Locke Lord Pursues Partners of Dwindling Morgan & Finnegan IP Boutique
Most of the remaining lawyers in a New York intellectual property boutique that has been dwindling for the past two years are at least thinking about joining Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell.
On Friday, Locke Lord extended offers to “the bulk” of the partnership at Morgan & Finnegan, reports the American Lawyer, relying on documents obtained by Above the Law. The IP boutique presently lists 17 partners on its website, down from 31 as recently as 2007.
“The departures likely spell the end for the boutique, which was founded in 1896 and represented companies such as IBM, Procter & Gamble, and Bristol-Meyers Squibb,” the legal publication writes. “It was unclear what would happen to the 27 associates and 11 of counsel listed on the firm’s website.”
“As for how the word got out, something rather strange happened on Friday,” reports Above the Law in a post this morning. “An e-mail from an anonymous address was sent to a large number of M&F associates, attaching the Locke Lord offer letters” to two key partners, “but you may have seen them already, since they were in wide circulation over the weekend, sent to us by multiple correspondents.”
A 700-attorney general practice business law firm particularly known for its insurance and energy work, Locke Lord would be strengthening its IP team if the offers are accepted. The firm was formed in 2007 by the merger of Texas-based Locke Liddell & Sapp and Chicago-based Lord Bissell & Brook, as a Texas Lawyer article written that year about the merger announcement details.
A spokeswoman for Locke Lord confirms to American Lawyer that it has made offers to Morgan & Finnegan attorneys; a senior partner for the boutique wasn’t available for comment.
