WolfBlock

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WolfBlock LLP
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
No. of offices8
No. of attorneysapproximately 317
Major practice areasGeneral practice, including lobbying
Key peopleMark L. Alderman
(Executive Committee Chair)[1]
Revenue$159.5M (2008)[2]
Date founded1903
FounderHorace Stern
Morris Wolf
Company typeLimited liability partnership
DissolvedAnnounced dissolution 23 March 2009, by vote of partners[2]
WebsiteWolfBlock.com

WolfBlock LLP (formerly Wolf, Block, Schorr & Solis-Cohen

National Law Journal
ranked WolfBlock the 149th-largest firm in the United States, and the 10th-largest in Philadelphia, by number of attorneys. The firm was known for being one of the oldest law firms in Philadelphia.

History

WolfBlock was founded in 1903 by

Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company, one of the predecessors of SEPTA. The firm gradually expanded, and after World War II, acquired several smaller firms, becoming a sizable regional firm.[3] Bernard Wolfman, later Dean of the University of Pennsylvania Law School
, was the managing partner of the firm from 1961 to 1963.

In 2002, the firm established a lobbying

Washington D.C. the following year.[3]

Collapse

Failed merger attempt

WolfBlock's management had planned a

Akerman Senterfitt, which would have created a single 800-lawyer firm.[4] But on August 7, 2008, the two firms released a joint statement explaining that the merger had been put on hold due to "a client conflict that cannot be discussed publicly".[5]

Dissolution

On March 23, 2009, the firm's partners voted for an orderly unwinding and dissolution of the firm, due in part to difficulties the firm was having in continuing its line of credit with Wachovia.[6] In a press release, the firm announced:

WolfBlock will remain in the practice of law for several months to protect the interests of its clients, employees and creditors. The decision to unwind was reached in view of a confluence of unfavorable factors:

financial crisis of 2007–2008; and the intended and anticipated departure of significant partners and practices.[2]

Practice areas

In addition to its lobbying practice, the firm had practice groups in

.

Notable lawyers and alumni

References

  1. ^ Mark Alderman's firm bio
  2. ^ a b c Passarella, Gina (2009-03-23). "Wolf Block to Close Its Doors". The Legal Intelligencer. Incisive Media. Retrieved 2009-03-23.
  3. ^ a b c Firm history
  4. ^ WolfBlock & Akerman Senterfitt to Form 800-Lawyer Firm ABA Journal, 21 July 2008.
  5. ^ Akerman merger with Philadelphia law firm on hold Tampa Bay Business Journal, 7 August 2008.
  6. Metrocorp
    . Retrieved 2009-06-01.
  7. ^ Gerber's firm bio

External links