Briggs and Morgan, a 135-attorney Minneapolis/St. Paul firm with roots dating back to 1882, is combining with the Taft law firm, effective Jan. 1, 2020. Once completed, Taft’s more than 600 lawyers will span 12 U.S. offices, primarily located in the Midwest.

“This is an exciting and dynamic strategy, bringing two thriving firms together,” said Steve Ryan, president and managing partner, Briggs. “The idea to join forces with Taft was driven by our clients and the desire to not just meet, but anticipate their needs. The larger platform gets us where we want to go in the way we want to get there – through a talent-driven strategy, Midwestern footprint and focus on practical, business-minded outcomes. The result is a firm that is greater than the sum of its parts.”

Both firms are known for sophisticated transactional, litigation and regulatory work for upper-middle-market clients. Briggs brings to Taft expanded finance, patent litigation, energy, railroad and securities law expertise – to name just a few practice areas of note. The combined firm is strongly positioned to stay ahead of expanding client needs with a deeper scope of legal services in a broad geographical footprint.   

“Briggs is a highly respected firm thanks to its visionary leadership, great attorneys and exceptional staff. Taft’s strength comes from its people, and the Briggs team is second to none in terms of being in touch with client needs and delivering strong legal services. With this combination, Minneapolis will be the firm’s largest office with more growth on the horizon under Steve Ryan’s continued leadership. This combination will be transformative for Briggs, Taft and – most importantly – our clients,” said Robert J. Hicks, Taft’s chairman and managing partner. 

Taft’s unique decentralized leadership structure, without a designated headquarters, allows offices to thrive under local leadership, supported by the strong Taft brand and resources far beyond their geographical scope. Taft’s most recent expansion into the Chicago market demonstrates the strength of this strategy. In 2014, Shefsky & Froelich merged into Taft, and the Taft Chicago office has grown 57% since that time by attracting lateral attorneys from both top AmLaw 50 and mid-sized firms. This year, 11 attorneys have joined the Taft Chicago office. 

Taft’s firm-wide expansion strategy focuses on three key areas:  strategic combinations in key markets, lateral attorneys with evolving client needs and organic growth. In 2018, Taft increased its number of attorneys by 10 percent.

Minneapolis/St. Paul is the third largest market in the Midwest, and Briggs and Morgan is the market’s fifth largest law firm, representing many marquee clients such as the Minnesota Vikings and the Minnesota Twins. Both firms place great value on client service and seek to be the employer of choice by modernizing the way legal services are delivered.