The merger of law firms Hogan & Hartson and Lovells, announced in December 2009, came into effect on 1 May 2010. The combined firm, Hogan Lovells, has about 2,500 lawyers in more than 40 offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America.
The combination is described by the firm as a progressive response to the increasing need by large multinational clients for high quality legal advice on complex, cross-border transactions, disputes, and commercial matters. It also reflects the increased emphasis on regulation in the global marketplace and the complex legal issues involved, in the US and European Union markets, but also in other markets such as China.
Hogan Lovells is led by former Hogan & Hartson chairman, Warren Gorrell, and former Lovells managing partner, David Harris, as co-CEOs of the new firm.
Gorrell and Harris say: ‘We have a series of investment plans designed to continue the growth and development of the firm, with a particular focus on building our capabilities in the finance area in New York and our corporate strength in London and New York.
‘At the same time, we are committed to the continued development of our practice in Asia and the Middle East which we consider to be areas for additional investment and reflect the changing balance of the world's economy. In Europe we are concentrating on selectively reinforcing the range of services we provide from our offices. There are also some potential opportunities in emerging markets which are being explored.’