Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney

Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney has absorbed an immigration firm in Florida and brought on a name partner from family law boutique Buckner, Shifrin, Etter, Dugan, Bradfute & Kohlman to help lead its family law practice.

In absorbing immigration firm Weiss, Alden & Polo, Buchanan Ingersoll expands its capabilities in Miami to include immigration with three lawyers—the two name partners who are still active, Christine Alden and Gina Polo, and associate Stephania Bertoni. The firm's other name partner, founder Michael Weiss, has been retired for several years.

Former Buckner Shifrin name partner Robert Kohlman will co-chair Buchanan Ingersoll's matrimonial and family law practice group. Buchanan Ingersoll said that Kohlman's trial and appellate experience—which includes more than 125 trials—will help strengthen the firm's commercial litigation, appellate, and arbitration capabilities in Miami.

Kohlman said the move gives him the resources of a national law firm and the ability to expand his practice beyond South Florida. “The addition of Robert provides us with a top-notch matrimonial and family attorney in Miami,” Buchanan CEO and managing director, Joseph Dougherty, said in a statement. “Robert's immense skills and client base nicely complement our existing New York and New Jersey matrimonial practices. Many of our matrimonial and family law clients have homes and businesses in both locations, so we'll be better able to serve them on both fronts.”