TALLAHASSEE – Trial law firm Akerman LLP has added 30 new litigators to its staff of more than 650 after Houston-based firm Beirne, Maynard and Parsons dissolved in mid-July. The firm includes 350 litigators in 24 offices across the country.
The Florida-based Akerman has offices in Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Jacksonville, Miami, Naples, Tallahassee, Tampa, West Palm Beach and Maitland as well as in Chicago and New York among other areas.
Bierne, Maynard and Parsons’ top executives, including Martin Beirne, the founding partner of the firm, and managing partner Brit Brown have joined Akerman.
Among the lawyers joining Akerman include 21 partners, three of counsel and six associates. Several of the 30 new Akerman lawyers will be located in Houston.
Additionally, Akerman has opened new offices in Houston, San Antonio, Austin and New Orleans.
“Martin Beirne is a lion of the Texas Bar and my partners and I have had the pleasure of working with him and getting to know his colleagues over the years through our mutual participation in the Network of Trial Law Firms,” Andrew Smulian, Akerman chairman and CEO, told the Florida Record.
Akerman is a top 100 law firm in the United States and deals with middle market mergers and acquisitions within the financial and real estate sectors.
“We’re excited about attracting such a large number of stellar litigators and trial lawyers and with them expanding our presence across Texas into Houston, San Antonio, Austin and into New Orleans as well,” Smulian said.
Aside from Beirne and Brown, the former partners now working with Akerman in Houston include N. Terry Adams, Brian Bagley, Benjamin Escobar, Scott Marrs, Andrew McGill, Edward Murphy, Joseph Nixon, David Pluchinsky, James Rogers and W. Bruce Stanfill.
Trey Trainor, a partner, will work out of Akerman’s Austin location. Dayna Blair, Lori Hanson, Laurence Kurth and Matthew Wymer will work in San Antonio and Thomas Louis Colletta, Patrick Johnson, Benjamin Slater and Brent Wyatt will work in New Orleans.
“I’m confident our clients will see immediate value,” Smulian said.
Beirne said that thorough his former firm’s and Akerman’s participation in the Network of Trial Law Firms, he has gotten to admire Smulian and his colleagues.
“Akerman is a dynamic, forward-thinking law firm that is truly client-driven in its strategy and is exceptionally well-managed,” Beirne told the Florida Record.
He said Akerman’s national platform is a perfect fit for his partners and roster of clients.
“Our move will enable us to share a new level of industry specialists and expertise with our clients in even more places, and will do with a continued focus on quality, efficiency and innovation.
Ten of Beirne, Maynard and Parsons’ litigators have formed a litigation boutique in Houston and Dallas called Parsons, McEntire, McCleary and Clark.
The 10 attorneys include David Clark, Roger McCleary, Kristen McDanald, Sawnie McEntire, Brandon Montminy, Jeffrey Parsons, Robert Rosenm Sarah Sparling, Ryan Starbird and David Walton.