Clark Hill Combines with Morris Polich
07/10/17
Clark Hill Combines with Morris Polich
Summary: Detroit-based Clark Hill is combining forces with Morris Polich & Purdy by acquiring the Los-Angeles-based firm.
Clark Hill PLC announced their acquisition of Morris Polich & Purdy LLP, based out of Los Angeles. The addition brings around 100 lawyers to their team, making Clark Hill one of the largest firms in Michigan. The only firm larger than them in Michigan is the Grand Rapids-based Barnes & Thornburg LLP with 493 attorneys.
The new firm will operate under the name Clark Hill, effective July 17. With the combination, the firm will have around 450 lawyers, adding offices in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, and Las Vegas to their other 12 offices in nine states and Washington D.C. They are now larger than other firms with Detroit offices such as Dickinson Wright PLLC and Dykema Gossett PLLC.
The added revenue with the combination adds to Clark Hills’ $150.5 million reported last year, placing the firm in the top 200 law firms according to The American Lawyer. Clark Hill CEO John Hern Jr. declared to The American Lawyer that the combined revenue would have been at $185 million last year.
In an interview with Crain’s, Hern explained that the firm knew they needed better representation in California since the state has such strict rules regarding out-of-state representation. He said, “We had a local client move to San Francisco and they wanted their lawyer close. We didn’t want to lose that client and we anticipated more clients would require us to have boots on the ground in that market, so we felt it made sense to find a partner.”
The acquisition by Clark Hill is just the latest in a year filled with mergers and acquisitions by major law firms. Mergers have become a growing trend for law firms for the reason of sharing resources across greater areas. There have been 52 mergers reported so far this year, according to Altman Weil Inc.
Clark Hill Combines with Morris Polich
Summary: Detroit-based Clark Hill is combining forces with Morris Polich & Purdy by acquiring the Los-Angeles-based firm.
Clark Hill PLC announced their acquisition of Morris Polich & Purdy LLP, based out of Los Angeles. The addition brings around 100 lawyers to their team, making Clark Hill one of the largest firms in Michigan. The only firm larger than them in Michigan is the Grand Rapids-based Barnes & Thornburg LLP with 493 attorneys.
The new firm will operate under the name Clark Hill, effective July 17. With the combination, the firm will have around 450 lawyers, adding offices in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, and Las Vegas to their other 12 offices in nine states and Washington D.C. They are now larger than other firms with Detroit offices such as Dickinson Wright PLLC and Dykema Gossett PLLC.
The added revenue with the combination adds to Clark Hills’ $150.5 million reported last year, placing the firm in the top 200 law firms according to The American Lawyer. Clark Hill CEO John Hern Jr. declared to The American Lawyer that the combined revenue would have been at $185 million last year.
In an interview with Crain’s, Hern explained that the firm knew they needed better representation in California since the state has such strict rules regarding out-of-state representation. He said, “We had a local client move to San Francisco and they wanted their lawyer close. We didn’t want to lose that client and we anticipated more clients would require us to have boots on the ground in that market, so we felt it made sense to find a partner.”
The acquisition by Clark Hill is just the latest in a year filled with mergers and acquisitions by major law firms. Mergers have become a growing trend for law firms for the reason of sharing resources across greater areas. There have been 52 mergers reported so far this year, according to Altman Weil Inc.
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