Fennemore Fresno image

Fast-growing U.S. law firm Fennemore announced Monday the acquisition of Fresno-based Sullivan McGregor & Doerr LLP (SMD).

The SMD firm is recognized in the Central Valley for its taxation, trusts and estates, business and water, and agricultural practice groups.

The six attorneys and four allied legal professionals formerly associated with SMD will now occupy Fennemore’s existing office in Fresno, established in 2020 with the acquisition of 100 legal professionals from law firm Dowling Aaron.

Fennemore was named the fastest-growing law firm in the country by Law.com in 2021. It has 16 offices throughout the U.S.

Fennemore’s latest acquisition comes on the heels of posting the largest year-over-year revenue growth among all firms in The American Lawyer 2023 Am Law 200, the listing of the 200 largest law firms in the country ranked by gross revenue. Fennemore’s revenue grew by 45% in 2022 versus 2021 — outpacing the 2.7 – 4.1% average among the Am Law 100 and 200, respectively.

“At the end of the day, it’s really about cultural alignment and providing the very best legal services to our clients,” said Richard M. Aaron, Fennemore’s California Region Chair. “I am personally excited to work with these outstanding legal professionals, and look forward to having the ability to make an even greater impact in the communities where we live and serve in Fresno, the San Joaquin Valley, and throughout California.”

Key practice areas offered by the combined firms included agribusiness, water law, business and finance, mergers and acquisitions, real estate, construction, health care, business litigation, tax, trusts and estate planning, corporate bankruptcy, natural resources and environmental, ERISA and benefits, intellectual property, labor relations and employment law, and emerging business.

“We’re excited to add the extraordinary lawyers of SMD to the Fennemore family,” said James Goodnow, Fennemore’s CEO and managing partner. “We’ve strengthened our already deep tax bench, and for corporate and complicated tax issues, I believe we’re now the preeminent, go-to corporate firm in the Central Valley.” 

“This is an exciting day in the next chapter for our firm and for the evolution of Fennemore,” noted Joseph J. Doerr, the Managing Partner of SMD, certified by the California Board of Legal Specialization as a specialist in taxation law. “Our combined tax and trusts & estates teams are now especially well-positioned as Baby Boomers are in the midst of the greatest wealth transfer in human history, holding half of the nation’s $140 trillion in wealth.”