Sources: Blank Rome may merge with Dickstein Shapiro

Blank Rome, a Center City-based law firm with 550 lawyers, is reportedly in merger talks with Washington-based Dickstein Shapiro, and a deal could be announced within weeks.

A national firm with a substantial regulatory practice in Washington, Dickstein has been plagued in recent years by partner defections. It once had as many as 500 lawyers, but has now dwindled to about 150.

Blank Rome declined to comment on the merger talks, first reported by Bloomberg News, but a person familiar with the situation said that no final decision had been reached and that the talks could break off without an agreement.

"Blank Rome has been growing aggressively and has successfully completed several strategic combinations over the last several years," the firm said in a statement. "We are always evaluating potential opportunities to add strength to our core practices or accelerate growth in strategic markets."

Dickstein was in merger talks earlier with the firm of Bryan Cave, but those talks collapsed when Dickstein partners reportedly rejected conditions demanded by Bryan Cave, including a requirement that partners who joined the combined firm agree to stay for a period of time.

In 2015, Cozen O'Connor lured 10 lawyers and staff from Dickstein to form its own state attorneys general practice. Last week, Cozen announced that it had lured white-collar defense lawyer Barbara "Biz" Van Gelder from Dickstein to its criminal defense and internal investigations practice in Washington.

Blank Rome chairman and managing partner Alan J. Hoffman has launched a series of mergers, most recently with the acquisition of a 24-lawyer firm in Houston.

"Alan Hoffman has been pretty aggressive in doing these serial acquisitions," said Ward Bower, a principal at Altman Weil, the Newtown Square-based legal consulting firm.

If the merger happens, Bower said, "I think it is consistent with his vision."

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