Hogan Lovells is to merge with Boston-based litigation and investigations firm Collora on 1 September, taking on all of its 15 partners in a move to bolster the firm’s life sciences offering in the US.
The tie-up with Collora gives Hogan Lovells access to a new market within the US. It will gain Collora’s expertise in life sciences, healthcare, financial services and technology. After the merger, Hogan Lovells and Corolla will share over 500 life sciences lawyers.
All Collora’s 10 other lawyers and business services members will join Hogan Lovells. The firm then plans to add to the firm’s regulatory, corporate transactions and intellectual property.
Hogan Lovells global life sciences head Asher Rubin (pictured) told Legal Business that talks regarding opening a Boston office have dated back to late 2014 and specific merger negotiations with Collora commenced late last year.
Rubin described the Boston opening as a ‘unique opportunity in the world’ due to the unusually high concentration of large pharma corporations and world-class medical facilities in the area. ‘We are one of the premier life sciences firms in the world, but we weren’t in one of the premier life sciences locations in the world,’ he said.
The firms pointed to growth in Boston’s financial services and investment community.
Collora managing partner Bill Lovett, who will serve as the managing partner of the new office, said the combination came after searching ‘very hard’ to make sure any potential suitor would have the right ‘cultural fit.’
Lovett told Legal Business that Corolla and Hogan Lovells both shared a commitment to the local community, due to the high amounts of pro bono work both firms undertake. Hogan Lovells was specifically looking for a firm which was well rooted in that community. The firms already have an established relationship.
Collora is Hogan Lovell’s first new office since October 2016, when the firm became only the third to enter the Shanghai Free Trade Zone through an association with local firm Fidelity Law.
Fidelity is based in Xiamen in south eastern China Fujian province with around 170 lawyers and 32 partners specialising in white collar law, real estate, trade and cross-border corporate finance work. The firm previously had six offices in the south China province.
In the UK, Hogan Lovells has halted its search for a new London headquarters, instead preferring to stay in its long-term home of Atlantic House.
The decision came after the firm was able to negotiate a favourable deal with its existing landlord, Deka Immobillien Investment.