Horenstein Law Group of Vancouver is merging with Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt’s Portland office, effective Wednesday.

The combined offices will offer more real estate, land use and business services for Schwabe clients, as well as a “significant spectrum of business, employment, tax, intellectual property, data security for HLG clients, the two firms announced Wednesday.

Schwabe’s Real Estate and Construction Industry Group now includes 65 lawyers and a team of paralegals.

Schwabe CEO Graciela Gomez Cowger said adding HLG creates a multiplier effect for her firm’s expertise in the greater Vancouver area.

“We’ve collaborated with HLG for years and have long respected their work. I’m thrilled to welcome them to Schwabe,” Gomez Cowger said in a statement.

HLG founder Steve Horenstein said he had “extensive discussions” with several other law firms but Schwabe stood out for cultural fit and breadth and depth of expertise. He said in an interview that as a boutique firm, HLG was seeing an increasing need to branch out into more specialties, such as tax law and complex litigation.

"We found we were just giving away a lot of work we didn't do," Horensetin said. "It was best for our clients to connect with a firm and be part of one that could be more of a one-stop shop."

In addition to Horenstein, the other HLG attorneys joining Schwabe are Maren Calvert, Jean Shaw, Mark Adams and Hannah Warner.

Horenstein said his firm's lease was up, so he and the lawyers and three staffers moved a couple of blocks away to Schwabe's downtown Vancouver offices.

Read the full article in the Portland Business Journal here.