San Francisco’s Cooper, White & Cooper is joining Womble Bond Dickinson in an exciting new partnership. The merger brings a new office in the city and will push the trans-Atlantic firm over the 50-lawyer threshold with attorneys in San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, and Orange County. The move comes on the heels of a string of boutique buys that marked law firm merger activity in the second quarter of 2022 as Big Law expands in key markets like Northern California.
Cooper, White & Cooper is one of San Francisco’s oldest law firms; their breadth of service offerings allows Womble to offer a different value proposition to the upper middle-market segment of the Northern California legal landscape. The deal was brokered by Avis Caravello, Northern California’s legal recruiter, who described Cooper White as one of only a few remaining high-quality regional firms in San Francisco.
“I have always thought of them, and heard from others, that Cooper, White & Cooper is seen as lawyers’ lawyers. They have a great reputation for high-quality work, and amongst the local bar for being a firm that other firms go to and hire.” ‒ Avis Caravello
Womble’s culture and client-driven approach were not the only things that impressed Cooper White’s partnership. The economics were also a match ‒ allowing Cooper White to expand their service offerings within their current client economics. Caravello noted that Womble has “hit a sweet spot” with mid-market regional firms that desire breadth and depth, but also compatibility from a rates perspective.
Although Womble has no immediate plans for further expansion, CEO & Chair, Elizabeth Temple, said she sees future growth on the horizon and will continue to look for the right opportunities.