Dinsmore, Woodward in Louisville discuss possible merger - Business Courier of Cincinnati:

http://valevuj.comoj.com/
The firms have not struck a but they havehad “serious discussions” regardin g a potential merger since late last said Jon Fleischaker, managing partner of Dinsmore’s Louisvilles office, in a report by Louisvillse Business First, a Business Courier sister Dinsmore has more than 400 attorneys in 10 officesd in four states, according to the firm’s Web while Woodward Hobson & Fultonm has about 55 attorneys in Louisville and Donna King Perry, managiny partner of Woodward declined to comment on the possibility of a merger.
Georgew Vincent, Dinsmore’s managing director and chairmabn of the boardof directors, coulcd not be reached prior to Businessd First’s press deadline. The merger negotiationse currently are on hold because of ongoing litigationn that pits Dinsmore and Woodward Hobson clients againsteach other, Fleischakee said. Joining the firms would create a conflicytof interest. He added that ther e is no guarantee that the firms will agree to merge once there is a resolution to thependinhg litigation, which he declined to discussa in detail.
Though officials of the firms did not describr theongoing litigation, Woodwar Hobson and Dinsmore attorney were involved in a recent, well-publicizex case in Louisville. On June 9, Nortohn Healthcare Inc., Woodward Hobson’sw client, was ordered to pay more than $4 millionm to a local anesthesiology practice, Anesthesiology Associates PSC, whicy Dinsmore represents. A Jefferson Circuit Court jury determined that the nonprofi t hospital company breached its contract with AnesthesiologyhAssociates PSC.
But the case is not Norton plans to appeal the saidSteve Menaugh, vice president of publiv relations and communications for Fleischaker said a merger with Woodward would strengthen Dinsmore’s Louisvillre office in terms of the number of attorneysd and areas of expertise. “It would make for a bigge platformfor us,” Fleischaker In particular, he sees an opportunithy to expand the locaol office’s corporate practice and its estate practicw — two areas in which Woodwarr is solid. Both firms have a large labor and employment Fleischaker said, so those woulfd mesh well together.
If a merge r were to occur, he anticipates that the two Louisville offices would be consolidatedr in one location atsome point. Dinsmore’w Louisville office is currently is located in the PNC Plaz at500 W. Jefferson St. Woodward Hobson & Fulton has offices in the National City Towere at101 S. Fifth St. Woodwarr Hobson & Fulton was No. 7 on Business First’s Nov. 14 list of the area’as largest law firms, which was ranked by the number oflocal lawyers. The firm had 39 local attorneys, and its practice areas include labor andemploymeny law, business organizations and estate planning, torts and insurance and product liability.
Notable clientse include CSX Transportation Inc., the Universityu of Louisville, Brown-Forman Corp., Louisville Water Co. and ZirMec Inc. Dinsmore & Shoho was ranked No. 9 on Business First’x list with 30 local attorneys. Its practice areas include labodrand employment, health care, commercial litigation, appellate law and media and first amendmen law. Dinsmore’s notable clients includes AllstateInsurance Co., Bluegrass Cellular Inc., The Louisville Courier-Journal, the Kentucky Press Association and Mylan Pharmaceuticalsa Inc.