Murchison & Cumming Opens New Northern California Shop

December 16, 2002

The Daily Journal

Veteran Los Angeles trial lawyer Michael B. Lawler has long wanted to open a Northern California office of Murchison & Cumming. But it took a major client to convince him and his partners to finally open up shop there.

"Recently, a client wanted to send some fairly large litigation to us, but they needed a Northern California address," says Lawler, who will run the Pleasanton office. "So why not do it now?"

The office will fulfill another goal for Murchison & Cumming.

"The objective is to be a full-service litigation firm on the West Coast," he says. 'Before, we were pretty much limited to Southern California."

Lawler, who joined the firm in 1972, won't relocate to Northern California. But he does expect to spend as much time developing the new office as his trial calendar permits. When in the Bay Area, he says he'll stay with his daughter and grandchildren, who live in Pleasanton.

He predicts the new office will grow to three or five lawyers by the end of next year. Lawyers within and outside the firm, he says, have expressed interest in working there. The growth of the office should mirror what happened in Las Vegas, where the firm opened a branch two years ago. That office has eight lawyers.

Murchison & Cumming, with 76 lawyers, also has offices in Santa Ana, Los Angeles and San Diego.

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