Partner: WolfBlock voted to disband

NJBIZ, Mar 30, 2009 by Daks, Martin C

The partners of WolfBlock LLP, a Philadelphia law firm with more than 67 lawyers in Roseland and Cherry Hill, voted last week to disband, according to a managing partner in its Roseland location.

"The slowdown in the [overall] firm's core real estate transaction practice and the frozen credit markets, as well as concerns over partner departures, contributed to the decision," John Fanburg, managing partner, said on March 23.

Though the firm itself was hit hard by the real estate collapse, and the subsequent slowdown in legal work associated with that segment, Fanburg said the Roseland practice is healthy.

At least one observer thinks that two failed merger attempts played a part in WolfBlock^s demise.

"Two failed merger deals did not help the firm," said Ronni L. Gaines, chairman of Topaz Attorney Search in Livingston, referring to WolfBlock's previous attempts to merge with larger law firms. "The fact that the deals did not go through likely raised dissent and unease among the partners, leading some to leave." - Martin C Daks