Alston & Bird merges with 83-lawyer Weston; hires 12 from Akin Gump

Alston & Bird has secured its much-anticipated merger with west coast firm Weston Benshoof Rochefort Rubalcava & MacCuish.

The Atlanta firm announced today (Wednesday 30 July) that it was merging with the 83-lawyer Weston, a deal that will give the larger US firm its first outpost in Los Angeles.

As The Lawyer reported yesterday (29 July), the firm has also hired a group of 12 IP lawyers, including three partners, from Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld’s Silicon Valley office.

The three Akin partners joining Alston are Yitai Hu, Sean DeBruine and Steve Hemminger, all of whom are best known for IP litigation.

“While Alston & Bird has been representing clients on the West Coast for years, teaming up with some of the best talent in Los Angeles and Silicon Valley gives us a stronger footing in a number of key practice areas that will benefit our clients and better serve their needs,” said Richard Hays, Alston & Bird’s managing partner.

Weston is best known for its environmental and land use practices, seen by Alston as complementary areas for its own energy infrastructure and sustainability practice.

It is also known for litigation including intellectual property and class actions.

Weston Benshoof will officially become part of Alston & Bird on 1 September, 2008.