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Law Firm merger

  • March 8, 2017 | People
    Freeborn & Peters LLP and Hargraves, McConnell & Costigan P.C. announce combination

    Freeborn & Peters LLP reports that it has combined with the New York City firm of Hargraves, McConnell & Costigan P.C. The move establishes Freeborn’s first office in New York and represents a further geographic expansion for the Chicago-headquartered Freeborn, which last year combined with the Richmond, Va.-based Brenner, Evans & Millman P.C. 

    "The combination with Hargraves, McConnell & Costigan P.C. advances Freeborn’s strategy of geographically expanding its strongest practice areas...through Hargraves’ strong reputation in the insurance and reinsurance industries in litigating and arbitrating disputes arising out of both domestic and international contracts," according to a Freeborn press release. 

    The combination was complete on March 1, 2017, and gives Freeborn four offices: Chicago; Springfield, Ill.; Richmond, Va.; and New York. 

  • November 23, 2015 | People
    Hodge Dwyer & Driver merges with HeplerBroom

    Illinois and Missouri litigation firm, HeplerBroom, will be joined by the Springfield-based environmental attorneys of Hodge Dwyer & Driver on January 1, 2016, as the firm expands its Springfield office. Together with its 120 attorneys situated in key jurisdictions, HeplerBroom can now add environmental legal representation to the broad services currently provided to a wide variety of clients across many industries in the Midwest.

    “We grow in response to client demands for more diverse services. We’ve worked well with the firm in the past. Hodge Dwyer & Driver’s environmental regulatory and litigation skills are a natural fit as we diversify our offerings,” said Larry Hepler of HeplerBroom. “The firm brings extensive regulatory talent to bear for our clients who have operations in Illinois and Missouri or companies who are considering expanding into these states.”

    Businesses are faced with the challenge of complying with extensive and complicated national, state and local environmental regulations. With the addition of Hodge Dwyer & Driver, HeplerBroom can now be in close touch with regulators in Springfield and Chicago. If disputes in any part of Illinois cannot be resolved at the agency level and litigation results, Hodge Dwyer & Driver now finds increased depth with the entire HeplerBroom litigation team.

  • April 23, 2015 | Practice News | People
    Cozen O’Connor and Meckler Bulger Tilson vote to combine

    Cozen O’Connor and Chicago-based Meckler Bulger Tilson (MBT) are pleased to announce their respective partners have agreed to a combination of 60 attorneys from MBT with Cozen O'Connor. Upon completion of the transaction, together with Cozen O'Connor’s existing attorneys in Chicago, the firm will have 60 attorneys in Chicago and 15 attorneys in San Francisco.

  • March 27, 2015 | People
    Lake Forest law firms merge

    The well-regarded Lake Forest law firms of Pasquesi Associates and Lesser, Lutrey, McGlynn & Howe LLP will be merging as of March 30, 2015. Offices will be at 191 East Deerpath Road, Lake Forest.

    With this merger, the eleven-lawyer firm will become among the largest law firms in Lake County that focuses on all things trusts and estates, including trust, estate and guardianship litigation, with licenses to practice in Wisconsin, Michigan, Florida, Massachusetts and by year-end, North Carolina.

    LLMH was formed in 1996, and Pasquesi Associates’ roots date back to 1953.

    “We are thrilled to join with Tom Pasquesi, Amy Goldsmith and Tom Concannon in the practice of trust, estate and guardianship issues and litigation,” said Managing Partner David M. Lutrey. “These well-respected attorneys share in our commitment to excellence and building long-term relationships without our client families and professional associates.”

     “We will continue to provide our clients with high quality trust and estate planning and administration services,” said Pasquesi. “By joining with Lesser Lutrey McGlynn & Howe, we expect to expand our ability to provide related corporate and business transactional services, employment matters and real estate and corporate related litigation.”
    The firm can be reached at 847.295.8800, and at www.llmhlegal.com.

  • September 23, 2014 | People
    Swanson, Martin & Bell, LLP merges with Missouri firm-opens St. Louis and Madison County offices

    Swanson, Martin & Bell, LLP, one of Chicago’s leading trial firms, has merged with longtime St. Louis and Madison County litigation defense firm Kernell Law Firm, P.C.

    The lawyers of the highly regarded Kernell Law Firm have successfully represented insurance companies and private businesses in Asbestos Litigation, Product Liability, Toxic Tort Litigation and Insurance Defense for over 25 years.

    “We believe our new St. Louis and Madison County offices will provide the same excellent service that clients have come to expect from Tom Kernell and his team, while expanding the services we offer our present clients,” said Swanson, Martin & Bell, LLP Managing Partner Timothy G. Nickels. “We
    are very excited about this opportunity.”

    Praise for the professionalism of the recently passed Tom Kernell and his team comes not only from the defense bar. Perry Browder, chairman of the asbestos practice group at Simmons Hanly Conroy LLC, observed, “Tom Kernell was one of the most respected lawyers in the Madison County asbestos arena. He was trusted by judges, defense counsel and plaintiffs’ counsel alike, serving as defense liaison counsel for many years. The attorneys at Swanson, Martin & Bell, LLP are great litigators with whom we’ve worked for many years. I am happy that Tom’s lawyers and staff are joining Swanson, Martin & Bell, LLP to carry on Tom's legacy.”

    Kernell Law Firm attorneys joining Swanson, Martin & Bell, LLP are:

  • September 2, 2014 | Practice News | People
    Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP merges with Los Angeles-based Barger & Wolen LLP

    Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP, a national law firm with 460 lawyers in 22 offices around the country and Barger & Wolen LLP, a California-based law firm with 45 attorneys in six offices, announced today they will join forces. The merger creates one of the largest insurance law practices in the United States with 120 full-time attorneys dedicated to providing legal counsel to companies that shape the insurance and financial services industries.

    The partner votes took place on August 28, 2014, and the merger will become effective on October 1, 2014. The combined firm will keep the name Hinshaw & Culbertson and have over 500 attorneys in 11 states as well as London.