Husch Blackwell, a full-service litigation and business law firm, is set for a significant expansion in Minneapolis with the recruitment of an 11-lawyer team specializing in Intellectual Property (IP), sourced from the boutique firm Patterson Thuente. This notable addition is set to reinforce Husch Blackwell’s presence and services in the Twin Cities, marking the latest phase of the firm’s growth initiative in this area.
Former Patterson Thuente partners, Jeffer Ali, Daidre Burgess, and Tom Dickson, are poised to become partners at Husch Blackwell. Additionally, James Patterson and David Cleveland are set to join the ranks as of counsel, with Mike Gates, Paul Haun, and Nicholas Kuhlmann appointed as senior counsel. The enhanced team, which officially joins Husch Blackwell on January 1, will effectively double the size of the firm’s Minneapolis branch, originally established in May 2023.
Paul Eberle, Husch Blackwell’s chief executive, attributed the expansion to the firm’s initial expectations and subsequent realization of opportunities in the Twin Cities. He found Patterson Thuente, situated in the same office building and representing a diverse range of clients from startups to Fortune 500 companies, an ideal partner for growth.
Expressing similar sentiment, Tom Dickson, the managing partner at Patterson Thuente, acknowledged his firm’s need for greater scale and diverse service capabilities beyond its core IP practice. To him, Husch Blackwell emerged as an irresistible fit capable of offering these essential opportunities.
Minneapolis, which houses numerous Fortune 500 companies and boosts a vibrant startup ecosystem, is considered by Eberle as a hub of innovation in sectors appealing to Husch Blackwell. Catherine Hanaway, the firm’s chair, asserted that “adding patent, licensing, trademark and copyright capabilities enhances the value” they bring to their clients.
Upon reflecting on Husch Blackwell’s future trajectory after this significant expansion, Eberle expressed his belief in Minneapolis potentially becoming “one of our larger offices” in the next three to five years.
This move by Husch Blackwell arrives after a year of tremendous growth, wherein the firm expanded its team by more than 100 lawyers across its offices. Consequently, the firm’s revenue increased notably, rising from $476 million in 2021 to $555 million in 2023, as reported by the American Lawyer.
For more details, refer to the original report by Bloomberg Law.