Ross & Hardies and McGuireWoods LLP will merge effective July 1, 2003. The partners of the two firms voted unanimously this week to approve the merger, which will result in a firm with approximately 725 lawyers, including about 175 in Chicago.
“Joining McGuireWoods and Ross & Hardies together creates a win-win situation for our mutual clients,” said McGuireWoods Chairman Robert L. Burrus, Jr. “McGuireWoods’ clients benefit from the scale this merger brings to our Chicago office. Ross & Hardies’ clients benefit from the broad scope that McGuireWoods’ 14 offices in the United States and abroad bring them. This represents part of McGuireWoods’ ongoing strategy to grow in key markets that will help us best serve our clients.”
After the merger the firm, which will be known as McGuireWoods LLP (McGuireWoods Ross & Hardies in Chicago), will have one of the largest human resources practices in the country. The merger also strengthens the litigation practice, which will increase to well over 200 lawyers, as well as the corporate and health care practices.
“Our two firms have a rich and consistent culture,” said Theodore R. Tetzlaff, managing partner of McGuireWoods’ Chicago office. “We both share the same vision for the future – to be an excellent national law firm with increasing international presence. In today’s climate where companies are increasingly focused on the cost-effectiveness of the external legal services they hire, both firms provide highly qualified lawyers at reasonable rates. We will continue to excel at providing the first-class operational legal services that America’s corporations need on a daily basis.”
Richard J. Rappaport, Ross & Hardies’ co-chair, said “We are excited to merge with McGuireWoods. Both firms strongly believe in using a team approach to servicing clients, which we believe provides clients with the broadest set of talent and skill from within one firm, and thus offers many advantages. We look forward to partnering with McGuireWoods in building a truly global law firm, offering a broad range of services to our clients.”
Ross & Hardies is a Chicago-based law firm with more than 150 lawyers in Chicago and New York, as well as correspondent relationships in many foreign countries. In addition to its litigation, mass tort, labor and employment, corporate and health care practices, the firm has strong capabilities in securities and other corporate finance matters, international, mergers and acquisitions, bankruptcy, environmental, intellectual property and other fields.
