The number of law firm mergers in the first three months of 2024 was 25% higher than in the same time period in 2023. That stepped-up activity is expected to continue through the year. Read more.
Lisa Smith of Fairfax Associates said she anticipates merger activity in 2024 to outpace last year’s numbers. That trend, she said, will continue a three-year upward trajectory for law firm mergers after a dip during the COVID-19 pandemic.
More from the legal industry …
Law firm Croke Fairchild Duarte & Beres hired former top Republican in the Illinois House of Representatives, Jim Durkin, as a partner … A Black lawyer sued legal recruiting firm Major, Lindsey & Africa, alleging it is “blackballing” her … Legal technology company Luminance raised $40 million in a new funding round … Deans from 26 law schools asked the ABA to pull back on a proposal to extend its seal of approval to fully online law schools … A Trump ally filed a complaint about U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton, who criticized Donald Trump’s attacks on the judiciary … And a study found that law student diversity, especially at top schools, shrank after affirmative action bans.
Moves …
In New York …
Orrick added Laura Bagarella, an executive compensation and benefits partner from Cleary Gottlieb … King & Spalding brought on Jennifer Recine, Sarmad Khojasteh and David Kupfer as business litigation partners from Kasowitz Benson … Alston & Bird hired mergers and acquisitions practice partner David Shaw from Fried Frank … Akin picked up real estate partner Avi Feinberg from Fried Frank … Moses & Singer brought back Liberty McAteer as a partner in its IP and AI and data law groups … Akin added Scott Colton as a partner in its special situations and private credit practice from Paul Hastings … Steptoe picked up Alexandra Scheibe as a partner, who was the head of McDermott’s financial technology and blockchain practice.
In Washington, D.C. …
Holland & Hart hired former Trump-era EPA secretary Andrew Wheeler as a partner and head of the firm’s federal affairs team … BakerHostetler added Matthew Wochok as a tax partner from Morris, Manning & Martin … Skadden brought on James Fredricks as an antitrust partner from the DOJ, where he was a chief in a criminal section of the antitrust division … Proskauer added antitrust litigator Mark Rosman as a partner from Wilson Sonsini … Foley & Lardner hired Mark Grundvig as an antitrust partner from the DOJ, where he recently served as assistant chief of a criminal section in the antitrust division.
In Los Angeles …
Boies Schiller added Nili Moghaddam, as a partner who will focus on corporate litigation, white-collar defense and trial matters. She previously was the chief legal officer at property technology company Bungalow … Saul Ewing hired bankruptcy partner Zev Shechtman from Danning Gill Israel & Krasnoff … Polsinelli added healthcare partner Zachary Rothenberg from Nelson Hardiman.
In San Francisco …
Mintz brought on Laura Franco as an IP partner from Winston & Strawn.
In Denver …
Husch Blackwell acquired a four-lawyer team from Lewis Roca.
And more …
Morrison & Foerster hired a team of cybersecurity lawyers from rival firm Goodwin Procter, including a former practice leader.
