Frequently Asked Questions: MSK and Richardson Patel Merger
Who are the two firms that merged?
Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP (MSK), a 107-year-old full-service law firm with extensive ties to digital media, entertainment, and other industries, is merging with Richardson Patel (RP), a boutique firm concentrated largely on corporate finance, securities, mergers & acquisitions, private equity, and general corporate matters since its founding in 2000.
When will this merger take effect?
July 1, 2015
Will the name of the firm change?
Our two firms are combining under the Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP name to merge our practices together so we can expand the services we offer to our clients.
Is the entire firm of Richardson Patel joining the merger?
The vast majority of the RP team, including partners, associates, and staff, will be joining MSK.
Why did MSK and RP choose to merge?
Richardson Patel wanted to broaden its service offerings as its clients’ needs have grown beyond its footprint, and Mitchell Silberberg wanted to strengthen its corporate capabilities. This achieves both. This combination gives our firms the opportunity to offer a full suite of legal services to clients in all industries and phases of their lifecycle – as they grow from innovative startups to Fortune 100s. Our firms also have a similar culture, entrepreneurial spirit, and vision for our future, and combining was like putting together the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.
Will your locations change?
No, MSK will remain a national law firm with offices in Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, D.C. We will combine offices in all three of those cities, allowing us to grow significantly in our markets right away, position us for future growth, and lead to smoother integration of our two firms.
What does this merger mean for clients?
This merger helps our clients as we now have a larger bench from which to draw, both with respect to the value proposition and services offered. Since the new firm will now have 130 attorneys, we will be able to offer expanded services and consistent excellence across a variety of new practice groups.
Were there any client conflicts?
No, in fact, we were shocked during the due diligence process to discover that there were no conflicts.
Will there be changes to firm leadership?
Kevin Gaut will become the Firm’s Chairman, while Nimish Patel will become Vice Chairman, having served as RP’s co-founder and co-managing partner. Richardson Patel’s co-managing partner Kevin Friedmann will become Chairman of our Corporate Department. Tom Edwards will remain Executive Director and Doug Gold is coming on board as Chief Marketing & Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Patel and Mr. Friedmann will also join MSK’s Governing Board.
