Troutman Pepper, Locke Lord announce merger

Troutman Pepper and Locke Lord said Friday they would merge on Jan. 1. After the tie-up, the firm will be rebranded Troutman Pepper Locke.

Tom Cole, current chair of Troutman Pepper, will continue as chair. David Taylor, Locke Lord's chair, and Ashley Taylor, Troutman Pepper's vice chair, will serve as vice chairs. Amie Colby, currently managing partner at Troutman Pepper, will retain that role in the merged firm.

"Our firms' shared dedication to client service and excellence will allow us to offer increased value to our clients," Cole said in a statement. He expressed enthusiasm about building on existing client relationships and introducing the new firm to broader markets.

Data from Fairfax Associates, a consulting firm, showed that in the first quarter of 2024, law firm merger activity significantly increased, with 20 completed mergers representing a 25% rise from the same period in 2023. The trend focused primarily on small and midsize firms, with 65% of mergers involving firms of 5-20 lawyers.

This uptick in merger activity suggests a dynamic legal market landscape for 2024, with firms strategically combining to enhance their competitive positions and expand their service offerings, according to the report.

The new Troutman Pepper Locke will maintain offices in major U.S. cities including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., as well as an international presence in Brussels and London.

"The expanded footprint of Troutman Pepper Locke will allow us to offer a far deeper bench of attorneys to advise clients on complex transactional, litigation, and regulatory matters," David Taylor said.

Colby said she was confident in the merger's success, citing a shared "high-performance culture" at both firms.

The combined firm will staff 1,600 attorneys in 35 offices in the U.S. and Europe. Last year, the firms reported more than $1.5 billion in combined gross revenue, ranking them as two of the nation's 30 largest law firms. Troutman Pepper has offices in Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego and San Francisco. Locke Lord has offices in Los Angeles and San Francisco.