Louisville, Ky. - The law firms of Greenebaum Doll & McDonald PLLC and Bingham McHale LLP announced that they will merge on January 2, 2012 to become Bingham Greenebaum Doll LLP.
The merger brings under one roof legal representation for a significant list of "household names" among regional and national corporations and organizations.
Greenbaum's client list includes Humana, KFC franchise holders, Churchill Downs and Peabody Energy. Bingham McHale LLP is counsel to the Gatorade Trust, the group that invented Gatorade, Pfizer, and Saint-Gobain, the world's largest building materials company.
"The merger of Bingham McHale LLP and Greenebaum Doll & McDonald PLLC is one based on mutual respect and the desire to increase our influence," said Greenbaum Chair Phillip D. Scott. "As Bingham Greenebaum Doll LLP, we will be expanding our geographic footprint and strengthening our knowledge base in areas such as governmental work and municipal bonding."
The new firm will have offices in Louisville, Lexington and Frankfort, Kentucky, Cincinnati, Ohio and the Indiana cities of Indianapolis, Evansville, Jasper and Vincennes. The merger results in a roster of 247 attorneys and 31 paralegals.
In announcing the agreement to merge, W. Tobin McClamroch, Managing Partner at Bingham McHale LLP noted, "Bingham McHale LLP is not only increasing the depth and breadth of our experience in key areas such as tax and finance, but we are also entering into a true merger that honors both firms' histories and current successes."
With the merger, Bingham Greenbaum Doll would rank 166 on the 2011 NLJ 250 list, published annually by the National Law Journal.
MERGER DETAILS
Clients of Interest:
While Humana is one of Greenebaum Doll & McDonald PLLC's largest clients, the firm also represents several Kentucky household names including the franchise holders of KFC restaurants under the banner of KFC National Council & Advertising Cooperative. It is also involved in the horse racing industry representing Churchill Downs and several horse farm owners and energy industry representing Peabody Energy, the world's largest private-sector coal company. Other clients include LG&E & KU Energy LLC, East Kentucky Power Cooperative, TriHealth, Inc., and National Tobacco Co.
The firm is active in the revitalization of Louisville's Whiskey Row through a resurgence of bourbon production along the famous corridor.
Bingham McHale LLP is counsel to the Gatorade Trust, the group that invented Gatorade, and Saint-Gobain, the world's largest building materials company and a global leader in the production of high-performance materials and glass containers. Other prominent clients include Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group, an employer of more than 5,000 people worldwide with an interest in 392 properties comprising 262 million square feet of gross leasable area in North America, Europe and Asia. The firm also represents Pfizer, Duke Energy, WellPoint and First Merchants Corporation.
Diversity:
Both firms have active diversity programs and traditions. At the leadership level, Mary E. Solada sits on Bingham McHale LLP's four-person management committee, and Greenebaum Doll & McDonald PLLC's Carolyn M. Brown leads the firm's Lexington office. Women chair three of Greenebaum Doll & McDonald PLLC's seven practice groups.
As a result of Greenebaum Doll & McDonald PLLC's diversity efforts, the firm ranked 31st in the United States in percentage of female partners (at 22.9 percent), according to Law360. Minority Law Journal awarded the firm its highest diversity rank in its region. Greenebaum Doll & McDonald PLLC also sponsors the Tri-State Diversity Recruiting Program, offered to law students of diversity who wish to work as summer or full-time associates.
Indiana Minority Business Magazine
Indiana Lawyer
Evidence of Bingham McHale LLP's dedication to diversity includes appointing a Diversity Director to advance diversity at the firm and developing the Women's Forum. Firm Partner Roderick Morgan was the first African American to serve as Indiana State Bar Association president, was named a 2008 Champion of Diversity by the and won 2007 Diversity in Practice Award. Firm Partner Rafael Sanchez is the incoming president of the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce's Hispanic Business Council.
Banking:
In their respective markets, both Bingham McHale LLP and Greenebaum Doll & McDonald PLLC have long histories of working with originating banks in Indiana and Kentucky, and still count many of those as current clients. In Kentucky, Greenebaum Doll & McDonald PLLC has worked with Community Trust Bancorp and Branch Banking and Trust Company (BB&T). In Indiana, Bingham McHale LLP counts among its banking clients PNC, First Merchants Bank, STAR Financial, German American Bancorp and Regions. Both firms have worked closely with Fifth Third.
What's in it for each firm
For Bingham McHale LLP
Tax Experience:
Greenebaum Doll & McDonald PLLC is known to have unparalleled tax experience, and Bingham McHale LLP knew that greater strength in transactional tax and tax controversies would benefit its clients. Timely legislative issues make this knowledge base particularly valuable. Issues related to the current payroll tax reform and the Affordable Care Act health care reform's impact on self-employment taxes are on the horizon. At the state level, the Indiana Chamber of Commerce's Top 10 legislative priorities include supporting elimination of the state inheritance tax and supporting exemption of the taxation of machinery and equipment. The merger of Bingham McHale LLP and Greenebaum Doll & McDonald PLLC puts the new firm in a position to more comprehensively find solutions for clients.
For Greenebaum Doll & McDonald PLLC
Government Experience and Geographic Footprint:
Bingham McHale LLP attorneys log thousands of miles a year working closely with clients in cities, towns and counties across Indiana to learn about local issues and advise community leaders on best practices. The Indiana firm's experience and depth in the areas of governmental work and municipal bonding are of particular interest to Greenebaum Doll & McDonald PLLC. The firm's Southern Indiana client base has grown consistently over the years. However, without a physical office in Indiana, the firm has been limited in the types of services it can offer to this growing market. Bingham McHale LLP's Indiana experience and Greenebaum Doll & McDonald PLLC's proximity to the market should offer the combined firm an opportunity to provide even better service to Southern Indiana clients.
Greenbaum Practice Groups and Chairs
Corporate and Commercial, Peggy B. Lyndrup
Estate Planning, Health and Insurance, John R. Cummins
Intellectual Property, Amy B. Berge
Labor and Employment, Richard S. Cleary
Litigation and Dispute Resolution, Mark S. Riddle
Environment, Energy and Natural Resources, Carolyn M. Brown
Tax and Finance, Mark F. Sommer
Bingham McHale Practice Groups and Chairs
Environmental Law, Andy Bowman
Litigation, Wayne C. Turner
Business Advisory, Keith A. Bice
Labor and Employment, Jeffrey M. Mallamad
Private Clients, James A. Reed
Real Estate, Mary E. Solada
Government, Hans W. Steck