Duane Morris has hired away longtime Fox Rothschild partner Michael Harrington, who previously led the firm’s corporate department and served as managing partner of its Exton office, along with special counsel Elizabeth Hodgson.

The two attorneys will be based in Philadelphia and mark the latest laterals to join the firm, with Duane Morris announcing two new securities litigation partners in its Atlanta office on Sept. 15.

“We’ve never seen the pipeline of potential lateral recruits as full as it is now,” said Duane Morris CEO Matthew Taylor. “That’s an exciting thing.”

Harrington is joining the firm after a 26-year tenure at Fox Rothschild, where he served as chairman of the corporate department, the firm’s second largest practice group, for approximately 12 years.

“I’ve known Duane Morris most of my career,” said Harrington. “[This was] an opportunity to bring my practice to a place that offers a tremendous high level and depth on the corporate and other sides [of practice].”

Harrington expressed a particular enthusiasm for the firm’s private equity, fund formation, and public company formation practices, pointing to them as part of his motivation to leave his long-time position with Fox Rothschild.

“Those are important ancillaries to a vibrant corporate practice,” he said.

Taylor agreed, pointing to the strength of the firm’s platform.

“[Michael] adds to our already excellent capabilities… adding strength on strength,” said Taylor. “I also think that we provide Michael and Liz a platform that gives them some more offerings and strength of practices, that
includes fund formation, intellectual property, litigation, and so I think it was really strength on strength.”

His second motivator, however, was the firm’s culture, as well as his deep knowledge of the firm and its leadership throughout his 30-year legal career.

“I’ve known Matt for almost 10 years,” Harrington said. “I’ve always been very impressed with his leadership, the growth of the firm. I’ve known the lawyers here long enough to know from the outside looking in [about] the collegiality and the true partnership Duane has.”

“It was important to me to leave a great firm for another great firm,” he added.

Harrington’s practice focuses on early and emerging technology and medical technology businesses centered primarily in the Philadelphia region, although some of his clients are scattered around the country. Despite a broader industry-wide struggle with transactional headwinds in recent months, Harrington feels his practice is busier than ever.

“A significant component of my practice is the M&A or deal side of my practice,” Harrington explained. “My deal practice has been extremely busy lately. I have a large roster of active deals [right now], that might be a bit contrary to the trend.”

“It’s happening because clients remain busy,” he added, yet he also credited the diversity of the companies and sectors he services.

“I have a good base of practice,” he said. “It’s not dependent on a particular sector or type of company.”

Harrington’s clients will be coming along with him in the move, and he expects most of his currently ongoing deal work to conclude by the end of the year.

In addition to his book of business, Harrington’s arrival bolsters Duane Morris’s corporate practice, a targeted area of growth for the firm.

“We’ve not made any secret that we’re looking to expand our corporate practice group,” Taylor said. “Mike has really been recognized as a marquee lawyer in his area for years. That’s what we’re trying to do: grow our law
firm with marquee talent.”

Although the firm is more aggressively pursuing growth in other metropolitan areas, Taylor teased further lateral growth in the firm’s Philadelphia home base.

“The word is out that our platform is one where it’s a very attractive firm to join,” Taylor explained. “I’m confident that’s one of the reasons why we’ve seen such growth, in combination with the momentum we’ve built. This is really a momentum business.”

Fox Rothschild did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the move.

Reprinted with permission from The Legal Intelligencer, © ALM Media Properties LLC. All rights reserved.