Michael Best merges with Kane Kessler to enter New York market

What's the deal? Am Law 200 firm Michael Best & FriedrichDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has merged with Kane KesslerDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, a Manhattan firm of roughly 40 attorneys in business for more than 90 years. The combination establishes Michael Best's first New York presence and lifts it to nearly 400 attorneys across 19 US offices. Deal terms were not disclosed.

What's the endgame? Kane Kessler adds corporate and securities work, plus practices in capital markets, M&A, litigation, intellectual property, and real estate. Its clients span startups, financial institutions, and Fortune 500 companies.

Why now? The merger gives Michael Best a foothold in the country's largest legal market. Rob Lawrence, Kane Kessler's managing partner, will lead the new New York office.

Michael Best managing partner David Krutz called it "an exciting step for both firms," saying Kane Kessler's capabilities "align seamlessly with our strategic objectives."

The signal: Mid-size and regional firms increasingly use mergers to plant flags in New York rather than build offices from scratch. For Michael Best, absorbing an established Manhattan shop is a faster route into a market where scale and local relationships matter most.

Read more: abovethelaw.com

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