Law firm partners approve operating agreement for merger

Listen to this article

Partners at Harris Beach and Murtha Cullina have approved an operating agreement that will govern a new, combined firm, which will be known as Harris Beach Murtha, the firms announced on Tuesday.

The firms had announced their intent to merge in May. As one firm, Harris Beach Murtha will have more than 250 attorneys in 16 offices, located in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Washington, D.C.

With roots dating back to 1856 and whose Long Island office is in Uniondale, Harris Beach has locations throughout New York State. And Murtha Cullina, established more than 75 years ago, has offices in Boston and across Connecticut.

The two firms offer complementary services, strengths and cultures in their respective locations, according to a news release about the approved operating agreement. The merger is designed to benefit clients of both firms through “a significantly increased knowledge base and expanded service area,” according to the news release.

“The overwhelming vote in favor of the Operating Agreement is a powerful testament to the strength of this combination,” Chris Jagel, Harris Beach CEO, said in the news release.

“I am delighted with the firms’ continued progress toward a successful combination and the enhanced capabilities Harris Beach Murtha will offer our clients,” Jagel said. “Together, we will deliver expanded, innovative services to an extended geographical footprint that will support our clients’ unique needs.”

“Our respective firms are eager to collaborate on a wide variety of matters across industries, and this demonstrated enthusiasm is just a glimpse of what is to come for Harris Beach Murtha: the highest quality legal services, supported by a bigger talent pool, expanded breadth of services, and broader geographic scope to meet our clients’ ever-evolving needs,” Andy Corea, Murtha Cullina managing partner, said in the news release.

“This milestone demonstrates the continued enthusiasm of both firms, as well as the strength we see resulting from this combination and the enhanced capabilities Harris Beach Murtha will offer our clients to meet their ever-evolving needs,” Tom Garry, Harris Beach’s Long Island office managing partner, told LIBN.

“Our attorneys understand the local regulatory, governmental, political and cultural landscapes that impact our clients’ business needs,” Garry added. “We are counselors in the truest sense of the word, and our ‘knowledge on the ground’ is a differentiator for our clients on Long Island.”

The firms will continue to operate as separate, independent entities until the operating agreement takes effect on Jan. 1, 2025. Until then, Jagel and Corea will co-lead an interim advisory committee focused on client needs and services through the transition.