The US firm will expand to about 800 lawyers by the end of the year
A major US firm is expanding its roster with a combination with an IP-focused firm.
Venable and Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper & Scinto have announced that they will combine by the end of the year. They expect the deal to close on 1 November.
The combined firm will have about 800 lawyers focused on business, government, litigation, and IP. The firm will have about 700 other professionals and staff.
After the merger, Venable will also become one of the largest law firms in New York. With the addition of more than 100 lawyers from Fitzpatrick, the firm will grow to more than 160 lawyers in the city.
Stuart Ingis, Venable chairman, described the group joining the firm as “elite” lawyers with a “long-standing and sophisticated client base.”
“Fitzpatrick has been one of the top IP firms in the country for nearly 50 years. Its attorneys will be an excellent fit with the existing Venable IP practice and will also benefit our client base requiring broader IP support. Most importantly, they share our firm's values, our respect for each other and our commitment to clients,” he said.
Dominick Conde, who chairs Fitzpatrick’s management committee, said that both firms share a deep dedication to clients.
“We have been privileged to work with many of the world's leading companies creating solutions for their IP challenges for decades,” he said. “While we have been incredibly successful on our own, this deal creates a synergy that we couldn't pass up. As a result, the firm will be able to extend its dedication to clients to more areas and is an excellent fit of people and practices of two outstanding firms.”
Venable, which has nine offices in the US, was ranked 82nd by the American Lawyer in its Global 100 rankings this year. It last reported revenues of US$540m and profit per equity partner of US$1.13m.
Fitzpatrick, which is based in New York and has offices in Costa Mesa, California and Washington, DC, is focused solely on IP. It is known for its patent litigation and prosecution practices.
