Joint Business Law Firm Offers Chicago Clients 250 Years of Combined Expertise --Business law firms Howard & Howard and Defrees & Fiske join forces in Chicago.

CHICAGO, Nov 05, 2009 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Chicago business law firm Defrees & Fiske, LLC, has joined Howard & Howard Attorneys PLLC, effective Nov.

1, 2009. Howard & Howard, founded in 1869, and Defrees & Fiske, founded in 1884, will carry on under the Howard & Howard name, operating out of the Defrees & Fiske office at 200 S. Michigan Avenue in Chicago.

Now with over 120 attorneys, the combined business law firm will be able to bring its clients even greater depth of expertise, along with the same commitment to service and focus on results the firm's clients have come to expect. Their more than 250 years of combined experience will enable them to achieve better business results for their clients than ever before.

"The decision to combine our practices was based on our evaluation of common business clients, work ethic, cultures and client-centric philosophies. We will continue, in the combined firm, to emphasize serving clients with immediacy and cost effectiveness," said Mark A. Davis, president and CEO of the business law firm. "Defrees & Fiske has been practicing law for more than 125 years and is known for its tremendous business law and commercial litigation experience, which, when combined with our firm, will only contribute to the depth of our capabilities in these areas." Howard & Howard has been looking for an opportunity to break into the Chicago market and has identified this partnership as a strategic way to do so successfully. Said Davis, "This alliance is in line with our strategic goal of creating a footprint in the Chicago marketplace and expanding practices that bring significant experience and strength to our clients." About Howard & Howard Founded in 1869, Howard & Howard is a full-service law firm with a national and international practice that provides specialized legal services to businesses and business owners. The firm has offices in Michigan (Ann Arbor, Kalamazoo and Royal Oak), Illinois (Chicago and Peoria) and Nevada (Las Vegas). Howard & Howard's practice expertise includes: business & corporate, commercial litigation, construction, creditors' rights, employee benefits, environmental, estate planning, intellectual property, international, labor, employment, immigration, real estate, securities and tax. The firm's focused expertise allows them to master the industries they serve including automotive, energy and utilities, financial services and gaming. For more information, please visit the firm's website at www.howardandhoward.com.

SOURCE Howard & Howard Attorneys PLLC URL: http://www.howardandhoward.com www.prnewswire.com Copyright (C) 2009 PR Newswire. All rights reserved -0- KEYWORD: Illinois SUBJECT CODE: LAW

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