Mergers & Acquisitions

Financial Issues May Be Holding Up WolfBlock-Akerman Merger

Financial issues are the real reason for a delay in the merger of the law firms WolfBlock and Akerman Senterfitt, according to anonymous sources who spoke to the National Law Journal. Previous stories had identified a conflict as the reason for the holdup. That’s the party line, said one source…

Aug 18, 2008 12:46 PM CDT

Morgan Lewis No. 1 in Survey of Litigation Firms Used by Fortune 100

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius came out on top in a Corporate Counsel survey of law firms most often used in Fortune 100 litigation last year. Helping propel Morgan Lewis into the top spot was employment and labor work, making up half of the matters the firm worked on and captured…

Aug 18, 2008 11:01 AM CDT

Client Conflict Snags Akerman-WolfBlock Merger

An undisclosed client conflict is delaying the proposed marriage of the mid-Atlantic’s WolfBlock to Florida’s Akerman Senterfitt. The firms, which combined would be 800 lawyers strong, released a joint statement this week confirming merger talks, but noting that a client conflict needs to be hammered out. “While it continues to…

Aug 8, 2008 10:44 AM CDT

WolfBlock & Akerman Senterfitt to Form 800-Lawyer Firm

It’s still not official. But Philadelphia-based WolfBlock and Miami’s Akerman Senterfitt are reportedly about to merge, creating an 800-plus attorney firm. “The executive committees of both firms have signed off on the deal, and votes by partners at WolfBlock and Akerman are expected shortly,” reports the Philadelphia Inquirer. The planned…

Jul 21, 2008 3:48 PM CDT

White & Case Partners Jump Ship in New York & Germany

A five-lawyer group of capital markets practitioners in Düsseldorf, Germany, is moving from White & Case’s office there to DLA Piper’s as of Aug. 1. It is headed by partners Andreas Meyer-Landrut and Kerstin Schnabel, and also includes associates Uta Carpier, Meike Dresler-Lenz and Cornelia Wendel, reports Legal Week. Meanwhile,…

Jul 9, 2008 7:09 PM CDT

6 Schwartz Cooper Refugees Pass Up Dykema, Choose Ungaretti

Not everyone at the soon-to-be shuttered Schwartz Cooper believes that bigger is better. Indeed, a group of six from the firm’s intellectual property law group have decided to shift to Chicago’s venerable Ungaretti & Harris rather than join their colleagues going to Detroit-based Dykema. “A merger was not what we…

Jul 8, 2008 4:52 PM CDT

Big Drop in Deals at UK Magic Circle Firms

There has been a massive decrease in deals being handled by London’s elite magic circle law firms this year compared to the first half of 2007, but at least some of the missing work is being made up in other areas. The total value of announced mergers and acquisitions being…

Jul 8, 2008 4:17 PM CDT

Altman Weil: Sharp Rise in Law Firm Mergers

Despite a troubled economy, many law firms are continuing to pursue a “growth strategy,” new M&A data reveals. The number of law firm mergers is up so far this quarter, with 26 new law firm mergers and acquisitions reported in the past three months. There were 18 such mergers and…

Jul 8, 2008 2:15 PM CDT

Are Heller Ehrman and Baker & McKenzie Discussing a Merger?

A spokesman for Heller Ehrman is sidestepping questions about whether the law firm has held merger talks with Baker & McKenzie. Director of communications Patrick Bustamante told the Recorder that 600-lawyer Heller Ehrman “is not considering” a merger with 3,300-lawyer Baker & McKenzie. When pressed later, he did not talk…

Jun 30, 2008 10:54 AM CDT

Kilpatrick Stockton Merges with 22-Lawyer D.C. Firm

Kilpatrick Stockton is merging with a 22-lawyer Washington, D.C., firm known for its work with financial institutions. Paul Aguggia, the chairman of the smaller firm, Muldoon Murphy & Aguggia, will head Kilpatrick’s financial institutions team in Washington, D.C., according to a press release (PDF). The combined firm would be ranked…

May 12, 2008 1:11 PM CDT

Skadden Helps Yahoo Buy Time With Legal Maneuver

Lawyers at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom advising Yahoo used an unusual legal maneuver to give the company’s board more time to consider its response to Microsoft’s takeover bid. Yahoo board members contended the company’s stock was worth $37 a share, but Microsoft was willing to offer only $33,…

May 6, 2008 10:49 AM CDT

Yahoo Director’s Honeymoon to Delay Deposition in Pension Fund Suit

Delaware Chancellor William Chandler III says he is “a bit mystified” why a Yahoo director can’t find time for a deposition before he begins a delayed honeymoon on May 4, but the judge has refused to order the official to appear for the proceeding. Director Arthur Kern says he’ll be…

Apr 30, 2008 12:45 PM CDT

Simpson Thacher and Skadden Arps Handle Mars-Wrigley Deal

Two powerhouse law firms are handling details of candy maker Mars Inc.’s $23 billion buyout of the Wrigley chewing gum company. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett handled the negotiations for Mars, the AmLaw Daily blog reports. Wrigley is represented by Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. The Wall Street Journal reports…

Apr 29, 2008 1:39 PM CDT

To Delete or Not to Delete? Not Doing So Puts Deal Lawyer on Hot Seat

In Peter Ehrenberg’s 34-year legal career, testifying in December in a Georgetown, Del., courtroom was clearly a low point for the Lowenstein Sandler partner. Like other M&A lawyers, he had found the second half of 2007 a difficult time to try to close deals. But Ehrenberg got particularly unlucky. Contested…

Apr 25, 2008 8:17 PM CDT

Drinker Biddle Revenue Up, Partner Profits Down

At nearly 160 years old, Drinker Biddle & Reath is as healthy as ever, with soaring revenues thanks to a merger with Chicago’s Gardner Carton & Douglas. The Legal Intelligencer reports that after the merger, both the firm’s revenue and headcount grew by more than 40 percent. Leadership also organized…

Apr 24, 2008 10:25 AM CDT