After nine months of operating a brick-and-mortar presence in Pittsburgh, midsize central Pennsylvania firm McNees Wallace & Nurick has accumulated a total of 11 attorneys from locally headquartered firms, as it strives to grow its local reputation through networking and chain recruitment rather than professional recruiters.

Firm leaders said this week their strategy in western Pennsylvania, since onboarding most of the lawyers from construction litigation boutique Blumling & Gusky in late 2021, has been based on enticing area lawyers who have existing relationships with newly onboarded team members.