03/14/2024
Lafayette & Kumagai LLP announced that it will expand into Southern California by merging with Sanders Roberts LLP, a diversified firm with a strong focus on litigation and transactional matters. Sanders Roberts is the United States' largest and one of its fastest-growing Black-owned law firms. Both Black-owned firms are certified as minority-owned and are members of the Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF).
Sanders Roberts has been recognized as a “Top 20 Boutique in California” by the Daily Journal and one of the “Most Admired Firms to Work For” by the Los Angeles Business Journal. The firm’s litigation and transactional attorneys are creative, aggressive advocates and “fixers” who design and execute the most efficient and cost-effective strategies to advance their clients’ interests.
“With offices spanning the state of California, we are excited to offer our clients greater capacity to handle cases while upholding the exceptional standard of litigation and trial expertise that our clients rely upon and expect,” said Lafayette & Kumagai founding partner, Gary Lafayette. “With our expanded offerings, we strengthen our capabilities in business and employment litigation and now provide clients access to general liability litigation and entertainment law services.”
Lafayette, called a “big gun” and “high profile” by the San Francisco Chronicle and the Recorder, has tried more than 35 jury trials to verdict, and has successfully argued before the California Court of Appeal, the Ninth Circuit, the Ninth Circuit en benc, and the United States Supreme Court.
“We have known Gary for a long time and deeply admire the work he and his firm have done,’’ said Lawrence C. Hinkle II, Managing Partner, Sanders Roberts LLP. “I was excited about the opportunity to join forces and welcome Lafayette & Kumagai to the Sanders Roberts family and establish a Bay Area presence with such top talent. We strive to meet and exceed the highest standards of excellence, and bringing Gary and his excellent team aboard underlines that commitment.”
While Sanders Roberts and Lafayette & Kumagai have both grown organically, this represents both firm’s first merger, and advances Sanders Roberts’ goal of establishing the first institutional law firm in the United States that originated as a Black-owned firm. This merger gives the firm a significant presence with top tier lawyers in three of California’s most significant legal markets, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, and San Diego.
“This is a huge deal for our firm and validates our aspirations of being a national institutional firm with some of the top lawyers anywhere,” said co-founder Reginald Roberts, Jr. “Gary is a true heavy hitter in this industry, and having him and his outstanding team lead our Bay Area practice is going to add tremendous value for our clients,” said co-founding partner Justin Sanders.
Read more here: https://lkclaw.com/historic-merger-for-black-owned-law-firms-in-california/
