K&L Gates – yet another acquisition?

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More merger news.  K&L Gates and Chicago’s Bell Boyd & Lloyd announced today that they are in merger discussions with a view to combining the firms in early 2009.

Wow – so many firms carefully contemplate an acquisition to make sure that the culture of the two firms merge.  K&L Gates wouldn’t seem to have that problem anymore.  K&L Gates has made so many acquisitions over the past few years that their culture is largely indistinguishable.

  

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It’s All In There!  K&L Gates is a combination of all of these firms.  I hope that they have many on-boarding specialists on the payroll.

Kirkpatrick and Lockhart

Preston Gates and Ellis, a Pacific Northwest stalwart

Hughes and Luce

Nicholson Graham & Jones

Kennedy Covington Lobdell & Hickman

Press Release:  K&L Gates, Bell Boyd in Combination Talks

December 4, 2008

Pittsburgh and Chicago—Global law firm K&L Gates LLP and Chicago-based Bell, Boyd & Lloyd LLP (Bell Boyd) are discussing a possible combination of firms, which, if approved, would occur in the first quarter of 2009. The combination would create a firm of approximately 2,000 lawyers in 30 offices throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia.

“Bell, Boyd & Lloyd is one of America’s premier mid-sized law firms with leading practices in a number of areas, including investment management and intellectual property, as well as a robust, full-service approach to meeting the legal requirements of a sophisticated clientele across a broad array of disciplines,” said Peter J. Kalis, Chairman and Global Managing Partner of K&L Gates. “At the same time, Chicago is a legal market of strategic significance in the global marketplace.”

“We believe that K&L Gates and Bell Boyd share an appreciation for the communities in which we reside, a passion for the practice of law, and an enthusiasm for the growing global market for legal services,” said Kalis and John T. McCarthy, Bell Boyd’s Chairman. “Together, we believe that we will be in an unsurpassed position to deliver value to clients and to compete in the market for talent.”

McCarthy added: “We are excited about the prospect of joining forces with K&L Gates, an organization which we believe shares our values and has the breadth and depth of practice expertise necessary for us to continue providing the highest quality legal services to clients wherever they are located.”

In addition to Chicago, Bell Boyd has offices in San Diego and Washington, D.C. The combined firm would maintain offices in Anchorage, Austin, Beijing, Berlin, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Fort Worth, Harrisburg, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Miami, Newark, New York, Orange County, Palo Alto, Paris, Pittsburgh, Portland, Raleigh, Research Triangle Park, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Shanghai, Spokane/Coeur d’Alene, Taipei, and Washington, D.C.

K&L Gates is already one of the largest law firms in the United States according to The National Law Journal , which recently ranked the firm as the nation’s tenth largest in its 2008 NLJ 250 listing. Bell Boyd was ranked 167th on the same list.

Discussions between the firms began this past summer and have progressed continuously since that time. If the talks proceed to a successful conclusion, it is expected that formal proposals will be presented to the respective partnerships in the first quarter of 2009. A further press announcement will be made upon the resolution of the talks.

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About Bell Boyd
Bell, Boyd & Lloyd LLP has helped emerging and established businesses of all sizes grow and prosper for 120 years. With approximately 250 attorneys located in offices in Chicago, San Diego, and Washington, D.C., the firm provides a full range of business related legal services, with nationally-recognized practices specializing in investment management, mergers and acquisitions, securities, finance, patent and trademark prosecution, intellectual property litigation, commercial and securities litigation, and real estate. For more information, visit www.bellboyd.com.

About K&L Gates
K&L Gates comprises approximately 1,700 lawyers in 28 offices located in North America, Europe and Asia, and represents capital markets participants, entrepreneurs, growth and middle market companies, leading FORTUNE 100 and FTSE 100 global corporations and public sector entities. For more information, visit www.klgates.com.

Contacts:
Peter J. Kalis (K&L Gates), +1.412.355.6562, peter.kalis@klgates.com
John T. McCarthy (Bell, Boyd & Lloyd), +1.312.807.4319, jmccarthy@bellboyd.com