Heller Partners Bone Up on Baker

It seems like everyone has heard about Heller merging with Baker & McKenzie except the Heller partnership. But that may be changing.

Legal Pad hears that Heller Ehrman partners received some promotional materials about Baker & McKenzie today. Apparently, there was little to it — we hear it was mostly information that could be found on Baker’s Web site — and the word “merger” didn’t accompany the packet.

We’re still hunting down some more information on the materials and how they were presented — and we’re happily taking email tips, by the way, and comments below. A late call to firm managing partner Rob Hubbell was graciously returned promptly, but, as expected, he said the firm wouldn't comment.

Heller has been rumored for months to be in merger talks with many firms, Baker being the subject of the most recent — and strongest — rumor.

We’re told that for most votes at Heller to be successful, 85 percent of the equity has to approve. (That’s not headcount, but equity holding, which is not distributed equally.)  One former partner said that some senior partners, who presumably have more equity, were notified of a potential merger target as far back as late June.

Everyone tells us to expect an announcement — possibly public — within the next two weeks and at least one source said announcements like this usually come on Thursdays. 

Tips, leaks and comments, of course, are welcome any time.

—  Niraj Chokshi