimentary. We respond within one business day. If the matter falls outside our practice areas, we'll tell you and recommend counsel who can help.
