Firm News
FMG’s 2024 Annual Report and Holiday Message to Friends and Clients
12/17/24
Dear Friends,
It is my honor each year to share this holiday message and brief update on behalf of our law firm with our valued clients and friends.
Reflecting on the journey since we first opened our doors nearly three decades ago, it’s remarkable how far we’ve come. Starting with just eight lawyers, three secretaries, and an office manager, we crossed a significant milestone this fall—FMG now has over 400 lawyers. Along with our paralegals, management, and staff, our team has grown to more than 700 members across 38 offices in 21 states.
2024 in Review
This year, we continued to expand the depth and reach of our trial practice. “When It Counts” is more than a tagline and reflects our firm’s commitment to providing the talent and resources needed to handle and win our clients’ most critical and complex litigation.
We grew our footprint, particularly in Florida, opening three new offices. In addition to Ft. Lauderdale, we launched in Miami through a merger with Klein Park & Lowe, led by Rob Klein and Houston Park. In Orlando, John Bocchino and Kevin O’Hara brought us their nationally recognized healthcare team.
Elsewhere, we strengthened our capabilities with a distinguished trial team from Ward Greenberg Heller & Reidy, led by Ed Greenberg, Gerhard Dietrich, Dennis Callahan, and Dan Young, which expanded our Philadelphia and Cherry Hill offices. We also opened new offices in Wilmington, Delaware, and our latest West Coast office in Seattle, extending our reach in the Pacific Northwest. In Atlanta, the acclaimed trial team led by Jimmy Scarbrough and Walter McClelland added to our exceptional bench of trial attorneys.
A significant milestone was reached in California, where we now have over 100 attorneys, making it our largest single-state market. This past September marked another highlight as we welcomed 42 law school graduates, bringing fresh energy and enthusiasm to FMG.
Recognition and Achievements
This year brought further national recognition to FMG as one of the leading litigation firms in America. An impressive 100 of our attorneys were named to Best Lawyers in America, with 27 practice sections and teams also ranked. Michael Kenney in Hartford and Rob Klein in Miami earned “Lawyer of the Year” honors in their respective practice areas.
Our FMG Decisions team was ranked the No. 1 law firm-affiliated government relations team in Georgia. We also made our debut on the prestigious Am Law 200 list of America’s largest law firms and were recognized by the Atlanta Business Chronicle as Atlanta’s fastest-growing law firm by revenue.
A Year of Celebrations and Milestones
Beyond the numbers and accolades, 2024 was filled with personal milestones for our FMG family. From births and marriages to graduations and retirements, the cycles of life continued to bring joy and meaning to our firm.
We were very proud to welcome home United States Army Reserve Captain Jennawe Hughes, one of our Boston attorneys, safely returning after her eleven-month deployment in the Middle East. Jennawe and her husband John, who is a service member as well, are parents to three daughters, ages 2, 5, and 10.
We also want to recognize our partner Brad Purcell, who will be retiring at the end of the year. Brad is one of the renowned trial lawyers in Chicago and has been an incredible contributor to the very successful merger of his firm with us. Thanks to Brad’s leadership of the legacy Purcell Wardrope team, we have quickly built Chicago to one of our largest and most successful offices. Earlier this year, we also celebrated the retirements of two other partners: Paul Boylan in Boston and Alan Isbell in San Francisco. We wish all three of these great lawyers and good friends a long, happy, and fulfilling retirement after remarkable careers.
At FMG, we are committed to fostering a connected and collaborative “one office” culture. A poignant example of this was on Veterans Day, when team members shared stories of their families’ military service. No one minded the additional emails that filled our day as dozens wrote moving accounts of courage and sacrifice spanning generations from World War I to the present. The stories shared were a testament to love of country and the deep connections we share as a firm.
Gratitude
Finally, as I have written every year since 1997, in a world of change, one constant is our appreciation for our clients. Any success we have achieved is only because you continue to entrust us with your legal matters. We recognize and value that the relationship between lawyer and client is much more than a typical business arrangement. It is a partnership to confront the difficulties and risks of a legal system that can be challenging and often is not fair. We strive every day to meet and exceed your expectations, and we are thankful for the opportunity to represent you.
On behalf of the entire FMG family from all corners of our great nation, we wish you a happy holiday season and a safe and prosperous New Year.
Warm regards,
Managing Partner
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