Akerman Chairman Confirms Merger Plans, But Offers No Specifics
Akerman Senterfitt’s planned merger with WolfBlock may have unraveled in September, but the Florida-based law firm hasn’t given up on all suitors.
In an interview with the National Law Journal, Akerman chairman Andrew Smulian answered “yes” when asked if the firm has plans for other mergers. “A lot of people followed that deal and we’ve been noticed,” he said. “We talk to a lot of people all the time, in a consolidating industry. But there is nothing that I can get into specifically at this time.”
He was similarly closed-mouthed when asked about reports that three lawyers and five support staff were laid off in the firm’s Miami office. “I’m not going to get into any specifics about our employees,” he told the legal newspaper. He went on to say that the firm has a number of strong practice areas. “We don’t have debt and we’re well positioned to weather an economic downturn,” he said.
The report of layoffs comes even as Smulian is seeking to expand the law firm, now the 92nd largest in the nation. “We want to amplify and round out some of our key practice areas to provide greater support to our clients,” he told the NLJ. Five years from now, Smulian said, he would like to see Akerman become one of the top 50.
