JD Journal » law firm mergers

Law Firm Merger Numbers Closing in on Pre-Recession Levels

jim — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:03:39 +0000

A survey released by Altman Weil shows that mergers for law firms are bouncing back to the levels they were at prior to the recession of 2008 and 2009. Across the country, there were 60 mergers in 2011, with the number showing that confidence has risen when it comes to moving into new markets.

“We saw a dip during the recession,” Altman Weil principal Ward Bower said. “Nobody was concentrating on strategy. Everyone was concentrating on survival. Now that we are out of the recession, and although it is not a strong recovery by any means, it has inspired a lot of confidence in a lot of firms who are looking to grow again.”

There were four firms from Philadelphia that acquire firms from outside of the city in 2011. The firm of Fox Rothschild added a small intellectual property group from Los Angeles. Seven lawyers in Boston were added to Saul Ewing, 10 lawyers from Houston were added to Blank Rome, and Haddonfield’s Archer Greiner merged with Herten Burstein in Hackensack, New Jersey.

“This was an opportunity for us to get into the downtown market,” Abraham Reich, cochairman of Fox Rothschild, said of the merger with the L.A. firm in 2011. “Is the worst behind us? The answer is yes. But with a footnote. People are still very conservative, as opposed to being bullish.”

The Philadelphia region relies heavily on its law firms when it comes to the economy. Those firms took big hits during the recession but not as big as the ones suffered by the firms in New York, which are tied to Wall Street.

A study released by Altman Weil earlier in 2011 said that more companies were increasing their legal spending, either by hiring internally or spending for outside counsel.

The 60 mergers for 2011 matches the number for mergers in 2007, before the recession hit the United States, and when law firm mergers hit its zenith. In 2008, law firm mergers rose to 70, reflecting merger agreements that had already been in place. In 2009, the number of mergers dropped to 53 and then dropped to 39 in 2010 before jumping back up to 60 in 2011.

Merger two law firms together is a major risk that not many firms were willing to take during the country’s recession. The reason for this is the fact that an ill conceived merger could cost a firm millions of dollars if the result does not work in its favor.

Bower explained that firms that merged in the previous year did so in an effort to meet their clients’ needs. Even though the pace of law firm mergers has increased, the competition to find strong candidates to merge with has also increased greatly.

Law Firm Merger Numbers in 2011 to Continue in 2012

jim — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 21:00:16 +0000

The law firm consultancy The Hildebrandt Institute, has found that mergers amongst law firms increased by 65 percent from 2010 to 2011, and the report expects that more mergers will occur in 2012.

Kilpatrick Stockton joining with Townsend and Townsend and Crew was the largest merger in the United States last year, according to the Hildebrandt report. The second largest merger in the United States was the one between Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge’s and Wildman, Harrold & Dixon. The data compiled by Hildebrandt includes only mergers that have been completed in 2011, not ones that have been announced but not officially completed.

The report also notes that there were 14 mergers completed in the fourth quarter of 2011, a 55 percent increase over the nine mergers that occurred in the third quarter. According to the report, there were 45 mergers that involved United States law firms in 2011, a 65 percent increase from the 27 that occurred in 2010.

The report from Hildebrandt also says that mergers in the country were regional, not national or international, showing that activity could be increasing to numbers seen before the recession. Those numbers included yearly merger averages of about 55 per year.

The most active merger areas of the country, as noted by the report, include Los Angeles (six law firm mergers), Texas (five, with four coming in Houston), Illinois (four) and Florida and New Jersey (each had three).

The law firms that made Hildebrandt’s list for 2012 include Bingham Greenebaum Doll, Faegre Baker Daniels, Ice Miller, and Norton Rose Canada. Another 2012 merger expected to be completed is that of Hagood & Kerr being acquired by Moore & Van Allen. The two law firms announced that they would merge in January back on December 28, 2011. Four partners and five associates will be added to the Moore & Van Allen Charleston office, which houses 30 lawyers right now.

