Silver & Freedman to Dissolve in 2012

Monday, November 14, 2011

After 36 years, Silver & Freedman is taking down its shingle.

The Los Angeles law firm announced plans to amicably split at the end of March “with some of the major practice areas opting to form their own separate firms,” announced Managing Partner Barry M. Weisz in a statement.

According to the company, the breakup will allow “each practice area to better focus on its particular area of specialty.”

Silver & Freedman’s practice areas include business and corporate, employment and labor, estate and probate, family law, intellectual property, tax and litigation, mergers and acquisitions, product liability and tort, real estate, and strong industry specialties in medical devices, apparel and hospitality.

“Often when law firms dissolve, they do so because of financial issues or major differences in how the firm is run or due to discord among the partners,” Weisz said in the statement. “But that is not the case at Silver & Freedman. The atmosphere has been and remains collegial. The splitting off is simply a matter of practicality and efficiency and really came about more as a result of different people at different points in their legal careers recognizing that the individual parts may blossom better separately.”

The company said the announcement was made now so attorneys have time to “assure clients, colleagues and staff that the change will be a smooth one.”

Although the company statement hinted that some groups will remain together, while “others are in the process of cementing new relationships and exploring exciting opportunities,” no further details were given.

While he's not ready to announce anything just yet, partner Greg Weisman said he will continue his fashion, apparel, entertainment and action-sports practice elsewhere. “I’m very excited about the future. Like a venerable rock band, Silver & Freedman has been together for a long time, and while breakups are no fun, they are sometimes inevitable, and I couldn’t be happier about some of the new ’solo projects’ that I have in mind or which have been presented.”