Ballard Spahr and Lindquist & Vennum Have Merged

Ballard Spahr and Lindquist & Vennum have completed their merger, Ballard Spahr Chair Mark Stewart announced today. The combined firm—which retains the name Ballard Spahr—has more than 650 lawyers in 15 offices across the United States.

The merger strengthens client offerings at Ballard Spahr—particularly in the area of private equity and strategic M&A transactions—and provides the practice depth and expanded industry capabilities of an Am Law 100 firm to clients of Lindquist & Vennum.

It also extends Ballard Spahr’s footprint in the Midwest, giving the firm offices in Minneapolis and Sioux Falls, SD, and expanding its office in Denver. With more than 110 lawyers, the Minneapolis office is Ballard Spahr’s largest outside of Philadelphia.

"We have looked for a combination that would strengthen our ability to meet the significant increase in demand we see on the transactional side. This merger brings more than 60 M&A and private equity deal lawyers into our corporate department, as well as others whose skills align with the strengths of the firm across practice areas," Mr. Stewart said. "Our new colleagues handle sophisticated matters for clients like ours, and they are genuinely fine people who will be an asset to the firm."

Lindquist & Vennum advises clients in corporate M&A, finance, and litigation matters and is recognized as a leader in middle-market deal making. The two firms also share strength in financial services, litigation, energy, and family wealth management.

“Like Ballard, we are committed to personalized service, client value, and excellent legal work,” said Lindquist & Vennum Managing Partner Dennis O’Malley. “We’ve spent months aligning practice capabilities and getting to know one another so that clients on both sides will benefit from our expanded services from day one. Our name will change, but the qualities upon which we have built our reputation will not.”