Partners at both firms approved the deal yesterday (17 December), with the tie-up now set to go live on 1 January, 2008.
The deal adds around 150 lawyers plus offices in
Hughes & Luce managing partner Edward Coultas said his firm’s partners voted nearly unanimously in favor of the deal.
He commented: “This removes any question of a platform issue [for Hughes & Luce] and we really like this firm, the people, the quality of lawyers. It's the expertise we will have at our fingertips.”
K&L Gates chairman and managing partner Peter Kalis said all 313 equity partners at his firm voted in favor of the deal, after talks were announced in July.
Coultas will now join the management committee of K&L Gates and will also sit on its eight-member executive board. Hughes & Luce partners Jack Erskine, Scott Bernhart and Craig Budner becomes K&L Gates’ administrative partners in
Kalis added: “
The news marks the firm’s second major tie-up in a year, after
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