Silicon Valley: has seen many lay-offs in the past two yearsLeading Silicon Valley firm Cooley Godward is to close its Menlo Park branch and make 10 support staff redundant in the latest wave of cutbacks at the US technology specialist.

Cooleys’ chairman Stephen Neal e-mailed staff last week to say that the firm would not be renewing the lease at its Menlo Park office, resulting in seven lawyers and five support staff relocating to its Palo Alto office in Hanover Street.