Phelps Dunbar to Merge With Tennessee-Based Farris Bobango (2)

Phelps Dunbar and Farris Bobango are combining to create a law firm of about 400 lawyers, one of the largest in the US South.

The combined firm will have the larger operation’s name, Phelps Dunbar, and the merger will take effect Feb. 1, according to a statement Friday.

Phelps Dunbar, based in New Orleans, and Farris Bobango, located in Memphis, Tennessee will include offices in 14 cities when combined. Farris has 24 lawyers, according to its website.

There are lots of reasons why Phelps’s combination with Farris makes sense, said Phelps managing partner Marshall Redmon. “It’s strength on strength,” he said. “Farris Bobango has been prosperous for decades. The culture is good. The talent is good. The client-centric focus and base is good. The work is sophisticated.”

As the legal market changes, Redmon said that one way to stay ahead of competing firms is “by coupling organic growth with smart, regional expansion. While we are accelerating our growth, we don’t believe in scale for scale’s sake. But often that’s the outcome.”

Redmon noted Farris’ Tennessee location, “which has long been of strategic interest to us given the state’s leadership in attracting early stage and emerging companies.” He also noted the state’s support for manufacturing, healthcare and transportation.

Farris Bobango, currently with offices in Memphis and Nashville, is experienced with mergers and acquisitions, government relations, tax incentive financing, environmental, construction law, and commercial litigation, according to Phelps Dunbar.

Phelps Dunbar’s experience in commercial litigation, cybersecurity, real estate, environmental, and IP “will be incredibly helpful to our clients throughout the US,” said Farris Bobango’s managing partner, John Bobango.

A previous version of this story was produced by Bloomberg Law Automation.