Tabbert Hahn lawyers joining Bose McKinney

One of the city’s largest law firms is taking nine lawyers from a smaller competitor that is dissolving.

Bose McKinney & Evans LLP said Monday it will gain five partners and four associates at the beginning of the year from Tabbert Hahn Earnest & Weddle LLP.

They are name partners Gregory Hahn and Robert Weddle, as well as partners Matthew W. Conner, Mary M. Ruth Feldhake and Chad T. Walker. The four associates are David J. Duncan, Joel T. Nagle, Kevin M. Quinn and Elizabeth Schuerman.

Tabbert Hahn’s practice areas include civil litigation, construction, health care, family law, real estate, estate planning, corporate law and bankruptcy.

The firm has struggled in recent years to carve out a niche among larger rivals that often can serve client needs with more services and from multiple locations. Bose, for instance, has offices in Indianapolis, Chesterton, Crown Point and West Lafayette, in addition to Washington, D.C., and Raleigh, N.C.

“It’s getting harder and harder to compete,” Weddle told IBJ. “There’s a tendency [among clients] to look at the one-stop shop.”

Discussions between the two firms began in October among longtime friends Hahn and Bose McKinney Managing Partner Jeff Gaither. Tabbert Hahn’s work in medical malpractice, pharmaceutical defense and government affairs was particularly appealing to Bose McKinney, Weddle said.

“[Weddle] simply is one of the best trial attorneys in the state, so we’re real excited to have him join us,” Gaither said. “And Greg Hahn is very well known in the governmental services arena. He’s joining a very strong team. It couldn’t be a better match in that respect.”

Tabbert Hahn’s governmental affairs affiliate, Tabbert Hahn Ping Global Strategies LLC, also will become part of Bose McKinney and will be renamed Bose Ping Government Strategies LLC.

Jennifer L. Ping will serve as principal of the new entity, while others will work closely with Bose’s public affairs and communications group.

With the nine additions, Bose McKinney will have 116 lawyers, ranking it as the city’s fifth-largest firm.

Meanwhile, Tabbert Hahn, which has been known by its current name since the late 1980s, will close near the end of the year. The downtown firm is on the 19th floor of the One Indiana Square building that houses Regions Bank.

Bose McKinney was founded in 1955 and moved from M&I Plaza to Chase Tower in September 2008.

Tabbert Hahn attorneys not making the move to Bose include partners Lante K. Earnest, David Shelton and Robert Daniels, and associate Mark Pizur.

Another partner, Judy Tyrrell, left Dec. 1 to establish a solo family law practice on the north side at Keystone at the Crossing.