Dentons Cohen & Grigsby P.C. has hired two veteran litigators from Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC as shareholders, marking its first local additions since combining with the largest firm in the world almost five weeks ago.

1. Dentons Cohen & Grigsby adds two litigators from this Pittsburgh firm
Mar 2, 2020, 12:08pm EST
JOE WOJCIK
Christopher Carson, CEO of Dentons Cohen & Grigsby, announced two litigators have joined the
office, the first hires since a combination that extended its reach internationally.
Dentons Cohen & Grigsby PC has hired two veteran litigators from Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC as
shareholders, marking its first local additions since combining with the largest firm in the world almost five
weeks ago.
Samuel Braver, a long-time shareholder at Buchanan, had joined the firm in 1976. Deborah Little, an
attorney at Buchanan started in 1985. They began work at Dentons Cohen & Grigsby on Monday as
shareholders in the commercial litigation group. Both are licensed in Pennsylvania and in Florida and are
known for expertise in real estate and trust, intellectual property and product liability.
“We are definitely hearing higher levels of interest from colleagues at other firms who are interested in
exploring what the platform means and what the new paradigm shift is for Dentons Cohen & Grigsby,”
Christopher Carson, president and CEO , said. “It gets us to the table.”
Dentons US, Pittsburgh-based Cohen & Grigsby and Indianapolis-based Bingham Greenebaum
announced last October that they were combining to form a national law firm. This became effective in
late January. The firms retain autonomy on such decisions as rates, salaries and leadership but clients
benefit from Dentons’ 33 offices in the United States, including offices in nine of the 10 largest markets
and 14 of the top 20. They also have access to more than 10,000 Dentons lawyers in 182 locations
around the world. Dentons has more lawyers than any firm across the globe. Prior to the transaction,
Cohen & Grigsby had two locations outside Pittsburgh — in Naples, Florida, and Harrisburg.
Carson described it as “a sea change” for the firm, though Dentons had told him since the planning
process that there would be an increase in outreach from other lawyers and from clients.
“Dentons has done so many combinations — 44 — that they have really good experience with
opportunities,” Carson said.
Jack Elliott, chairman of Dentons Cohen & Grigsby, had been Carson’s predecessor as CEO and some
lawyers, including the two from Buchanan, have directly approached him.

2. “It has added a number of additional tools for us to talk to people, so it does change the conversation
somewhat,” Elliott said. “Before, we were a regional law firm, and that was a terrific place to be, but now
we have greater resrouces, the footprint is bigger, and a there are a lot of folks who have practices that
can take advanteage of that and they’re interested in talking to us.”
Carson said the Pittsburgh office is getting business from other Dentons locations, but outside counsel
who didn’t tap the firm here previously now views the firm differently.
“That gets you to the table with clients and others,” he said. “It really does play well with lateral talent.”
Braver and Little reached out to Elliott. They had worked closely with Dentons Cohen & Grigsby lawyers
over the years, referring work back and forth.
“In considering our move, we knew that our strong litigation experience, estates and trust litigation
capabilities and work for the nonprofit sector would be a match,” Braver said in a prepared statement.
Joe Dougherty, Buchanan CEO and managing director, said, “We thank them for the years at Buchanan
and wish them luck.”
Buchanan is Pittsburgh’s 4th-largest law firm with 133 lawyers downtown, and has 15 offices nationally.
Dentons Cohen & Grigsby was No. 6, with 126.
Being part of a larger entity gives greater depth and bench strength, in addition to a far larger footprint,
Carson said.
Carson said a large amount of integration in “already afoot” at Dentons Cohen & Grigsby.“The work Jack
and I and others are doing to make sure we’re operating seamlessly is a high volume task,” Carson said.
“ The reception among our clinets and friends in the community is extremely well received.”
Patty Tascarella
Senior Reporter
Pittsburgh Business Times
From the Pittsburgh Business Times:
https://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/news/2020/03/02/dentons-cohen-grigsby-adds-two-litigators-from.html