SAN FRANCISCO — Cooley saw revenue climb 9 percent to $617 million in 2012, propelled by steady demand for emerging company expertise and the firm’s focus on high-value work.

Revenue per lawyer and profits per partner also reached new heights. Cooley’s revenue per lawyer rose 6 percent to $975,000, and the firm’s profits per equity partner were nearly $1.5 million, up almost 10 percent from 2011.