Haynes and Boone, a law firm based in Dallas, has acquired 19 lawyers from a small Virginia-based law firm, Smith Pachter McWhorter. The firm specializes in litigation and handles government contracts, construction, white-collar defense, and investigations. All of the active lawyers from Smith Pachter McWhorter will join Haynes and Boone, which now has approximately 650 lawyers.
The acquisition will provide Haynes and Boone with a new office in Northern Virginia, allowing them to expand their presence in Washington, D.C., and strengthen their government contracts practice. Taylor Wilson, the firm’s managing partner, sees this as an opportunity for growth.
2023 has seen several firm combinations in the legal industry, including law firms Smith, Gambrell & Russell and Freeborn & Peters merging last week. Several planned deals are also in the works, including Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe and Buckley, Maynard Cooper & Gale and Nexsen Pruet, Bricker & Eckler Graydon Head & Ritchey, and Holland & Knight and Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis.
In late December, Hogan Lovells and Shearman & Sterling acknowledged reports of a potential merger but did not confirm nor deny the early-stage talks.
The total number of U.S. firm mergers increased in 2022 after a slowdown during the pandemic. The trend of large and mid-size firm combinations is gaining steam in 2023 and shows no signs of slowing down. The legal industry is becoming increasingly competitive, and these combinations provide a way for law firms to increase their resources, expand their practices, and improve their competitiveness in the market.
Haynes and Boone’s acquisition of Smith Pachter McWhorter is another example of the ongoing trend of firm combinations in the legal industry. By adding the expertise of 19 experienced lawyers, Haynes and Boone will be able to further strengthen its government contracts practice and expand its presence in the Washington, D.C., area. These combinations provide law firms with new opportunities for growth and improvement and are likely to continue as the industry evolves.
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Law firm tie-ups continue with Haynes and Boone combination