A founding member of Hagood & Kerr, Ben Hagood, Jr., is a former South Carolina state legislator. Hagood Jr. specialized in government affairs work. The addition of the Hagood & Kerr practice to that of Moore & Van Allen will help to expand the expertise of Moore & Van Allen in the areas of labor and employment, transactions, and bankruptcy.

Moore & Van Allen, according to their financial records, saw its revenue increase by 2.2 percent to $164.5 million in 2010. The report also shows that profits per partner increase 8 percent to $870,000. The revenue per lawyer was $585,000.

According to the Hildebrandt report, the international sector has also seen interest in law firm mergers. Asia, Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom were noted by Hildebrandt as seeing major law firm mergers in 2011.

Law Firms Merge Together

jim — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 01:25:56 +0000

Two separate law firms have chosen to merge together. The Weintraub Genshlea Chediak Law Corporation and Tobin & Tobin are now joining forces. Because the companies are merging, there will be a slight name change. These two firms will have offices opened in several areas of California. Offices will be located in Sacramento, Los Angeles, and in San Francisco.

Because the economy was headed toward a downward spiral in 2007, many firms chose to merge with other firms as a means of survival. Without mergers, many firms would have collapsed. A merger for Weingtraub Genshlea Chediak Law Corporation and Tobin & Tobin was a wise choice because both of these firms have an outstanding reputation and both firms have a mutual amount of respect for one another. Now that these firms have joined forces, they will be able to continuously grow, expand, and become even more successful than they already were. Both of the firms are looking forward to working with one another and spokespeople for both corporations have had nothing but positive things to say about the merger between the two firms.

The major focus of the firm is to work together on areas that have to do with real estate, banking, taxes, employment, disputes, and other similar areas. There will be about sixty attorneys combined from both of the law firms who will work on different cases with different clients.

The shareholder for the Weintraub Incorpotation has said, “Our client relationships are expanding more and more throughout the state, and many of those relationships are in the Bay Area. To better meet the needs of our clients and as part of our strategic expansion plan, we looked for a firm like Tobin & Tobin — one that complements our specialty practice areas.” They are excited for the merger and believe this was the best decision to make. Weintraub Incorporation believes that Tobin & Tobin was the perfect match for the merger.

The managing partner for Tobin & Tobin agrees and says, “We have long admired the work and culture of Weintraub. We share a vision of value-added, trust-based relationships and are confident that with our combined capabilities and expanded services we will be in an even better position to meet our clients’ needs.” Because both of the companies respected and admired one another, the merger was such an easy decision and it makes it even more successful than some mergers.

Now that the two law firms have merged together, they believe they will be able to meet their clients needs even further than they were able to before. Employees for both companies will continuously provide support for one another in hopes of continuing success and helping clients.

Kennedys Merges with Portugese Partner

joshua — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 17:44:10 +0000

After six years as an associate firm, Almeida & Athayde has merged with London based Kennedys and is now the firm’s 8th office outside of the UK. Kennedys opened its first US based office in Miami last September. According to the firm, this move is part of a global drive to become a leader in insurance/reinsurance law and reflects the growing importance of the Iberian peninsula for targeting the Portugese speaking countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

In addition to Miami and Portugal, Kennedy’s has nine offices in the U.K and international offices in Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates.

Weekend Review

joshua — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 15:59:18 +0000

Good morning everyone! Today is Monday, January 31, and here’s a quick look back at the end of last week…

Greenberg Traurig terminated a partner caught up in an SEC proceeding…

Kaye Scholer added a partner from Reed Smith…

Patton Boggs increased revenues and profits in 2010…

and DLA Piper is getting set to merge with its Australian partner, DLA Phillips Fox…

Lawyer Malpractice Upticks due to Bad Economy- Industry Analysts

marvins — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 17:07:14 +0000

The law industry is one of the sectors that have been adversely affected by the recent economic downturn. Various US law firms have been under major business restructuring plans recently that include downsizing, lay offs, mergers, altering specialties in order to compete for new business and other cost cutting measures, all under the goal of survival. According to industry analysts, these changes can lead to increase in law firms malpractice claims.

