LeClair Ryan expands to Boston

Richmond-based LeClair Ryan will open an office in Boston with 10 partners from the firm of Donovan Hatem LLP.

The partners include A. Neil Hartzell, who leads the Boston firm’s business litigation practice group, and Kevin Kenneally, who heads its health care and insurance and tort litigation practice groups. Kenneally will head the office at 2 International Place when it officially opens on July 23.

Gary D. LeClair, chairman and co-founder of the Richmond firm, said LeClair Ryan and the new lawyers “have a lot of clients in common.” He said his firm is “very deep in the financial services industry,” and the Boston office and the New York City office the firm opened last fall will strengthen its position in that market. “There are a lot of good opportunities in New England and the Northeast,” he said.

The 10 Boston lawyers are all litigators, with about half involved in commercial litigation and the rest defending products liability, construction and professional liability cases, LeClair said.

Donovan Hatem had about 70 lawyers before losing the 10 to LeClair Ryan, and the lateral hires will give LeClair Ryan about 70 shareholders and 90 associates, LeClair said. The firm has an office in Washington and 11 offices throughout Virginia, including three in the Richmond area.