Virginian law firm Hunton & Williams and Texas practice Andrews Kurth Kenyon announced that both partnerships have approved an agreement to combine to become Hunton Andrews Kurth. Both firms’ partnerships voted overwhelmingly to approve the combination which will create a 1000-lawyer firm operating through 15 domestic and five international locations, making it one of the top 50 US legal practices by headcount with a combined revenue of $750 million in revenue. The two sides began talking about eight months ago after a consultant retained by Andrews Kurth looked for a merger partner whilst Hunton & Williams was keen to up its presence in Texas.  

Complementary practices

It is the largest group to join Hunton & Williams since taking on 100 lawyers from the now-defunct Jenkens & Gilchrist a decade ago. The combination will bring together two energy practices - where Hunton & Williams is strong in public utilities and Andrews Kurth well known in oil and gas. The firms will combine their capital markets, financial services and commercial litigation practices. Wally Martinez, managing partner of Hunton & Williams, said: 'This is a merger of two great firms already aligned around complementary practices and geography. Together we strike a bolder geographic footprint in key markets and establish ourselves as a powerhouse in Texas. Our focus on providing exceptional client service will not change. We will integrate our formidable transactional, litigation and regulatory practices to serve our clients in shared areas of industry strength. This will greatly benefit our clients and our people.'  Robert Jewell, managing partner of Andrews Kurth Kenyon, said: 'Hunton Andrews Kurth brings together the history, reputation, experience and resources of the legacy firms to create a law firm that is greater than the sum of its parts. We are excited about the opportunities this combination provides for our firm and our clients.'

Management team

Mr Martinez will serve as managing partner of the combined firm, and Mr Jewell will become managing partner emeritus. Current Hunton executive committee chairman George Howell will remain chairman of the combined firm’s executive committee, which will be comprised of five legacy Andrews Kurth Kenyon partners and nine legacy Hunton & Williams partners. The merger is expected to take effect after the close of Hunton’s fiscal year at the end of March.

Background

Hunton & Williams is a global law firm serving clients in the United States, Europe, Latin America and Asia. The firm handles transactional, litigation and regulatory matters for a diverse client base, with significant experience in energy, financial services, real estate, retail and consumer products, and privacy and cybersecurity. Founded in 1902, Andrews Kurth Kenyon represents a wide array of clients in multiple industries.