Dykema and Loss, Judge & Ward to combine firms

Dykema and Loss, Judge & Ward, LLP, a Chambers-ranked Washington, D.C., firm, announced on Tuesday their strategic combination. The combination takes effect on January 1, 2019, and will double each firm’s Washington, D.C., presence. The depth and experience of Loss, Judge & Ward’s nationally-recognized complex commercial insurance practice complements and strengthens Dykema’s existing Insurance Industry Group. Dykema’s expansive practice capabilities and national platform will enhance the range of services available for current Loss, Judge & Ward clients.

“The combination of Dykema and Loss, Judge & Ward provides us a compelling opportunity to further grow the firm’s Washington, D.C., presence and enhance the offerings of our Insurance Industry Group by adding more extremely talented and successful practitioners in that space,” said Peter Kellett, Chairman and CEO of Dykema. “Our two firms share similar values, work ethics and collaborative cultures. Between our shared client service focus and highly-credentialed teams, the partnership makes sense for our businesses and for the sophisticated clients we each serve.”

“Joining Dykema will give us a national platform for our national practice, which will allow us to better serve our clients,” said Lewis K. Loss, Managing Partner of Loss Judge & Ward.
“Because the firm’s center of gravity is not on the high-cost East or West Coasts, we will be able to maintain a rate structure that works well for our clients. Most importantly, Dykema shares our commitment to excellence and the highest ideals of our profession. We could not be more pleased.”

For more than a century, Dykema has served business entities worldwide—as well as public bodies and nonprofit organizations—on a broad range of complex legal issues. With this combination, Dykema will have more than 400 professionals with offices in California, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Texas and Washington, D.C.

Dykema’s Washington, D.C., office was founded in 1978 and initially focused on government relations work, but has since grown to include an IP practice focused on trademark work, a litigation team focused on product liability, class actions, and commercial matters, a product safety and regulatory practice, and capabilities in business services focusing on SEC-related issues.

The move announced today comes three years after Dykema’s 2015 combination with the Texas-based Cox Smith firm. Dykema has a proven history of successful law firm integrations thanks to its emphasis on partnering with those that match its collaborative and collegial culture, its values, and its focus on delivering outstanding client service. In addition to its 2015 combination with Cox Smith, Dykema’s other successful integrations include a 2004 merger with Rooks Pitts (Chicago) and its 2008 addition of Schwartz Cooper (Chicago).

Loss, Judge & Ward’s well-known commercial insurance litigation and counseling practice offers decades of experience and knowledge in matters of bad faith, general liability and virtually every type of professional liability including, directors and officers, lawyers, accountants, bankers, business and computer consultants, architects and engineers, real estate agents, insurers, insurance agents, title agents, health care organizations, health professionals and many more. The firm also enjoys a substantial practice representing risk retention groups and is frequently called upon by insurers in connection with claims under specialized cyber and many other types of policies.

 In addition to its commercial practice, Loss, Judge & Ward has served for many years as general counsel to the Commission on Presidential Debates, the nation’s preeminent sponsor of televised general election presidential debates.