Husch Blackwell and Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek S.C. have joined forces, completing the largest law firm combination announced this year. The firm retains the Husch Blackwell name and will continue to operate in all markets where the individual firms previously had offices. The combination became effective July 15.
Husch Blackwell now has more than 700 attorneys and offices in 19 cities. The combination, announced April 29, strengthens the firm’s commitment to providing industry-focused services to clients, officials said.
“We are pleased at how quickly our two firms have come together, and we are excited by the additional talent and experience that we have already gained,” said CEO and managing partner Greg Smith.
“This combination will undoubtedly help us better serve clients across all industries and in all of our markets.”
Since the April announcement, management teams from both firms have worked to integrate attorneys and groups, and administrative teams have worked to integrate policies, systems and personnel to ensure critical functions and services were ready for the July 15 combination.
“I’m really encouraged by how teams from both firms have worked so well on integration efforts,” said Deputy CEO Paul Eberle, formerly chief executive of WHD. “To me, that speaks volumes to how we’re going to work together going forward.”
“Early on, it became clear that this combination was going to work. Strategically and culturally, this was a great fit, and our common commitment to providing superior client service and value through industry expertise was key,” said Chairman Maurice Watson. “We’re excited about the opportunities this combination represents for our clients and for our firm.”