UB Greensfelder will be a 275-lawyer firm with nine offices
US firms Ulmer & Berne LLP and Greensfelder Hemker & Gale PC are planning to merge, creating a super-regional firm focused in the Midwest. With complementary business and geographic strengths, the firms will operate under the new name, UB Greensfelder LLP, effective Feb. 1, 2024.
The combination of two complementary firms will result in a new Am Law 200 firm (America’s 200 largest law firms) with approximately 275 attorneys in nine offices and more than US $150 million in combined gross annual revenues.
“As we talked, it became clear that this was an opportunity to bring together two like-minded firms with complementary practices and geographic footprints, and similar operations and cultures,” said Scott Kadish, Ulmer’s managing partner. “That shared vision included the desire to expand in our core Midwest markets while maintaining our cultures and foundational values.”
Greensfelder president and CEO, Kevin McLaughlin, added: “We have the luxury of combining, not because we have to, but because we recognize this combination as an opportunity to strengthen both firms.”
The combination is expected to build strength in corporate transactions, business litigation, financial services, real estate, and health care, as well as in several other practice areas. Ulmer also will benefit from Greensfelder’s franchise, energy, and closely held business practices, while Greensfelder will gain Ulmer’s immigration practice and its strength in products liability.
Following the combination, the firm’s largest offices by attorney headcount will be in St. Louis (with over 100 lawyers), Cleveland (with approximately 75 lawyers), and Chicago and Cincinnati (with approximately 30 lawyers each).
“A significant factor in moving forward with this combination was the prospect of an Am Law 200 profile and a broader platform, which will position us to attract high-performing laterals and associates, and to recruit and retain even more diverse talent,” Kadish said. “This all points to ensuring we have the lawyers, staff, and technology needed to deliver the industry’s highest level of client service and efficiency at reasonable rates.”
The management of the combined firm will be evenly divided between attorneys from each legacy firm. McLaughlin and Kadish will serve as co-managing partners; each firm will have equal representation on the UB Greensfelder governing board and compensation committees; and the legacy firms will share leadership of key practice and industry groups.