Michele Wade, Executive VP of Lockton Cos., pointed out that trimming down employees and expenses may trigger lawyers to commit malpractice. “It leads to possibly having the same number of clients and a lot less number of people to help them. It also leads to a lot of law firms hiring independent contractors rather than full time lawyers. That often can lead to problems for law firms.” Wade also mentioned that the lawsuits against firms arising out of unpaid client fees can foster malpractices. “In this economy law firms are not getting paid. Their collections are way down and they tend to want to sue their clients for fees more aggressively than in a good economy. Suits for fees draw counterclaims and that brings professional liability claims. We didn’t like the way you did and we can’t pay you.’ It’s a vicious cycle.”

Kelley Heide Martin, senior claims specialist in the technical resource center of Scottsdale Insurance Co., added that the economic recession today pushes other malpractices. “The bad economy has led to inexperienced attorneys handling areas of law that they may not know well. That leads to additional errors and admissions claims.” Martin also noted that another potential E&O concern involves the use of social media and how its use might invite exposures. “It’s just not a good idea. It’s definitely an ethical violation. There needs to be some type of oversight by the firm or the attorney themselves. Talk about what you do in your own time. If you’re in mediation, and you say, ‘hey, they offered me X amount of money. I’m not going to take it because I’m going to get five times that,’ you’ve just blown through about five different ethical rules. That’s going to lead you to a malpractice claim.”

Morning Roundup

joshua — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 18:17:11 +0000

Good morning! Today is Wednesday, December 1, and here’s a quick look back at yesterday’s news.

Miller Thomson is reportedly in merger talks…

It was another rough year for Pennsylvania law firms…

Not everyone is happy with the Hammonds and Squire Dempsey merger…

and Jones Day is opening a new office in Boston…

Simpson Thacher Practice Head Moving On

joshua — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 15:01:53 +0000

John G. Finley, head of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett’s global mergers and acquisitions team, is leaving the law firm to become chief legal officer of The Blackstone Group effective Sept. 1.

According to Simpson Thacher’s Web site, Finley has recently advised on the Lehman Brothers’ sale of its North American investment banking and capital markets businesses to Barclays Capital and he represented outside directors of Anheuser-Busch in connections with its combination with InBev in 2008.

Stephen Schwarzman, Blackstone’s chairman and CEO, called Finley “one of the most outstanding corporate lawyers of his generation.”

Blackstone is one of the world’s leading investment and advisory firms. Its financial advisory services includes mergers and acquisitions, restructuring and reorganization and fund placement.

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett is one of New York City’s oldest law firms and has more than 800 lawyers.

Law Firm Mergers Ramp Up in Second Quarter

joshua — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 21:46:59 +0000

Law firm merger activity picked up during the second quarter of 2010, with a total of ten completed mergers involving U.S.-based law firms, according to Hildebrandt Baker Robbins, leading consultants to the legal industry.

That marks a rise in activity from the four completed mergers in the first quarter of 2010, and the nine completed mergers in the second quarter of 2009. Two additional mergers have been announced which are slated to be completed during the third quarter of 2010.

Despite the pickup in activity in the second quarter, merger activity year-to-date still lags that of 2009 by a wide margin with 14 mergers in the first half of 2010 compared with 42 in the first half of 2009.

Lisa Smith, head of Hildebrandt Baker Robbins’ Law Firm Strategy and Merger practices, said, “As we predicted, merger activity is back on track after three very quiet quarters. We are seeing significant interest in combinations, including a dramatic increase in interest in cross-border transactions. We expect the second half of the year to continue to show increased merger activity.”

The largest merger involving at least one U.S. firm in the second quarter of 2010 was the cross-border merger between Hogan & Hartson and the U.K.’s Lovells. This trans-Atlantic combination is the second largest merger completed since Hildebrandt Baker Robbins began tracking law firm mergers, the largest being the 2005 merger between London’s DLA and Chicago’s Piper Rudnick Gray Cary.

