Update: No Cozen Deal Before Wolf Block Dissolved

Last week we reported that Cozen O’Connor was picking up about 30 attorneys from the now-defunct Wolf Block.

But it seems that rumors spread throughout Wolf Block that the deal between Cozen and the Wolf Block attorneys was made before the vote top dissolve. The message many Wolf Block lawyers thought they heard was “we’re merging with another firm, but you can’t come along.”

Wolf Block was in merger talks with Cozen O’Connor in late 2006, early 2007

But the leaders of both firms have now publicly denied there was a deal in place — in fact they say there was an agreement by Cozen O’Connor not to poach any attorneys before a dissolution vote.

Both Cozen O’Connor President Thomas A. “Tad” Decker and Wolf Block Chairman Mark Alderman, who is part of the group joining Cozen O’Connor, adamantly deny that any deal was in place prior to the dissolution vote.