CINCINNATI – On Nov. 1, Dinsmore & Shohl merged with Levanthal Law, a litigation firm based in San Diego.
“Adding a California office expands Dinsmore’s presence in a key state, especially since we represent a number of nationwide companies,” said Anna Dailey, managing partner of Dinsmore's Charleston office.
Dailey said California is a significant state in the energy, technology, agriculture, and recreational businesses, which are growing industries in West Virginia.
“I hope our expansion to the West Coast will help forge more connections between those California businesses and ours.," she said. "The more networking that can be done with people in other states, the greater the opportunities for our clients looking to practice law on a larger platform.”
The move is especially strategic because Dinsmore represents a number of nationwide companies with bases in California.
“Establishing a San Diego office means our clients can count on Dinsmore attorneys from start to finish without having to bring in local counsel,” Dailey said.
Local counsel is sometimes necessary in litigation that crosses state lines, and Dailey said she hopes the merger will help increase Dinsmore’s ability to handle cases.
“California is a highly regulated state and often on the forefront of many legal trends," she said. "We will have firsthand insights and practical knowledge that better positions us to counsel our clients."
With this merger, Dinsmore now employs 625 attorneys in 21 cities across the nation.
Levanthal Law represents Fortune 250 corporations, emerging companies, and high-profile individuals. The firm was founded in 2012 by Joe Levanthal, a former White House attorney.
“He is a great resource, just a phone call away,” said Dailey.
This is the most recent of many mergers that Dinsmore has executed over the past two years. In September 2015, it merged with Gifford Krass, an Intellectual Property Group that extended the firm’s reach to Michigan and Connecticut.
In February 2015, it merged with Huddleston Bolen, one of West Virginia’s oldest firms. In 2014, it merged with Peck, Shaffer, & Williams, gaining offices in Illinois and Colorado.
In the wake of such rapid growth, Dailey said that from a local standpoint, the day-to-day practices of operating her Charleston office will only improve.
“We will continue to leverage technology, like video conferencing, to collaborate with our colleagues in San Diego and across the firm, so we can draw upon that collective knowledge to serve our client’s needs,” Dailey said.