Foley-Gardere Anniversary: Celebrating Five Years of Better Together

On April 1, 2023, we marked the five-year anniversary of the combination of Foley & Lardner and Gardere Wynne Sewell, which strengthened our shared culture and core values, provided our people with opportunities for growth, and enhanced our platform to serve our clients.

The synergies between the two firms were clear from the beginning. The combined platform provided significant additional areas of expertise to service our clients, and has proved to be a catalyst for the sector approach now propelling us into the future. But it has been the compatibility of our people that fortified our core values and truly has made Foley and Gardere “better together”.

To celebrate this significant milestone in our history, we collected commentary from a mix of attorneys and business professionals who were integrally involved and have seen the positive effects of the combination. As we wrap up our celebration, we are pleased to share a few of these insights.

	Holly O’Neil, Dallas, Partner; Former Gardere Wynne Sewell Chair “Foley met nearly all of the qualities we were seeking in a combination, but the compatibility of our client-first cultures proved to be the most compelling reason we are better together.”
	Michael Newman, Dallas Office Managing Partner; Gardere integration lead for the combination “As we began the process of identifying potential merger partners, we were hopeful that we would find a highly compatible firm with shared values. In the end, we are so fortunate to have found the perfect one!”
	Claude Treece, Houston, Chief Administrative Partner; Former Gardere Wynne Sewell CEO “Relying on the core values and focusing on our culture – and in particular recognizing that our people are our most valuable asset and providing them with growth opportunities – have been the keys to enabling our great success.”
	Christina Marsden, Austin and Houston, Office Administrator “The combination has offered new opportunities for me to push myself and reach my full potential. #HappyatFoley.”
	Charlie Meacham, Houston, Partner “The Foley combination instantly provided nationwide coverage and a deeper bench for many practice areas and allowed us to win business that we would not have otherwise received.”
	Roberto Arena, Mexico City Office Managing Partner “From the outset, Foley and the integration team were committed to building strong relationships with Gardere colleagues in Mexico City. Over the past five years, the combination has certainly provided a platform for and enhanced the international reach of our sector approach.”
	Steve Vazquez, Tampa, Partner; Business Law Department Chair “So many of our practices within Business Law immediately were much stronger and were operating as integrated teams almost from day one. Our clients, and all of us, have benefitted greatly as a result.”
	Lisa Noller, Chicago, Partner; Litigation Department Chair “Gardere added 83 litigators in Dallas, Houston, Austin, Mexico City, and Denver to Foley’s proud reputation of trying and winning complex cases for our clients.”
	Eric Blumrosen, Houston Partner; Energy Sector Co-Chair “Gardere was a firm known for its expertise in the oil and gas subsector, and Foley had a vibrant practice in the renewables space. Our combination has enabled us to match the way our energy clients do business and meet their needs holistically.”
	Bob DuPuy, New York, Partner; Foley integration lead for the combination “Nowhere has it been more evident that we are better together than in our upholding of our core value of citizenship. Gardere’s long-standing and inspiring Martin Luther King Jr. Oratory Competition has continued and thrived since the combination.”
	Frank Pasquesi, Chicago Office Managing Partner “One of the many ways Foley and Gardere have been better together has been to strengthen our shared value of citizenship. The annual Martin Luther King Jr. Oratory Competition that Gardere has long hosted in Houston and Dallas is one example, and I’m so proud that we were able to bring that event to Foley’s Chicago office.”
	Jenn Falls, Dallas, Senior Manager of Attorney Integration; Former Director of Recruiting and Professional Development at Gardere “The two teams of talent professionals came together to create something that truly made our two firms better together: the dedicated, intentional effort and resources supporting the critical moment of career transition for lawyers who join the firm both laterally and from law school.”