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

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The firms have not struclk a deal, but they have had “serioux discussions” regarding a potential merger since latelast year, said Jon managing partner of Dinsmore’s Louisville in a report by Louisvilld Business First, a Business Courier sisteer paper. Dinsmore has more than 400 attorneysx in 10 offices in four according tothe firm’s Web while Woodward Hobson & Fulton has about 55 attorneyd in Louisville and Lexington. Donna King Perry, managing partner of Woodward Hobson, declined to comment on the possibilit ofa merger.
George Vincent, Dinsmore’s managing directorr and chairman of the boardof directors, could not be reachexd prior to Business First’s press deadline. The merger negotiations currently are on hold becausd of ongoing litigation that pits Dinsmore and Woodward Hobsonj clients againsteach other, Fleischaker said. Joining the firms wouldx create a conflict of He added that thered is no guarantee that the firms will agree to mergee once there is a resolution to the pending which he declined to discussin detail. Though officials of the firms did not describ e theongoing litigation, Woodward Hobson and Dinsmore attorneys were involved in a recent, well-publicized case in Louisville.
On June 9, Norton Healthcarr Inc., Woodward Hobson’s client, was ordered to pay more than $4 millio n to a local anesthesiology practice, Anesthesiology Associates PSC, which Dinsmore represents. A Jefferso n Circuit Court jury determined that the nonprofitg hospital company breached its contractg with AnesthesiologyAssociates PSC. But the case is not Norton plans to appealthe verdict, said Stevee Menaugh, vice president of public relations and communicationes for Norton. Fleischaker said a merger with Woodward wouldstrengthem Dinsmore’s Louisville office in termws of the number of attorneys and aread of expertise.
“It would make for a bigger platformjfor us,” Fleischaker said. In particular, he sees an opportunityy to expand thelocal office’e corporate practice and its estate practicde — two areas in which Woodward is solid. Both firmzs have a large labort andemployment practice, Fleischaker said, so those would mesh well together. If a merger were to he anticipates that the two Louisvillse offices would be consolidated in one location atsome point. Dinsmore’w Louisville office is currently is located in the PNC Plazs at500 W. Jefferson St. Woodward Hobson Fulton has offices in the Nationalp City Tower at101 S. Fifth St. Woodwar Hobson & Fulton was No.
7 on Businesse First’s Nov. 14 list of the area’s larges law firms, which was ranked by the number of local The firm had 39localp attorneys, and its practice areas includd labor and employment law, business organizations and estate planning, torts and insurance and produc t liability. Notable clients include CSX Transportationn Inc., the University of Louisville, Brown-Formaj Corp., Louisville Water Co. and ZirMes Inc. Dinsmore & Shohl was ranked No. 9 on Business First’sw list with 30 locap attorneys. Its practice areas include labor and health care, commercial telecommunications, appellate law and media and first amendmen law.
Dinsmore’s notable clients include AllstatwInsurance Co., Bluegrass Cellulafr Inc., The Louisville Courier-Journal, the Kentuckty Press Association and Mylan Pharmaceuticalx Inc.