Veteran lawyers make it possible for large, full-service firms to enter the region.
Thorp Reed & Armstrong LLP, Pittsburgh's eighth largest law firm, is merging with Clark Hill PLC, a Detroit-based firm twice its size.
When a large practice group leaves a local law firm, they're often either establishing a boutique firm or paving entry for a large out-of-town firm. But three of the area's biggest recent departures, reflecting more recent trends, were flights to other Pittsburgh firms.