Biglaw

Will Partner Poaching Stop This Rumored Biglaw Merger In Its Tracks?

Neither firm has commented on their reported trip down the aisle.

By  
on

Remember the supposed merger between Andrews Kurth Kenyon and Hunton & Williams that was being whispered about this past fall? Back then, it was a bit of a “will they or won’t they” situation, but the fact that Andrews Kurth partners were parading toward the exits seemed to indicate that merger talks may have been in progress. Sources say there will be news by late February as to whether the deal will go through, but in Biglaw, you know things are serious — and that the firms are wishy-washy about their new combined name — when domain names like andrewshunton.com and huntonandrews.com get registered (as they both were last month).

Considering the fact that even more Andrews Kurth partners are fleeing the firm, it seems like things are getting very serious — but these partner defections, especially from the Dallas office, could pose some problems. Christine Simmons at the American Lawyer has the details:

Those familiar with the talks said Hunton, founded in Richmond, Virginia, is eager to swallow Andrews Kurth’s Houston office in order to gain a toehold in the energy industry’s Texas epicenter. Currently, Hunton’s Houston office, which opened in 2005, lists only five attorneys, including three who are full time in Houston and two partners focused on labor and employment.

In comparison, Andrews Kurth boasts that its Houston base has about 220 lawyers—its largest office by head count—and it is a heavyweight in litigation and deals related to energy and oilfield services, energy infrastructure and private equity investments, among others. …

If the deal were to go forward, other law firms’ poaching of Andrews Kurth’s Dallas office, which has about 54 attorneys at last count, could leave a much-diminished office for Hunton.

If one of the biggest things Hunton was looking for in a merger partner was a major presence in Texas, would the firm be willing to accept AKK’s depleted attorney footprint? Neither firm has commented on their reported trip down the aisle, but since we have fairly reliable sources at our disposal, please email us or text us (646-820-8477) with any information you might have. Thanks for your help!

Andrews Kurth, Hunton Deal Inches Ahead Amid Texas Market Moves [American Lawyer]

Earlier: Will They Or Won’t They? Rumors Abound About Potential Biglaw Merger

Sponsored

Staci ZaretskyStaci Zaretsky has been an editor at Above the Law 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 Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.

Sponsored

Topics

, , , , ,