McDonald Hopkins Co., LPA Acquires Detroit Area Law Firm of Lindahl Gross Lievois

McDonald's third expansion in two years

DETROIT, Jan. 11 -- McDonald Hopkins Co. LPA, a full-service business law firm headquartered in Cleveland, announces that it has acquired the Detroit-area law firm of Lindahl Gross Lievois effective January 1, 2006. The Detroit office will operate under the McDonald Hopkins name and maintain current practices in the existing office in Bingham Farms, Mich.

The transaction represents strategic advancements for both firms. For the attorneys of Lindahl Gross Lievois, the backing of a full-service firm with more than 100 attorneys offers greater depth and breadth of services and expertise to existing clients. For McDonald Hopkins, the transaction provides more attorneys to service its clients in the Greater Detroit area, given the firm's proven success in business restructuring and litigation.

"We are pleased that the attorneys of this very successful firm have agreed to join us," said McDonald Hopkins President Joe LoPresti. "Detroit is an important market for us, and Lindahl Gross Lievois fits our culture well."

The transaction represents McDonald Hopkins' third initiative toward purposeful growth in a short, two-year span. In 2004, the firm established a law office in Columbus, Ohio and recruited attorneys from a firm in West Palm Beach, Florida. In the past five years, the 80-year-old firm has more than doubled the number of attorneys to 116.

This month, renovations are scheduled to be complete on McDonald Hopkins fourth floor addition in the firm's Cleveland headquarters to make way for the firm's continued expansion.

With six attorneys, Lindahl Gross Lievois focuses in corporate law, restructuring business transactions and commercial matters. McDonald Hopkins' expertise in business restructuring, litigation, and business law, including intellectual property, real estate, mergers and acquisitions, health law, employment and labor, estate planning, and tax will strengthen the service breadth to current Lindahl Gross Lievois clients.

"With the backing of a large, multi-practice firm, such as McDonald Hopkins, we will be able to grow in strategic areas, while providing existing clients with a greater depth of service," said Stephen Gross, shareholder and Bingham Farms office managing shareholder. "We considered several other firms, and McDonald Hopkins was the best fit."

Lindahl Gross Lievois was formed by Tom Lindahl and Steve Gross in 1988 to meet the legal needs of businesses, especially those experiencing financial distress. Over the years, LGL has grown with its clients as they successfully restructured and flourished. It has continuously attracted new business clients, as well as assisting clients in dealing with ever more complicated restructurings. Some of its current restructuring clients include UniBoring Co., Inc. and the Big Buck Brewery and Steakhouse restaurants.

McDonald Hopkins, headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, is a full-service business law firm with more than 100 attorneys with offices in Cleveland, Ohio; Columbus, Ohio; West Palm Beach, Florida; and Bingham Farms, Michigan.