Thelen Reid Brown Raysman & Steiner and Nixon Peabody are in merger talks, with a possible agreement pending, according to sources close to the situation, reports The National Law Journal.
The law firms have been in extensive talks, with Nixon Peabody management travelling to San Francisco to meet with their Thelen counterparts, according to two sources. A third confirmed that the two firms had been talking. The combined firm would have about lawyers.
A spokesman for Thelen, which has suffered significant partner departures recently, would not confirm that it was speaking specifically with Nixon Peabody, although he said that the firm is actively pursuing a merger partner.
In a statement released by Nixon Peabody, the firm said: "While we are open to considering growth opportunities that are consistent with our strategic objectives and criteria, it would be inappropriate to comment on any specific discussions at this time."
Last month, Jeffrey Steiner, who joined DLA Piper with seven other corporate and finance partners from Thelen, became the third name partner to defect from Thelen. In 2006, San Francisco's Thelen Reid & Priest merged with New York's Brown Raysman Millstein Felder & Steiner to give the merged law firm a presence on both sides of the US.
Earlier in August, Richard Raysman, a litigator and technology transactional lawyer, moved to New York's Otterbourg Steindler Houston & Rosen. In June, Peter Brown, a technology litigation practitioner, went to Baker Hostetler in New York.
Gina Passarella of The Legal Intelligencer contributed to this report.
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