Biglaw firms are trying to expand their presence in the Southeast, specifically Atlanta and Charlotte, and that’s causing some local firms to leak lawyers like sieves. In fact, one midsize firm in the area has been hit so hard by Biglaw firms on the hunt for attorneys that it’s now looking into merger opportunities.
Morris Manning & Martin — a well-regarded Am Law 200 firm that brought in $157,946,000 gross revenue last year — is now facing quite the conundrum. The firm has lost more than one third of its attorneys (about 60) this year alone to firms like Fox Rothschild, Clark Hill, Reed Smith, Bradley Arant, and Gunderson Dettmer, and most recently suffered a blow after Seyfarth Shaw took 22 lawyers from its real estate and corporate practice groups.
According to the Daily Report, Morris Manning is now in serious merger talks with an Am Law 100 firm. Here are the details:
Morris Manning managing partner Simon Malko said in a statement that a potential merger offers the firm “growth prospects on the horizon” which “are very exciting.”
“Morris, Manning & Martin is poised for highly strategic and transformational options for growth,” Malko said. “We are in advanced discussions with a national Am Law 100 firm with outstanding lawyers, comprehensive full-service resources, a highly collegial culture, and a strong cultural, client and economic fit.
“We have a solid group of highly respected attorneys, along with an impressive and loyal client base built during the last 50 years,” he said. “While we are disappointed to see some of our attorneys go, we wish them the best.”
Although this certainly sounds promising, an industry insider with knowledge of the merger talks doesn’t think this scenario will have as happy of an ending as the one Malko is painting. The insider thinks a more likely plan will be for other firms to hire away lawyers once the Morris Manning dissolves.
Best of luck to Morris Manning & Martin during this critical juncture in time, as its future may depend on the next moves that are made.
Morris Manning Eyes Options as Seyfarth Shaw Lures 22-Lawyer Corporate, Real Estate Group [Daily Report]
Staci Zaretsky is a senior editor at 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 Biglaw Firm Enters Merger Talks After Losing Nearly 60 Lawyers To Competitors In Mass Lateral Moves appeared first on Above the Law.
Biglaw firms are trying to expand their presence in the Southeast, specifically Atlanta and Charlotte, and that’s causing some local firms to leak lawyers like sieves. In fact, one midsize firm in the area has been hit so hard by Biglaw firms on the hunt for attorneys that it’s now looking into merger opportunities.
Morris Manning & Martin — a well-regarded Am Law 200 firm that brought in $157,946,000 gross revenue last year — is now facing quite the conundrum. The firm has lost more than one third of its attorneys (about 60) this year alone to firms like Fox Rothschild, Clark Hill, Reed Smith, Bradley Arant, and Gunderson Dettmer, and most recently suffered a blow after Seyfarth Shaw took 22 lawyers from its real estate and corporate practice groups.
According to the Daily Report, Morris Manning is now in serious merger talks with an Am Law 100 firm. Here are the details:
Morris Manning managing partner Simon Malko said in a statement that a potential merger offers the firm “growth prospects on the horizon” which “are very exciting.”
“Morris, Manning & Martin is poised for highly strategic and transformational options for growth,” Malko said. “We are in advanced discussions with a national Am Law 100 firm with outstanding lawyers, comprehensive full-service resources, a highly collegial culture, and a strong cultural, client and economic fit.
“We have a solid group of highly respected attorneys, along with an impressive and loyal client base built during the last 50 years,” he said. “While we are disappointed to see some of our attorneys go, we wish them the best.”
Although this certainly sounds promising, an industry insider with knowledge of the merger talks doesn’t think this scenario will have as happy of an ending as the one Malko is painting. The insider thinks a more likely plan will be for other firms to hire away lawyers once the Morris Manning dissolves.
Best of luck to Morris Manning & Martin during this critical juncture in time, as its future may depend on the next moves that are made.
Morris Manning Eyes Options as Seyfarth Shaw Lures 22-Lawyer Corporate, Real Estate Group [Daily Report]
Staci Zaretsky is a senior editor at 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.
