Four Firms Adding Office Space, Lawyers in Chicago
Breaking away from reports of attorney layoffs, this week we spoke to four law firms taking advantage of the recent spate of law firm mergers and downsizing to hire pools of lateral attorneys—hopefully with big books of clients—and expand niche practices in Chicago.
“There’s two seasons in Chicago: winter and construction,” said Dean Boeschen, director of finance and client development for St. Louis-based Greensfelder Hemker & Gale. Chicago’s robust construction market is one reason the firm recently opened an office in the Windy City. Greensfelder also plans to expand its high-end complex securities and energy litigation practices. The firm signed a short-term lease in January with an option to expand, and Kevin Duckworth, formerly a partner at two large corporate law firms in Chicago, is heading up the new office. “The firm’s goal is to add five attorneys within the calendar year,” Boeschen said.
National law firm Dykema merged with two Chicago firms in the past five years, expanding its presence there to 130 attorneys. The firm said in a press release (PDF) that it recently signed a lease for 40,000 square feet off additional office space, boosting its capacity by 60 percent. “Ideally, we’d like to have between 150 and 200 attorneys in Chicago,” said Tom Hill, managing partner of Dykema’s Chicago office. The firm plans to strategically grow its banking and real estate practices, where attorneys are advising developers and banks on restructuring in the economic downturn.
Quarles & Brady announced last week (PDF) the addition of four new partners to its Chicago office. The firm targeted Chicago for growth because of the city’s strength as a business and money center and robust health care market, said Chairman John Daniels. Quarles & Brady will move into larger digs in late March as part of a plan to centralize the firm’s finance practice and swell its Chicago ranks to more than 100 lawyers in the next two to three years.
Next week, Perkins Coie will begin construction on roughly 20,000 additional square feet at its Chicago office. The new space will eventually house 20 to 25 new attorneys, plus support staff, as part a strategic plan to broaden the firm’s national footprint, according to Chris Wilson, managing partner of Perkins Coie’s Chicago office. Wilson said the firm will target lateral hires in patent litigation, bankruptcy and insolvency, and environmental practices.
