Law firm Dechert hires 20-partner team from rival McDermott
By Sara Merken
NEW YORK, Jan 23 (Reuters) - U.S. law firm Dechert said on Friday that it has hired a group of 20 lawyers from competitor McDermott, Will & Schulte, including a firm leader, gaining new offices in Chicago and Dallas in the process.
Mike Poulos, who was a member of McDermott's executive committee and its global strategy chief, leads the group joining Dechert across six cities, all as partners.
Poulos, who is joining Dechert as vice chair and global head of strategy, was not immediately available for comment. A McDermott spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In addition to Chicago and Dallas, where Dechert did not previously have offices, the new partners are based in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. Philadelphia-founded Dechert closed an office in Chicago in 2024, while also shuttering Beijing and Hong Kong outposts following a "strategic review" of office locations.
Dechert last week brought on prominent trial lawyer Randy Mastro in New York to co-chair its securities and complex litigation practice. The firm on Friday also announced it hired Akin Gump trial lawyer Jim Wetwiska, who will help it launch an office in Houston.
The McDermott team is the latest large group to switch firms so far this year. Womble Bond Dickinson last week hired 19 lawyers from McGlinchey Stafford, a midsize U.S. law firm that voted earlier this month to shut its doors. On Friday, Spencer Fane added 16 lawyers from McGlinchey.
McDermott completed a merger with Schulte Roth & Zabel last summer.
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