The next-largest pairings in the second quarter were New Jersey law firm McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter and Connecticut-based Pepe & Hazard, and New Orleans’ Jones, Walker, Waechter, Poitevent, Carrere & Denegre with Birmingham’s Walston Wells & Birchall.

The average size of the smaller firm in second-quarter U.S. mergers was 164 attorneys, compared with the average size of 14 in the second quarter of 2009. The high average figure for the quarter was driven by the Hogan-Lovells merger, with both firms having well over a thousand attorneys each. Three of the mergers involved an acquisition of more than 20 lawyers.

Globally, nine mergers were completed in the second quarter of 2010 involving at least one non-U.S.-based law firm. The largest of these was again the Hogan-Lovells merger. Other large international mergers during the quarter included the pairing of offshore law firms Mourant du Feu & Jeune and Ozannes, and the merger of Spanish law firms Vialegis and Dutilh Abogados. There was one intra-Canadian merger: Atlantic Canada’s Cox & Palmer with Halifax firm Goldberg Thompson.

Six international mergers are currently scheduled to be completed during the third quarter of 2010, including the cross-border pairing of Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP with U.K. firm Denton Wilde Sapte to create SNR Denton.

Altman Weil Foresees Increase in Law Firm Mergers

joshua — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 18:33:21 +0000

While law firm mergers continued at a below-average pace in the first quarter of 2010, a principal at Altman Weil said he expects law firm mergers to increase significantly later this year as firms recover from the recent tough economic times.

Tom Clay of legal consulting firm Altman Weil told the Philadelphia Business Journal he anticipates there to be a “ramp-up” period followed by a significant increase in law firm mergers.

“Although we’re seeing a lot more interest in mergers and acquisitions behind the scenes this year, it will take some time for law firms to shift gears from the internal crisis management focus of 2009 back to an outwardly facing, strategic stance,” Clay told Business Journal. “There will be a ramp-up period in the next few quarters before we see the pace of deal-making increase significantly.”

So far in 2010 there have been just eight law firm mergers, according to Altman Weil’s MergerLine Web site. The Business Journal points out all the mergers included the acquisition of firms with fewer than 50 lawyers and five had fewer than 10 lawyers.

Altman Weil told the Business Journal there were 53 law firm mergers last year, which was a 24 percent decline from 2008.

Morning Roundup

joshua — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 10:53:27 +0000

Good morning everyone! Today is Wednesday, March 24, and here’s a look back at yesterday’s news…

Simpson Thatcher is facing allegations of cover up related to its representation of PrediWave…

Days before the Hogan Lovells merger finalizes, 18 partners in Germany have left to form a new firm…

CSH partner Frank Albetta is moving to Raleigh as part of a firm wide effort to broaden its scope in North Carolina…

In Canada, Blakes has been named among Canada’s best diversity employers for the third time…

A former DLA Piper partner has been convicted of fraud in Singapore…

Baker Hostetler has been retained as outside counselby several state AG’s in their efforts to overturn the sweeping health care reform bill…

and Pepe & Hazard is merging with MDM&C…

Pepe & Hazard Merging with McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter

joshua — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 13:09:41 +0000

Founded in 1983, Hartford based Pepe & Hazard announced it will merge with McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter, New Jersey’s third-largest law firm. The merger will create a firm with nearly 300 lawyers in 9 offices from Boston to Philadephia.

The merger is expected to go into effect by the second quarter of 2010. The new firm will operate under the name McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter, LLP (MDM&C).

According to the March 23 Hartford Courant article, Alfred A. Turco, Pepe & Hazard’s managing partner was quoted as saying: “Like it or not in today’s day and age you need more practitioners to deliver the expertise expected by larger clients. Mid-size firms like ours need to grow to serve those clients.”

