The large Florida law firm Akerman is acquiring most lawyers of the Texas-based litigation boutique Beirne Maynard & Parsons.
With the deal, 630-lawyer Akerman will acquire 30 additional lawyers in Texas and Louisiana, opening offices in Houston, San Antonio, Austin and New Orleans.
Beirne Maynard, founded in 1987, also had an office in Dallas. As of Tuesday morning, Beirne Maynard listed 43 attorneys on its website, meaning that Akerman is acquiring only a large part of the firm.
Martin Beirne, founding partner of Beirne Maynard, said that he and his attorneys referred work back and forth to Akerman for several years.
He said that Beirne Maynard is dissolving as a technical legal requirement for many of its attorneys to join Akerman, but stressed that the firm would have been viable and stood alone had it not joined the larger firm.
Roughly 10 lawyers decided not to join Akerman, Beirne said. Those lawyers have formed their own litigation firm: Parsons McEntire McCleary & Clark PLLC.
The group that decided to join Akerman did so because of its national platform, Beirne said, pointing to one example: “We have an elections practice... and Akerman’s Washington, D.C. office has allowed us to expand that.”
The lawyers joining Akerman have clients in the energy industry, including ConocoPhillips, Chevron Corporation and Maserati, according to Akerman chair Andrew Smulian.
“We have talked from time to time about the direction of the industry,” said Smulian of his relationship with the firm. “One conversation recently triggered further specifics.”
According to Bloomberg Law , other Beirne Maynard’s clients have included Level 3 Communications LLC, CWS Apartment Homes, and Construction Enterprises Inc.
The firm describes itself as Texas counsel for large U.S. corporations and stresses that it is not the usual boutique.
“Our team of attorneys gives us more depth than most boutique firms,” said a page on its website. “Our experience gives us the knowledge to deal with a broad host of legal issues that face clients in a similarly wide range of business operations.”
To give you a taste, below are two other sections from the firm’s website.
LITIGATION EXCELLENCE
We have served our clients, from start-up organizations to Fortune 500 companiesby land, air and sea, for more than 25 years. Both in and out of the courtroom, our extensive experience, attention to the smallest details, and strategic thinking add unparalleled value to each client matter.
Legal issues are always multi-dimensional. The dimensions include the organization’s business goals, the complexity of the legal issue, if and how competitors will react, and the opinions of the company’s business investors. Every attorney at Beirne, Maynard & Parsons is completely attuned to both the legal and business issues of our clients. We do not react, but respond proactively by providing economical and expeditious counsel and representation.
If the courtroom beckons, we do not hesitate. We are prepared, ready, willing, and able to represent clients in a trial forum...and win.
We are sensitive to our clients’ needs. If we can provide an appropriate resolution to those needs outside of the courtroom, through arbitration or mediation (ADR) instead of a trial, we can and will.
TECHNOLOGICAL SOPHISTICATION
At Beirne, Maynard & Parsons, we recognize that technological experience and innovation is not a value-add proposition; it is imperative for achieving desired results. We constantly stay apprised of emerging technologies to increase our firm’s efficiencies and provide the benefits of the most sophisticated programs to our clients. State-of-the-art electronic research, documentation management, trial support technology, client communication forums, and billing applications are a major part of our foundation of success.
We maintain:
A mock courtroom with an onsite video studio
24/7 access to the most advanced and comprehensive electronic legal research
Skilled researchers, proficient in the most sophisticated techniques
Secured access via state-of-the-art technology to ensure all communications and system use are protected from tampering
The industry’s most up-to-date systems for computer-generated demonstrative evidence and information databases, all maintained on portable systems so office resources are available during attorney travel
We have developed a comprehensive solution for dealing with remote trials, which require a fully staffed and functioning work facility. We call this system “Trial-in-a-Box,” and it is complete with shipping cases specially designed to ensure all computer equipment and peripherals needed to facilitate prompt installation of secured high-speed data circuits are available at designated trial locations.
We continually monitor and upgrade our technology to make certain our network infrastructure, document and case management systems, web-based collaboration, and electronic data capabilities remain the most advanced technology available.
(UPDATED: The headcount of Akerman has been amended to reflect the most up-to-date figures.)
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