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Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP—the second-largest law firm operating in Indianapolis—is heading out west through the law firm’s newest merger with Sherman & Howard LLC in Denver.
The firm announced Monday that it will merge with Denver’s oldest and third-largest law firm effective Jan. 1, 2025.
All eight of Sherman & Howard’s offices will join Taft’s nine primary markets, which include the firm’s Indianapolis site. The merger will add 125 attorneys to Taft’s list of attorneys that span from Denver to Washington D.C., taking its number to more than 1,000 attorneys in the firm.
Taft now has offices in 10 states across the U.S. In Indianapolis, Taft has 172 attorneys, making it the second- largest law firm in the area, according to Indianapolis Business Journal research. Indianapolis based Barnes & Thornburg LLP is the largest, with 197 attorneys.
Both Taft and Sherman & Howard said they saw each other as a great addition to expand services to clients and serve their mission.
“From the inception of the firm in 1892, we have helped shape the businesses and cities where we work and live. When we began discussions with Taft, we were immediately drawn to their collaborative, value-driven approach, and the success they have achieved by merging with firms that have a strong, local presence like we do,” said Sherman & Howard CEO Stefan Stein in a news release. “The alignment of our client-focused, people-first cultures, and the commitments to our respective communities, made this an easy decision.”
With the merger, Sherman & Howard will play an integral role in Taft’s firmwide leadership structure, which prioritizes decision-making autonomy for local market leadership while also maintaining the “One Taft” delivery model.
“We welcome the respected and talented group of attorneys and staff from Sherman & Howard to our team,” Robert J. Hicks, an Indianapolis-based attorney who serves as Taft’s chairman and managing partner, said in the press release. “They have an outstanding reputation and client base. With our shared commitment to our clients and communities, and our shared values of exceptional client service, teamwork, and inclusion and diversity, we are looking forward to the tremendous opportunities this merger brings our respective clients and firms.”
Taft has completed six mergers in the past 16 years, including those in Detroit, Minneapolis, Chicago, Columbus, Cleveland, and Indianapolis.
With the addition of Sherman & Howard, Taft’s projected 2024 combined revenues are $810 million, and its projected 2025 revenues are $875 million, according to the firm.
Am Law 100 recognized Taft as the nation’s fastest-growing law firm in 2022.
Sherman & Howard completed four mergers in the past 17 years, including in Denver, Phoenix, and Aspen.
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