News: In the News
US law firm combos explode
Offit Kurman Featured in The Global Legal Post
October 2, 2019
After a sluggish first half, US law firm mergers and acquisitions exploded in the third quarter of 2019 with 38 new combinations being announced, according to Altman Weil MergerLine.
In every corner
The news was led by a large Midwestern merger which will create a new 600-lawyer law firm and ten cross-border acquisitions by Dentons. “Every corner of the marketplace was on display last quarter,” according to Altman Weil principal and merger advisor Tom Clay. “Big deals, regional plays, AmLaw firms cherry-picking premium boutiques and the meat and potatoes of incremental growth by small firms in local markets.” The largest combination announced in the quarter was the merger of Taft Stettinius, a 474-lawyer Midwestern law firm based in Indianapolis with 135-lawyer Minneapolis firm, Briggs and Morgan. Dentons, the largest law firm in the world, will add about 250 lawyers through ten announced international acquisitions, including five law firms in Africa, three in Latin America and one each in South Korea and New Zealand. Dentons' New Zealand acquisition of 113-lawyer Kensington Swan was the second-largest combination of the quarter.
Market size
Three mid-sized firms entered new geographic markets through significant acquisitions. Los Angeles-based Buchalter added 22-lawyer Ater Wynne in Portland, Oregon. Spencer Fane, headquartered in Kansas City, acquired 19-lawyer Zimmerman Axelrad in the hot Houston market. Middle-Atlantic firm Offit Kurman opened its first office in the Southeastern US with the acquisition of Horack Talley in Charlotte, NC
ABOUT OFFIT KURMAN
Offit Kurman, a full-service AmLaw 200 law firm with offices throughout the East Coast and in Southern California, serves dynamic businesses, individuals and families. Founded in 1987, the firm’s 280+ attorneys counsel clients across more than 30 areas of practice. Offit Kurman helps maximize and protect business value and personal wealth by providing innovative and entrepreneurial counsel that focuses on clients’ business objectives, interests and goals. The firm is distinguished by the quality, breadth and global reach of its legal services and a unique operational structure that encourages a culture of collaboration.
Skip to content