Tennessee Law Firms Lewis King and Thomason Hendrix Merge
Two leading Tennessee-based law firms - Lewis, King, Krieg & Waldrop, P.C. and Thomason, Hendrix, Harvey, Johnson & Mitchell, merge this week to form one of the largest state-based firms in Tennessee called Lewis Thomason
. Following the merger joint operations commenced on January 1, 2014.The president of Lewis Thomason and managing shareholder of the Nashville office, Lisa Ramsay Cole, said, "This is a natural fit between our two well-known and highly respected law practices. Both firms are known for their commitment to client service, and both have solid reputations and strong identities in their respective legal communities. We plan to combine the best practices of both firms to better serve our clients."
Lewis King was founded in 1960 by George W. Morton, Jr. and L. Clure Morton. The firm initially focused on defense and commercial work, but has since diversified to include a wide range of practice areas with emphasis on the representation of companies and individuals in litigation. Before the merger, Lewis King had 58 attorneys across offices in Knoxville, Nashville and Sevierville.
Thomason Hendrix was founded in 1967 by John Thomason, Frank Crawford and Roy Hendrix. The firm was based in Memphis, and before merger it had 33 attorneys focusing on the representation of doctors and health care professionals and entities in litigation.
Reflecting on the merger, Michael E. Keeny, managing shareholder of Lewis Thomason's Memphis office said the new combination "results in our having a statewide footprint that gives our clients access to a broader pool of experienced attorneys…. It's truly a win-win situation for all concerned."
Laying out the focus of the new firm, Cole said, "Our overriding goal is to provide a high level of service that builds trust and establishes productive, long-term relationships with our clients."
Right now, the newly combined entity has 91 attorneys in its four offices and is expected to keep following the growth trend, which Keeney comments: "Both of our firms have grown naturally over the years without prior mergers."