In the press release at Pepe & Hazard’s website, Managing Partner Alfred A. Turco was quoted as saying: “Pepe & Hazard had been searching for a way to expand its legal offerings, while remaining true to its roots. MDM&C is a firm that shares our ideals, practice standards, culture and ethics. It is a tremendous opportunity for everyone.”

In the same press release, MDM&C Managing Partner Edward B. Deutsch agreed, saying “with this move we create a broader and deeper bench of legal talent especially in litigation, construction, surety, corporate and financial practice areas. This is a solid pairing for both firms and our clients will be the beneficiaries.”

Pepe & Hazard is a regional firm operating out of four offices in Boston, Massachusetts and Hartford, Fairfield and Waterbury, Connecticut. The firm’s primary areas of practice are business and finance, construction and general litigation.

Currently the third largest law firm with headquarters in New Jersey, McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter, LLP has more than 240 attorneys offering a wide range of practice areas, including insurance, construction and commercial litigation.

Morning Roundup

joshua — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 12:20:47 +0000

Good morning! It’s Friday, January 8, and here’s a peek back at yesterday’s stories…

Two firmsin the Carolinas have merged…

California Governor Schwarzenegger has appointed three attorneys to state posts…

There are conflicting reports on the pace of law firm mergers in 2009…

Sedgwick picked up seven attorneys in California…

Jaffe Associates is now known as Jaffe PR…

Moore & Van Allen hired the former mayor of Charlotte…

Controversy is swirling around the legal protections offered to the Christmas bomber…

And some first years at Pillsbury are getting hit with a salary cut…

And Speaking of Mergers…

joshua — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 20:24:07 +0000

There’s a new merger taking place in the Carolinas as South Carolina’s Rogers Townsend & Thomas has merged with North Carolina’s Kellam & Pettit. The combined firm will operate as Rogers Townsend & Thomas. In a press release, Chairman Sam Waters said “The merger assures a strong presence throught the Carolinas. Kellam & Pettit is a perfect fit for us because of our complementary practice areas, and the merger fulfills our goal of providing additional resources and professional services for our clients on a more regional basis.

Rogers Townsend & Thomas has offices in Columbia, Charlotte and the US Virgin Islands.

More on Law Firm Mergers

joshua — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 20:13:49 +0000

Yesterday we reported that law firm mergers were down 24% last year. That’s according to a report from Altman Weil. That’s only half the story, however. According to Hildebrandt Baker Robbins, mergers were up slightly last year.

The discrepancy is caused by the way the two firms calculate the numbers. Altman Weil calculates mergers when they are announced, while Hildebrandt, which just completed its own merger as of January 1, counts them upon their completion. So, taking the Hogan Lovells merger as an example, Altman Weil calculated it into the mix for 2009 while Hildebrandt won’t count it until this year’s report.

A more accurate way to relay the information would be to say that the number of announced mergers was down in 2009, while the number of completed mergers was up.

Morning Roundup

joshua — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 13:30:14 +0000

Good morning everyone! Today is Thursday, January 7. Here’s a look back at yesterday’s news.

Rose Walker has two new attorneys…

The prop 8 trial in California will be broadcast via youtube….

Gibson Dunn received an award for best litigation firm…

Archer & Greiner picked up a former D.A.…

More law firm mergers are expected this year after a slow 2009….

The 9th Circuit has overturned a felon disenfranchisement law in Washington…

Rogers & Hardin promoted a new partner…

and Irell & Manella associates are receiving above market bonuses…

More Mergers Expected After Slow ’09

joshua — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 18:48:03 +0000

Law firm mergers are expected to rise in 2010 after falling by 24 percent in 2009.

There were 53 mergers last year that involved law firms with 20 or fewer employees, according to a report by Altman Weil MergerLine. The report said law firms’ “cautious approach” in 2009 came as a direct result of the ailing economy.

