July 14, 2008 3:32 PM

Alston in Merger Talks with Weston Benshoof

Posted by Drew Combs

Atlanta law firm Alston & Bird is in talks to acquire Los Angeles-based firm Weston Benshoof.

If a deal between the firms is finalized, the combination would give 800-attorney Alston, which has six domestic offices, an outpost in California. The move follows the West Coast expansion of another Atlanta firm, King & Spalding, which opened offices in Silicon Valley and San Francisco earlier this year. Presently 20 attorneys work at King’s two California offices.

Altson's potential merger with Weston would instantly give it 80 California attorneys specializing in litigation, real estate development, and environmental law.

Richard Hays, managing partner of Alston & Bird, told The Am Law Daily, “We are actively pursuing opportunities in California, which we feel good about. But we are not in a position to announce anything. We have a lot of demand in California with existing clients and see opportunity with new clients.”

Alston's work for clients such as United Parcel Service, Wachovia, and Aflac covers a wide range of practice areas including general commercial litigation, tax, and intellectual property. The firm’s 2007 revenues totaled $518 million, a 12.1 percent increase from the previous year. It ranked fifty-fourth on The American Lawyer's list of the 100 highest-grossing firms.

Clients of Weston, which was founded in 1984, include the Boeing Co. In addition to its Los Angeles office, Weston has a small office in Westlake Village, California. Weston’s managing partner Edward Casey could not be reached for comment.

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