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Law Firm Merger Mania: Haynes & Boone Signs Up for New California Adventures

Tuesday, February 3, 2009 5:06 PM - By Elie Mystal

Haynes Boone logo.jpgExpanding during a recession? Hey the Empire State Building was constructed during the height of the Great Depression, and that worked out well.

Today, Texas readers demanded that we herald the merger of California IP boutique MacPherson, Kwok, Chen & Heid with Texas powerhouse Haynes & Boone.

We aim to please. According to the Haynes & Boone press release:

As part of its long-term growth strategy, Haynes and Boone, LLP is pleased to announce its addition of the 27 attorneys and professionals at MacPherson, Kwok, Chen & Heid, LLP, a leading intellectual property law firm with offices in San Jose and Orange County, Calif. With this addition, Haynes and Boone has almost 550 attorneys in 12 offices worldwide and becomes one of the few large Texas-based firms with offices in Silicon Valley and Orange County.

Perhaps the move into California will spell the end of Haynes & Boone’s war on office plants?

In any event, we’re happy to report some good news about a firm expanding and investing in its future, instead of trying to cope with the mistakes of the past.

Read the full press release after the jump.

HAYNES & BOONE — PRESS RELEASE — MERGER

As part of its long-term growth strategy, Haynes and Boone, LLP is
pleased to announce its addition of the 27 attorneys and professionals at MacPherson, Kwok, Chen & Heid, LLP, a leading intellectual property law firm with offices in San Jose and Orange County, Calif. With this addition, Haynes and Boone has almost 550 attorneys in 12 offices worldwide and becomes one of the few large Texas-based firms with offices in Silicon Valley and Orange County.

“This is a great opportunity for us and our clients, given commonality among some key clients and our keen desire to serve those on the West Coast,” said Haynes and Boone’s managing partner Terry Conner. “We are fortunate to add the deep talent of MacPherson Kwok, a firm widely respected throughout the California IP/technology community and beyond. We look forward to working with these great attorneys to improve our position as one of the top technology and corporate law firms in the nation.”

Haynes and Boone and MacPherson Kwok have maintained close relations for years and their lawyers have worked together on a number of client matters. Discussions between the two firms began in summer 2008 and have progressed continuously. Sadly, the firm’s founder, Alan MacPherson, who was widely considered the “dean of patent law in the Bay Area,” died Dec. 8, 2008 in the midst of the planning.

“Haynes and Boone is excited and prepared for this next chapter in our continued steady growth,” said

Paul Searles, current Dallas-based partner who will move to California and serve as liaison to the West Coast offices. “Over the years we have developed great relationships with the lawyers at MacPherson Kwok. We look forward to collaborating now as partners working together to serve current and future clients.”

Like the Haynes and Boone IP practice, most of the California firm’s lawyers have earned engineering or technical degrees in addition to law degrees. All of the MacPherson Kwok partners are joining Haynes and Boone, including name partners Tom Chen and Edward C. Kwok, each of whom has a masters degree in electrical engineering, and partners Jonathan Hallman, Jennifer Lantz, Steve Levitan, Greg Michelson and Clark Stone.

“As we sought a stable, multidisciplinary platform to expand our client services, Haynes and Boone frankly became the obvious best choice,” Mr. Chen said. “We share a common philosophy of result oriented, personal service. Our people are excited about becoming part of the Haynes and Boone culture of teamwork. It’s a well managed firm whose lawyers are equally skilled in the law and providing clients with practical advice that makes sound business sense. It’s a truly wonderful fit.” Said David McCombs, firmwide chair of Haynes and Boone’s technology practice: “Our clients will immediately see rewards from this combination, particularly those doing business in California and Asia who will benefit from this greatly expanded geographic base. The merger gives our clients both a local and national team of legal professionals who can deliver high-end IP, corporate and litigation legal services coast-to-coast.”

Haynes and Boone, LLP is an international corporate law firm with offices in Texas, New York, California, Washington, D.C., Mexico City and Moscow, providing a full spectrum of legal services. With almost 550 attorneys, Haynes and Boone is ranked among the largest law firms in the nation by The National Law Journal. The firm has been recognized as one of the “Best Corporate Law Firms in America” (Corporate Board Member Magazine, 2001-2008), as one of “The Best 20 Law Firms to Work For” (Vault.com, 2008), and as a Top 100 law firm for both diversity (MultiCultural Law Magazine, 2008) and women (Women 3.0, 2008).

Earlier: Haynes and Boone: ‘Green’ Offices. ‘Orwellian’ Controls

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