Group lateral moves are still all the rage in Biglaw, and Fennemore Craig ought to know — the Am Law 200 firm just gobbled up its fourth group of laterals in 2024, and this time, a firm is closing its doors as a result of the move.
Denver-based Moye White will be winding down its business now that the majority of its employees — some 50 lawyer and 30 staff members — have chosen to head to Fennemore. The group is expected to start at the Biglaw firm in mid-April, while their former firm, which was nearly 50 years old, takes the rest of the year to close up shop.
The American Lawyer has additional details on the transaction:
[Fennemore CEO James] Goodnow said he expects Moye White to add close to $30 million in annualized revenue to Fennemore. Fennemore, which is headquartered in Phoenix, experienced a 5.7% increase in revenue in 2023 to $143.2 million, according to data compiled by The American Lawyer. …
“We’ve found this mass lateral hiring works depending on the situation,” Goodnow said. “It’s a very clean way to do a transaction. You don’t have to worry about the complexities of integrating financial or technology systems.”
Unfortunately, not all Moye White employees received offers to move to Fennemore. “We certainly wish everyone, whether on the lawyer or staff side, all of them the best,” Goodnow said. “We don’t take the human side of this lightly.”
Congratulations to Fennemore Craig on yet another acquisition, and best of luck to almost everyone from Moye White who will soon be integrated into the larger firm.
After 47 Years, Denver’s Moye White to Wind Down After Most Lawyers Join Fennemore Craig [American Lawyer]
Staci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Twitter and Threads or connect with her on LinkedIn.
