Hopkins Carley will merge with Lathrop GPM

The Silicon Valley law firm Hopkins Carley will merge with Lathrop GPM, effective Oct. 1, the two firms announced Wednesday.

"This combination with Hopkins Carley provides high-quality critical mass in the Bay Area. We look forward to adding Hopkins Carley attorneys in areas such as private client services, real estate and construction, labor and employment, litigation and financial services, to name a few," Cameron Garrison, Lathrop GPM's managing partner and chair of its executive committee, said in a statement.

Lathrop's acquisition of Hopkins Carley will be its second since the firm's formation in 2020, when Kansas City's Lathrop Gage merged with Minneapolis' Gray Plant Mooty.

Hopkins Carley has 62 attorneys in San Jose and Redwood Shores. With the merger, Lathrop GPM will have 360 attorneys in 13 offices in eight states and Washington, D.C.

Data from Fairfax Associates, a consulting firm, showed that in the first quarter of 2024, law firm merger activity underwent a significant increase, with 20 completed mergers representing a 25% rise from the same period in 2023. The trend focused primarily on small and midsize firms, with 65% of mergers involving firms of 5-20 lawyers.

This uptick in merger activity suggests a dynamic legal market landscape for 2024, with firms strategically combining to enhance their competitive positions and expand their service offerings, according to the report.

Lathrop GPM said the tie-up would strengthen several of its practice areas including private client services, real estate, labor and employment, intellectual property, and corporate, tax and business transactions.

Jennifer Johnson, managing shareholder for Hopkins Carley, said in a statement: "We are proud of our distinguished 60-year legacy in California and excited to enter a new partnership that increases the services our clients trust us to provide."