The partners of Husch Blackwell LLP and Brown McCarroll LLP have voted to combine their ranks. Both firms concluded the partner ballot process necessary to merge the two firms on June 18, with an effective date of July 1, 2013. The combined firms will move forward together in all markets as Husch Blackwell LLP.
With the addition of Austin, Dallas and Houston, the new firm has offices in 16 cities, more than 600 attorneys and 750 staff. Based on 2012 revenues reported earlier this year, the combined firm would have achieved annual revenues of $319 million, which would have vaulted the new firm into a tie at #94 on the 2013 AmLaw 100 list of highest revenue-generating law firms.
“We’ve been approached several times with offers to combine with other national firms, and Husch Blackwell was the match we’ve been waiting for,” said Adam Hauser, Managing Partner of Brown McCarroll LLP.
“As early as our very first meeting with representatives from Brown McCarroll, we saw that culturally, strategically and geographically, the combination of our two firms was a significant opportunity,” said Greg Smith, CEO/Managing Partner of Husch Blackwell LLP. “Their industry strength in healthcare, real estate and energy aligns perfectly with three of our strongest strategic industry groups.”
Brown McCarroll Chairman David Hilgers added, “We now have a much broader geographic platform and range of services from which to serve our clients, a more powerful and diverse recruiting appeal for laterals and associates, and strengths we can now offer to clients across Husch Blackwell’s footprint in the Southwest, Southeast, Midwest, West and Mid-Atlantic regions.”
“We welcome the opportunity to enter the vibrant Texas legal market with great attorneys who are well-known and highly respected,” said Maurice Watson, Chairman of Husch Blackwell. “We are very fortunate to be adding to our firm this remarkable group of attorneys, whose great talent and experience will add significant depth to a number of our areas of focus.”
Husch Blackwell is the product of two 2008 mergers, between St. Louis-based Husch & Eppenberger and Kansas City-based Blackwell Sanders, and later Chicago-based Welsh & Katz. The firm was ranked #110 on the recently released AmLaw 200 list. Brown McCarroll was founded in 1938, and it has consistently been recognized as one of the top firms in Texas throughout its long and illustrious history.