“Most firms spent 2009 focused on internal issues of cost cutting, layoffs, and compensation adjustments in response to the Great Recession,” Altman Weil consultant Ward Bower said in a statement. “We expect to see an uptick in 2010 as deals currently on hold pending 2009 year-end results are finalized.”

London-based Lovells LLP and Washington-based Hogan & Harston LLP provided the biggest merger of 2009 with regards to number of lawyers involved. The two organizations have a combined 2,532 lawyers, according to the study. The firms’ partners voted to approve the merger last month. The new firm will be known as Hogan Lovells starting May 1.

Hogan & Hartson and Lovells to Become Hogan Lovells

joshua — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:50:03 +0000

Merger talks are still underway between US firm Hogan & Hartson and the UK’s Lovells, but one importnat hurdle has now been cleared. The partners of both firms have agreed on a name. If the merger goes through, the firm will be known as Hogan Lovells, leaving Nelson Hartson out in the cold. Hartson and Hogan met in Los Angeles in the ’20′s and by 1938 Hartson was a named partner in the firm.

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I was secretly hoping for Hogan Lovells Hartson.

Crowell & Moring Pick up Half of Folger Levin & Kahn in San Francisco

joshua — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:58:08 +0000

Last weekwe told you that Crowell & Moring were being hush hush about rumors the firm was prepared to merge with Folger Levin & Kahn. It turns out it wasn’t quite a merger. 29 of the 56 lawyers at Folger’s San Francisco office have signed on with Crowell & Moring, including name partner Michael Kahn, and have expanded the west coast presence for their new firm. The remaining attorneys are forming a new Folger Levin. Most of the firm’s LA lawyers are dispersing to other firms, but four of them are joining Crowell & Moring’s existing LA office.

Crowell & Moring is headquartered in Washington DC, with offices in Irvine, New York City, Los Angeles, London, Brussels, and now San Francisco.

Crowell & Moring – No Comment on Merger Rumors

joshua — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 23:09:14 +0000

Is Crowell & Moring in negotiations to merge with Folger Levin & Kahn? That’s the buzz, but the firm’s response has been noncommittal. Folger, which is based out of San Francisco and has an additional office in Los Angeles, has several overlapping practice groups and is in keeping with Crowell’s strategy for long term growth, which includesseeking opportunities to acquire smaller firms. With 56 attorneys and a client list including Citibank, Johnson & Johnson, and Hilton Hotels, Folger would appear to fit the bill nicely.

Hogan & Hartson in Merger Talks with Lovells

joshua — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:51:42 +0000

Hogan & Hartson has begun negotiating a merger with UK firm Lovells. Talks are still in the early stages and obviously when two firms of this size merge, there are a large number of issues to discuss. In particular, US and UK firms use very different account methods and different partnership distribution schemes, which will have to be reconciled before a merger can go forward.

Founded in 1904, Hogan & Hartson is the oldest major law firm headquartered in Washington, DC. It is a global firm with more than 1,100 lawyers in 27 offices worldwide, including offices in North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

Lovells is an international law firm with over 300 partners and around 3,200 employees operating from 26 offices in Europe, Asia and the United States. It is one of the largest international legal business practices in the world.

Morning Roundup

joshua — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:15:48 +0000

Good morning everyone. Before we jump into the Monday grind, here’s a quick look back at Friday’s news…

Katten moved up the start dates for some of its incoming associates…

Altman Weil says 3rd quarter law firm mergers are up…

David Shapiro, founding partner of Dickstein Shapiro, has passed away…

Wildman Harrold has rescinded offers to some of its incoming associates…

and Cooley Godward has let some staffers go…

Law Firm Mergers are up in Third Quarter

joshua — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 21:14:14 +0000

According to a new report from Altman Weil 13 US law firms announced mergers in the third quarter. Although still sluggish compared to the 25 announced mergers in the first quarter, it’s a nice bump from the second quarter when only seven merger announcements were made.

Altman Weil is a legal management consultation company with over thirty years in business. It offers a broad range of services to law firms, corporate legal departments, governmental agencies and other legal service providers.

