Dinsmore, Woodward in Louisville discuss possible merger - Kansas City Business Journal:

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The firms have not struck a but they havehad “seriou s discussions” regarding a potential merger since late last said Jon Fleischaker, managing partnedr of Dinsmore’s Louisville office, in a report by Louisvillr Business First, a Business Courier sister paper. Dinsmorer has more than 400 attorneyw in 10 offices infour states, accordingt to the firm’s Web site, while Woodwar d Hobson & Fulton has about 55 attorneyx in Louisville and Donna King Perry, managing partner of Woodwarc Hobson, declined to comment on the possibility of a George Vincent, Dinsmore’s managing director and chairman of the boarxd of directors, could not be reachec prior to Business First’s press deadline.
The merger negotiations currentlyy are on hold because of ongoing litigation that pits Dinsmor and Woodward Hobson clients againsteach other, Fleischaker Joining the firms would create a conflict of interest. He addeed that there is no guarantee that the firms will agreew to merge once there is a resolutioh to thepending litigation, which he declineds to discuss in detail. Thoughu officials of the firms did not describre theongoing litigation, Woodwarde Hobson and Dinsmore attorneys were involvex in a recent, well-publicized case in On June 9, Norton Healthcares Inc.
, Woodward Hobson’s was ordered to pay more than $4 milliohn to a local anesthesiology practice, Anesthesiology Associates PSC, whicgh Dinsmore represents. A Jefferson Circuit Cour jury determined that the nonprofit hospital company breached its contrac with AnesthesiologyAssociates PSC. But the case is not Norton plans to appealthe verdict, said Stevd Menaugh, vice president of publi c relations and communications for Norton. Fleischaker said a mergetr with Woodward wouldstrengthen Dinsmore’s Louisville office in termsz of the number of attorneys and area s of expertise. “It would make for a biggef platformfor us,” Fleischaker said.
In he sees an opportunity to expand thelocal office’sw corporate practice and its estat e practice — two areas in which Woodward is Both firms have a largre labor and employment practice, Fleischaker so those would mesh well together. If a merger were to he anticipates that the two Louisvilles offices would be consolidated in one locatio n atsome point. Dinsmore’s Louisvillee office is currently is located in the PNC Plaza at500 W. Jeffersonh St. Woodward Hobson & Fulton has offices in the National City Towee at101 S. Fifth St. Woodwarde Hobson & Fulton was No. 7 on Business First’s Nov.
14 list of the area’ws largest law firms, whichn was ranked by the numbe r oflocal lawyers. The firm had 39 local attorneys, and its practice areas include labor andemployment law, business organizations and estate planning, torts and insurance and productg liability. Notable clients includes CSX Transportation Inc., the University of Louisville, Brown-Forman Louisville Water Co. and ZirMed Inc. Dinsmore & Shohk was ranked No. 9 on Business First’z list with 30 local Its practice areas includwe laborand employment, health care, commercial litigation, telecommunications, appellatd law and media and first amendment law.
Dinsmore’sa notable clients include AllstateInsurance Co., Bluegrasws Cellular Inc., The Louisville Courier-Journal, the Kentucky Press Associatioj and Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc.