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Ohio Law Firm Sees Mass Exodus to Rival Firm
The National Law Journal
June 17, 2008
Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs will close its Columbus, Ohio, office for the time being following the defection of nearly all its attorneys in that locale to a rival Ohio law firm, Dinsmore & Shohl.
Dinsmore said in a press release that it's taking 27 of the 28 exiting Buckingham attorneys, strengthening its health care, construction, corporate and employment practice areas. Dinsmore already has 14 lawyers in the city and is still in the process of deciding how to combine the offices.
"There's a more aggressive attitude at Dinsmore in terms of marketing and taking advantage of business opportunities," said Don Leach, Jr., a former Buckingham attorney who will now lead the Columbus Dinsmore office as managing partner.
Dinsmore has about 375 attorneys in nine offices now, including its hometown office in Cincinnati as well as Dayton, Ohio; Lexington and Louisville, Ky.; Charleston, Morgantown and Wheeling, W.V.; and Pittsburgh. Buckingham has about 140 lawyers in three Ohio offices, including Cleveland, Akron, and Canton, as well as Boca Raton and West Palm Beach, Fla.
Thomas J. Bonasera, 60, will work with Leach, 53, in leading the new Dinsmore office. In all, there are 17 partners and 10 associates making the switch. Thomas J. Sigmund, the one attorney opting to go to a different firm, couldn't be reached for comment.
The Dinsmore attorneys were particularly interested in the intellectual property and mineral rights expertise that they will gain at the new firm, Leach said.
Buckingham president Pat Keating said his firm is also looking to expand in the intellectual property practice area. Keating, who stepped into his post as president earlier than expected following the defections this month, said he will be traveling to the firm's other offices in Florida next week to discuss any concerns the nearly 30 attorneys there may have in the wake of the changes.
"We do like the Columbus market," Keating said. "We will probably go back."
