Troutman Sanders and Pepper Hamilton Announce Plan to Combine

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

*In light of the rapidly changing coronavirus (COVID-19) situation, Troutman Sanders and Pepper Hamilton will postpone our merger date to July 1, 2020. While we are well-positioned to execute the combination on April 1, we believe the decision to postpone is in the best interest of our attorneys, staff, and clients. Postponing the merger will allow our attorneys to remain focused on excellent client care and will allow all our people to prioritize the health and safety of their families and themselves at this difficult time. As we continue to navigate the unprecedented challenges posed by COVID-19, we look forward to becoming Troutman Pepper on July 1. In the meantime, together, we have developed a dedicated COVID-19 Resource Center to guide clients and businesses through this global health crisis. The Resource Center — available at https://covid19.pepperlaw.com or http://covid19.troutman.com — is regularly updated with COVID-19 news and developments, recommendations from leading health organizations, and tools that businesses can use.

NEW YORK (January 9, 2020) — Troutman Sanders and Pepper Hamilton have agreed to merge effective April 1*, 2020. The new law firm, Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP, or “Troutman Pepper,” will have 1,100 attorneys in 23 cities across the country. Troutman Pepper will offer its clients greater resources and bench strength, enhanced practices and expanded geographical reach. The announcement follows a vote by both firms’ partnerships earlier this week.

Each firm brings a breadth and depth of experience serving clients in a multitude of areas as well as complementary industry strengths, spanning most of the industries critical to the U.S. economy. Key practices include corporate, litigation, intellectual property, tax and bankruptcy, among others. Health sciences, energy, real estate, insurance, finance, private equity, construction and technology are among the largest industries served by the combined firm.  

“Our firms’ complementary practice strengths and hallmark focus on client care make this merger ideal for our clients,” said Steve Lewis, Managing Partner of Troutman Sanders, who will serve as Chair and Chief Executive Officer of the combined firm. “Troutman Pepper will offer a deeper bench, increased resources and an expanded geographic footprint. With these factors, we see a tremendous upside for both our clients and potential new growth.”

“The reasons to combine our two firms extend well beyond the nearly seamless merging of the complementary practice groups,” said Tom Gallagher, Chair of the Executive Committee of Pepper Hamilton, who will serve as Vice Chair of the new firm. “From a cultural standpoint, we are significantly aligned on values. We both are considered innovators, having invested early in new tools and technologies, and we are both well-known for delivering exceptional value to our clients.”

Troutman Pepper will have an office in eight of the 10 largest U.S. markets. The firm’s expanded footprint creates more robust practices in the Southeast, Northeast, West Coast and Midwest regions of the country and a foundation for further strategic growth.

Culturally, both firms value teamwork with a commitment to loyalty, concern and support for one another and are dedicated to inclusiveness and advancing diversity. Both firms are highly involved in pro bono and community service work throughout the country, believing that attorneys and staff members should give back to the communities in which they live and work. All of these less tangible, but still critical, shared cultural values will contribute to a successful larger law firm.

Additional officers of Troutman Pepper are Tom Cole, Managing Partner of Pepper Hamilton, who will continue in that role at Troutman Pepper, and Andrea Farley, Chair of Troutman Sanders’ Partner Compensation Committee, who will continue in that role at the combined firm.

Troutman Pepper will have offices in 23 cities (in alphabetical order):

Atlanta, GA                            
Berwyn, PA
Boston, MA
Charlotte, NC
Chicago, IL
Detroit, MI
Harrisburg, PA
Los Angeles, CA
New York, NY
Orange County, CA
Philadelphia, PA
Pittsburgh, PA
Portland, OR
Princeton, NJ
Raleigh, NC
Richmond, VA
Rochester, NY
San Diego, CA
San Francisco, CA
Silicon Valley, CA
Virginia Beach, VA
Washington, DC
Wilmington, DE

CONTACTS:

Diane Iselin
Troutman Sanders
212.704.6018
diane.iselin@troutman.com

Daniel Pulka
Pepper Hamilton
215.981.4461 
pulkad@pepperlaw.com