The largest law firm merger in history is off to a smooth start, bringing together more than 3,200 lawyers to work in collaborative groups across offices. The combination of Hogan Lovells and Cadwalader, which formally took effect July 1, blends Cadwalader’s expertise in financial services with Hogan Lovells’ international reach.
In Denver, however, the significance of the union is less about size than about the expanded capabilities now available to Colorado clients.
Before the combination, the Denver office of Hogan Lovells was already established in corporate, real estate, finance and regulatory work, among others, ranking among the firm’s top-performing offices for much of the past 15 years, according to office managing partner Ana Tenzer. Cadwalader’s footprint adds strength in financial products that are increasingly relevant to the local market, allowing Denver attorneys to draw on internal resources rather than turning to outside counsel.
“We think we are unique in Denver and in what we can offer clients,” Tenzer said. “And it’s only gotten better with the merger in terms of what we can offer clients.”
Wall Street Reach for Mountain West Clients
Real estate partner Scott Campbell noted that the firm’s local client base has long operated beyond state lines.
“Our clients aren’t just focused on Colorado. They might be located in Colorado, but they’re doing deals here across the U.S. and globally,” he said. Referring to the combination, he continued, “This just adds to our offering. It gives us that depth and that scale.”
The combination also reinforces the firm’s ties to New York financial markets, thanks to Cadwalader’s history.
“The ability to partner with what is the oldest and most long-standing firm on Wall Street really made a ton of sense,” said Mark Kurtenbach, who practices corporate transactions and serves as global co-head of the firm’s sports, media and entertainment practice.
Because the firms had an existing working relationship before the merger, Kurtenbach said the transition has been especially seamless on the financial side. “Now they’re just working next to us instead of across the table,” Kurtenbach said. “That’s the benefit. You can call them up, and the client has access to 10 times more people that can say, ‘I’ve done a deal like this’ or ‘Have you thought of this?’”
Building Connections Across Firms
While the legal combination was formalized over the summer, leadership has focused on the long-term, practical work of integration: helping attorneys get to know their new peers and understanding when to bring them into a matter.
Campbell recently attended a retreat for real estate finance partners, where conversations highlighted overlapping contacts and shared strategies. Attorneys focused on “how we can combine forces and go to the market with our combined strengths and expertise and really work together to either gain or expand existing relationships,” he said.
Kurtenbach noted that the firm’s sector-based structure has accelerated the integration. While lawyers are anchored in traditional practice areas, they also collaborate within industry sectors, forming small working groups where cross-legacy relationships can grow. Collaboration platforms like Teams and Zoom have made it easier for attorneys across distant offices to build rapport without constant travel as well.
Kurtenbach, who has been with the firm for more than 20 years, pointed out that the leadership team is drawing on lessons from the 2010 combination that originally created Hogan Lovells. The current process has moved more smoothly “in part because the firm had an established playbook for bringing lawyers together.”
Looking Ahead in Denver
Tenzer, Campbell and Kurtenbach agree the merger has generated fresh momentum for local expansion. Growing the Denver presence remains a strategic priority for the combined firm, particularly in practices that complement Cadwalader’s core financial capabilities.
“There’s a really new energy around it,” Tenzer said. “We’re really trying to take advantage of that.”