Florida business law firm Gunster said Monday that it has added 22 attorneys through a merger with a Tampa-based firm formerly known as Barnett, Kirkwood, Koche, Long & Foster.
The firms completed the deal on Oct. 1, according to 240-lawyer Gunster, which now has 12 offices across Florida. The West Palm Beach-founded firm did not disclose the terms of the combination.
Gunster said the Barnett firm’s work advising businesses and private wealth clients complement its own broad practice areas.
Gunster has represented businesses including AT&T Inc, Bank of America Corp, European Wax Center and U.S. Sugar Corp, according to a list of representative clients on its website.
Law firm mergers have increased in the first three quarters of 2022 compared to that period in 2021, but are still below the historical 10-year average, according to figures released last week by consultancy Fairfax Associates.
Smaller law firms are driving the most deal activity, with 67% of the 12 mergers last quarter involving firms between five and 20 lawyers, said Fairfax, which tracks completed combinations.
Gunster has added a second office in the Tampa Bay region through the deal, which brought its Tampa lawyer headcount to 51 attorneys, the firm said.
A growing number of law firms has expanded into other parts of Florida in 2022, with at least four major firms opening new offices in Miami earlier this year.
Source: Reuters.com