Canadian Firm Fasken Martineau Opens Paris Office and adds Four from Dewey

joshua — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:46:08 +0000

Fasken Martineau has merged with the small Parisian firm of Gravel, Leclerc & Partners to set up their first office in France. This move gives Fasken the largest footprint of any Canadian firm in Europe. In addition to the attorneys gained in the merger, four attorneys from Dewey & LeBoeuf’s Paris office have signed on with Fasken.

Fasken Martineau is an international firm with over 650 attorneys and nine offices. In addition to six offices in Canada, Fasken has offices in London, Johannesburg, and now – Paris.

Merger News from the UK

joshua — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 23:03:47 +0000

UK firms Halliwells and Manches are confirmed to have begun merger discussions a few months ago. Partners from both firms haveconfirmed the talks, which have now entered the due diligence phase. No formal firm wide announcements have yet been made and no final decisions have yet been made.

The two firms have a combined total of over 500 attorneys. Halliwells is the larger of the two with around 350 lawyers in four UK cities.

Marks & Clerk Closing Liverpool Office and Laying off 60

joshua — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 17:03:41 +0000

marks &clerk

It’s been a rough week in the UK. First Eversheds, and now Marks & Clerk who confirmed that they are merging their Liverpool office into the Manchester office and reducing the size of their Leicester office. As part of the reduction, Marks & Clerk is letting go of nine fee earners and 51 staff.

Marks & Clerk is a patent and trademark firm with offices around the globe. The closure of the Liverpool office will bring them down to 11 offices in the UK and 8 in other countries.

No Merger for Ice Miller and Greenbaum Doll

joshua — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 19:50:05 +0000

At the end of last year, Indianapolis firm Ice Miller began negotiating a merger with Greenbaum, Doll & McDonald. The merger was expected to take place by the end of 2009, but now unnamed sources at Greenbaum say the deal is off. Concern over increased rates for clients already scaling back their business in a week economy may be the deal breaker.

Ice Miller was founded in Indianappolis in 1910, and today has over 250 attorneys in 4 offices. In 2007, Working Mother magazine called it one of the 50 best law firms for working mothers.

Greenbaum Doll is a young firm with offices in Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee. Core areas of practice include dispute resolution and commercial litigation.

Dinsmore & Shohl Merges with Woodward Hobson & Fulton

Erik Even — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 19:28:48 +0000

Cincinnati’s Dinsmore & Shohl and Louisville’s Woodward, Hobson & Fulton have merged, and will operate as Dinsmore & Shohl starting in September.

Founded in 1917, Woodward is a large corporate, litigation and labor & employment law practice with 54 practicing attorneys.

Dinsmore & Shohl, established in 1908, is now one of the largest law firms in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, with 450 attorneys. It has offices in Lexington, Louisville and Frankfort, Kentucky; Cincinnati, Columbus and Dayton, Ohio; Charleston, Morgantown and Wheeling, West Virginia; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Kepple Morgan Merges with Cole-Chu & Cipparone

Erik Even — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 20:10:56 +0000

Stonington, Connecticut’s Kepple Morgan & Avena has merged with New London’s Cole-Chu & Cipparone, creating the most unwieldy law firm name ever: Kepple, Cole-Chu, Cipparone, Avena & Zaccaro.

Nick Kepple and Robert Avena will bring their experience in municipal law, real estate development, business law, personal injury law, and criminal law.

The other three principals, Leeland Cole-Chu, Joseph Cipparone and John Zaccaro Jr., will contribute their expertise in trial work, commercial and residential real estate, business law, construction litigation, collections work, estate planning, probate and elder law.

The new firm will retain the offices in Stonington and New London.

Bingham McCutchen + McKee Nelson Merger Complete

Erik Even — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 17:09:36 +0000

We reported last month that Bingham McCutchen would merge with McKee Nelson, and operate under the Bingham McCutchen name.

