LeClairRyan, Wright Robinson to merge

LeClairRyan will absorb Wright, Robinson, Osthimer & Tatum at the end of next month.

The merger of the two Richmond-based firms will give LeClairRyan a West Coast presence for the first time and increase the number of attorneys to more than 270. Wright Robinson has about 50 attorneys, with a quarter of them in Richmond.

It is perhaps best known for its representation of defendants in mass tort cases, and the firm’s emphasis on providing discovery solutions in large cases was a major attraction for LeClairRyan, according Gary D. LeClair, the firm’s chairman and co-founder.

The firm, which has expanded to Boston and New York in the last 18 months, also was interested in Wright Robinson’s offices in Los Angeles and San Francisco, which have a more traditional litigation practice.

Mark Yacano, a member of the Wright Robinson’s executive committee, said the LeClairRyan’s New York presence and its size and depth, especially in its litigation practice, were major attractions for his firm.

“We have a lot of complementary skill sets,” Yacano said. “It was a merger driven for all the right reasons, and we’re just as excited as we can be.”