Last week Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper & Scinto, a leading IP firm successfully joined Venable LLP, an American Lawyer Global 100 firm. 

The firms will combine forces in three major cities on two coasts: New York, Washington DC, and Los Angeles. Ninety seven attorneys and seventy staff members will join Venable LLP in those cities, strengthening Venable’s knowledge base, with the majority of the lawyers heading to the New York office, making Venable one of the largest firms in New York.  Stu Ingis, chairman of Venable, says of the development:

Fitzpatrick has a long-standing reputation as one of the finest IP firms in the country, with an impressive roster of talented attorneys who share our core values and deep commitment to client service. This addition to our existing IP practice will benefit our clients who require deep IP support and strengthen the firm.

The impact of this development will mostly be felt in Venable’s Intellectual Property Practice Group.  The addition of Fitzpatrick to Venable’s Intellectual Property practice brings the practice group to 170 lawyers, adding to the knowledge base of the firm and helping to create one of the most sophisticated in the United States.  Ingis told Bloomberg Law that this move puts Venable’s IP group “a scale and a capability that puts us at the front of the line.”

The transition is ongoing, as Venable sorts out office space in Washington DC and New York.  Attorneys in DC will join Venable’s flagship office on Mass Ave.  In New York, the attorneys will work out of their existing office space, as they have not yet found a new office.  This should not be a problem, however, as Fitzpatrick and Venable work next door to each other in Midtown Manhattan.  Venable has five other US locations, mostly on the east coast.

For a year or two, attorneys who are moving from Fitzpatrick to Venable will identify themselves as working for “Venable Fitzpatrick” and eventually drop the Fitzpatrick.

Dominick Conde, formerly of Fitzpatrick and who will serve as co-chair of Venable’s IP division is eager to get to work.  Conde says:

We are thrilled to officially join Venable, where we can provide our clients with access to an even larger platform and expanded services in business and regulatory law, complex litigation, and legislative affairs. The response from our clients has been extremely positive, and we are excited to roll up our sleeves and begin working together.