This week, the merger was completed. The deal has added 120 McKee lawyers to Bingham’s Washington DC and New York offices. The combined firm now employs 1,100 lawyers nationally.

Former McKee CEO Reed Auerbach is now on Bingham’s management committee. McKee’s name partners, William McKee and William Nelson, now co-chair Bingham’s tax practice group.

Bingham McCutchen LLP is an international law firm with approximately 1,100 attorneys in 11 US offices and three international offices. It represents clients in corporate litigation, cross-border restructurings and insolvencies, financing and securities, government affairs and a wide variety of corporate and technology transactions.

Bradley Arant Cuts 35 Staff

Erik Even — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 17:53:18 +0000

Birmingham, Alabama’s Bradley Arant has laid off 35 staff. Attorneys were not affected.

The firm is also eliminating duplicate positions created by its recent merger with Nashville’s Boult Cummings Conners & Berry.

Those laid off will get outplacement support.

Tracing its roots to 1871, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP has more than 350 attorneys in seven offices, and is the largest law firm headquartered in Alabama and one of the largest in the South.

Bromberg & Sunstein Partners Leave Over Merger Decision

Erik Even — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:23:12 +0000

A co-founder and a partner at Boston’s Bromberg & Sunstein have left over the firm’s decision not to merge with a larger firm.

Co-founder Lee C. Bromberg and partner Erik P. Belt resigned from the firm this week; they were the only two of 18 partners to vote for joining and unnamed, larger firm.

Bromberg is one of three lawyers who co-founded the firm in 1979. The IP boutique will now be called Sunstein Kann Murphy & Timbers.

Boston, Massachusetts’ Sunstein Kann Murphy & Timbers represents clients in a range of industries, including financial services, pharmaceutical, computer, semiconductor, electronics and consumer products. It employs 32 lawyers.

Tully Rinckey Merges with Fletcher Law

Erik Even — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 18:29:43 +0000

Albany, New York’s Tully Rinckey has merged with the Fletcher Law Firm of Saratoga Springs. The new firm will be called Tully Rinckey.

Fletcher Law’s Elizabeth Fairbanks-Fletcher joins as a senior associate, along with associate Meghan Marinello.

The united firm has 26 attorneys and revenue of about $7.5 million. The acquisition of Fletcher expands Tully Rinckey’s bankruptcy, consumer credit issues and tax debt relief practice.

Founded in 2001, Tully Rinckey’ has offices in Albany and Saratoga Springs, New York, and Washington DC.

Shumaker Loop Brings on 69 from Defunct Abel Band

Erik Even — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:34:34 +0000

Ohio’s Shumaker Loop & Kendrick is launching a Sarasota, Florida office in August. The new location will be staffed by 29 attorneys and 40 staff members from Sarasota’s now-defunct Abel Band.

Abel Band was one of Southwest Florida’s premier law firms. Earlier this year, Abel Band partner David Band left the firm over disagreements with other partners and troubled real estate deals.

Shumaker Loop also employs 60 attorneys at its Tampa outpost.

Headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, Shumaker Loop & Kendrick employs 215 attorneys across offices in Columbus, Ohio, Tampa and Sarasota, Florida, and Charlotte, North Carolina. It was founded in 1925.

Bingham McCutchen to Merge with McKee Nelson

Erik Even — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:20:09 +0000

Bingham McCutchen will merge with McKee Nelson on August 1st, operating under the Bingham McCutchen name.

The new firm will have over $900 million in expected combined revenue, and more than 1,100 lawyers. McKee’s co-chief executive partner, Reed Auerbach, will serve on Bingham’s 12-person management committee.

McKee Nelson has offices in New York City and Washington DC. It employs 120 lawyers.

Bingham McCutchen LLP is an international law firm with approximately 1,000 attorneys in 11 US offices and three international offices. It represents clients in corporate litigation, cross-border restructurings and insolvencies, financing and securities, government affairs and a wide variety of corporate and technology transactions.