In an effort to expand their footprints across the United States, Biglaw firms have been raiding midsize firms in the Southeast to open new offices and fortify specific practice groups. Morris Manning & Martin — a well-regarded Am Law 200 firm that brought in $157,946,000 gross revenue last year — was so hard hit by these practices that it lost more than one third of its attorneys (about 60) to firms like Fox Rothschild, Clark Hill, Reed Smith, Bradley Arant, and Gunderson Dettmer, and Seyfarth Shaw. Earlier this summer, the firm had entered into merger talks with an Am Law 100 firm, and now, its previously unnamed merger partner has been revealed.
As noted by the American Lawyer, Morris Manning is planning to merge with Taft Stettinius & Hollister — a firm that brought in $701,000,000 gross revenue in 2024, putting it at No. 79 on the Am Law 100 — one of the fastest-growing firms in the country. Taft’s merger with Morris Manning will be its third of 2025. The tie-up, projected to close by the end of the year, will create a firm that’s 1,200 lawyers strong with gross revenue approaching $1 billion.
Am Law has some addition details on how the firms’ plans came together:
As firm leaders evaluated the possible deal, [Taft managing partner Robert] Hicks said that “because of the departures we were concerned” if Taft would be “getting the best” talent that remained at Morris Manning.
“Frankly, there’s like zero doubt in our minds,” Hicks said. “Frankly, every time we met with Morris Manning just got better and better, and we felt more and more solid about it.” …
Hicks said he believed Morris Manning was a “victim of its own success” because large firms typically seek out the highest-performing partners at the top local firms when moving into any new market.
“We actually saw this as a positive,” he said of the departures. “We looked at their client base and were highly impressed. We looked at the talented lawyers [and] were highly impressed.”
Simon Malko, Morris Manning’s managing partner, went on to say that while they’d been approached with mergers “many times” before, Taft seemed the most promising “We’ve never said we’re going to merge for merger’s sake,” he said. “None of the conversations before Taft were compelling opportunities.”
Congratulations to Morris Manning and Taft on what seems like a merger decision that was made just in the nick of time. Let’s see how far the combination will move Taft up in the Am Law 100 rankings.
Fast-Growing Taft Finds Third Merger Partner This Year in Atlanta’s Morris Manning [American Lawyer]
Earlier: Biglaw Firm Enters Merger Talks After Losing Nearly 60 Lawyers To Competitors In Mass Lateral Moves
Staci Zaretsky is the managing editor of Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or connect with her on LinkedIn.
The post Another Day, Another Merger: Biglaw Firm Scoops Up Midsize Firm Gutted By Departures appeared first on Above the Law.
In an effort to expand their footprints across the United States, Biglaw firms have been raiding midsize firms in the Southeast to open new offices and fortify specific practice groups. Morris Manning & Martin — a well-regarded Am Law 200 firm that brought in $157,946,000 gross revenue last year — was so hard hit by these practices that it lost more than one third of its attorneys (about 60) to firms like Fox Rothschild, Clark Hill, Reed Smith, Bradley Arant, and Gunderson Dettmer, and Seyfarth Shaw. Earlier this summer, the firm had entered into merger talks with an Am Law 100 firm, and now, its previously unnamed merger partner has been revealed.
As noted by the American Lawyer, Morris Manning is planning to merge with Taft Stettinius & Hollister — a firm that brought in $701,000,000 gross revenue in 2024, putting it at No. 79 on the Am Law 100 — one of the fastest-growing firms in the country. Taft’s merger with Morris Manning will be its third of 2025. The tie-up, projected to close by the end of the year, will create a firm that’s 1,200 lawyers strong with gross revenue approaching $1 billion.
Am Law has some addition details on how the firms’ plans came together:
As firm leaders evaluated the possible deal, [Taft managing partner Robert] Hicks said that “because of the departures we were concerned” if Taft would be “getting the best” talent that remained at Morris Manning.
“Frankly, there’s like zero doubt in our minds,” Hicks said. “Frankly, every time we met with Morris Manning just got better and better, and we felt more and more solid about it.” …
Hicks said he believed Morris Manning was a “victim of its own success” because large firms typically seek out the highest-performing partners at the top local firms when moving into any new market.
“We actually saw this as a positive,” he said of the departures. “We looked at their client base and were highly impressed. We looked at the talented lawyers [and] were highly impressed.”
Simon Malko, Morris Manning’s managing partner, went on to say that while they’d been approached with mergers “many times” before, Taft seemed the most promising “We’ve never said we’re going to merge for merger’s sake,” he said. “None of the conversations before Taft were compelling opportunities.”
Congratulations to Morris Manning and Taft on what seems like a merger decision that was made just in the nick of time. Let’s see how far the combination will move Taft up in the Am Law 100 rankings.
Fast-Growing Taft Finds Third Merger Partner This Year in Atlanta’s Morris Manning [American Lawyer]
Earlier: Biglaw Firm Enters Merger Talks After Losing Nearly 60 Lawyers To Competitors In Mass Lateral Moves
Staci Zaretsky is the managing editor of Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or connect with her on LinkedIn.
