Shook, Hardy & Bacon Acquires Boutique Firm, Enters Chicago Market

Shook, Hardy & Bacon announced today that it would enter the Chicago market by bringing on board the lawyers and staff from Grippo & Elden LLC, a complex commercial litigation boutique firm there, effective  March 1.

That will bring to 11 the number of U.S. cities where Shook now operates (it also has two offices in Europe), and it marks the fourth new market for the firm in the past three years. It began operations in  Philadelphia in 2012), Seattle in 2013 and Denver last June.

Shook’s news release said 26-year-old Grippo & Elden boasted significant experience in a wide range of business and commercial litigation concentrations.

Grippo & Elden’s Michael Conway will become vice chair of Shook’s Business Litigation and Corporate Services section, the firm said, and will work to build a combined commercial litigation practice. Grippo & Elden’s Todd Jacobs will serve as managing partner for the 25 attorneys in the Chicago office.

“Grippo & Elden’s sophisticated commercial litigation practice and its Chicago location fit perfectly with our strategic objectives,” said John Murphy, Shook’s chairman. “The addition of these superb lawyers increases the depth and breadth of our national complex commercial litigation practice.