Saul Ewing LLP, an AmLaw 200 agency primarily based in Philadelphia, entered the California industry this thirty day period in a merger with Freeman Freeman & Smiley.
The merger provides Saul Ewing to Century City and Irvine, where the 50-legal professional Freeman Freeman & Smiley are headquartered. Individuals offices have adopted the Saul Ewing title, and previous Freeman Freeman & Smiley handling companion Steven Ziven now serves as taking care of spouse of the Century Town operation and is on Saul Ewing’s govt committee. Phrases of the merger, which had been in formal discussion considering that September, ended up not disclosed.
Ziven stated his company experienced initially sought out the merger, with Saul Ewing emerging as a leading candidate soon just after creating get hold of.
“The most important purpose we wished to have a merger was because we wished a nationwide system,” he reported. “When we fulfilled Saul Ewing initially, we were being definitely concentrating, as they have been, on lifestyle. We required to make absolutely sure we experienced the suitable individuals and that absolutely everyone at their agency was relaxed with it.
“When we opened it up (for dialogue),” Ziven extra, “Saul Ewing was a single of a number of companies we entertained, and they rose suitable to the major when we spoke with them.”
Freeman Freeman & Smiley’s reputation in real estate, belief and estate legislation, and its nearly 50 several years of do the job and customer-developing, aided make the merger attractive for Saul Ewing. Distinguished California industries these as better instruction, hashish, athletics and leisure and agribusiness also line up nicely with the firm’s current national methods. Quite a few of Saul Ewing’s clients have considerable functions in California — the company observed that it taken care of extra than 500 customer issues in the condition for the duration of the past a few years.
“We’re incredibly thrilled with the lawyers that we have (from this merger),” Jason St. John, Saul Ewing’s firmwide controlling partner, stated. “We are committed to growing both equally of our workplaces in this article and our intent is to proceed to make off the power of our California legal professionals and then expanding into some of the industries Saul Ewing is recognized for.”
Ziven suggests he sought to uncover an arrangement in which he could bring the total business fortunately along for the journey. He said he also aimed to bring his firm to a nationwide marketplace.
“We were being referring absent some of that organization or turning it down, and now we really do not have to do that,” Ziven mentioned.
St. John indicated that Saul Ewing wasn’t finished with its enlargement into California.
“We are likely to proceed to aggressively look to develop in California, by filling empty offices below but also by checking out other California marketplaces,” he explained. “Silicon Valley and San Francisco are absolutely beautiful marketplaces. We’re on the lookout in San Diego. This is a seriously essential industry to us.”
Saul Ewing already has a local consumer should it ever open an place of work in San Diego. Topgolf Callaway Manufacturers Corporation, which is headquartered in Carlsbad, has been a Freeman Freeman & Smiley shopper for yrs.
“Freeman Freeman & Smiley has been a very long-expression strategic lawful adviser,” reported Marty Hochman, deputy typical counsel for Topgolf Callaway, in a statement, “and we glance ahead to using gain of the deeper bench of attorneys and added assets this mixture will convey.”
