Baxter Drennon says Hall Booth Smith’s Little Rock office should be renovated by April.
In less than two years, the law firm Hall Booth Smith of Atlanta has hired 14 lawyers to work in its Arkansas offices. And it’s not done growing.
By the end of the year, it expects to have about 20 attorneys in the state, said Baxter Drennon, Little Rock office regional managing partner.
With 14 attorneys in Arkansas, the firm would have been tied for No. 18 on Arkansas Business’ list of the largest law firms ranked by lawyers in Arkansas, which appeared in June.
The full-service law firm arrived in Little Rock in July 2021. Hall Booth Smith opened its Rogers office in October 2021, and has four attorneys who practice there “with a couple of more starting soon,” Drennon said.
The firm’s philosophy regarding growth is client driven. “And provided that it otherwise makes sense, we’re opening offices where our clients are asking us to open offices,” he said.
In Arkansas, the firm is working to expand its labor employment practice group, immigration, products liability, agriculture and commercial litigation, Drennon said.
Last month it added attorneys Abtin Mehdizadegan, Misty Wilson Borkowski and George Ernst to help expand the firm’s immigration and employment practice groups. The attorneys came from the Little Rock firm Cross Gunter Witherspoon & Galchus.
“We are pleased to welcome these three new partners to the HBS team as we add their experience and wisdom on immigration and employment matters as well as other services to benefit our clients in Arkansas and beyond,” Alex Booth, managing partner of Hall Booth Smith, said in a news release last week.
Meanwhile, Hall Booth Smith is renovating its Little Rock office, which is on the fifth floor of the Arkansas Capital Commerce Center at 200 River Market Ave.
The renovations are expected to be completed in April. “And so as the renovations finish, we’ll have room for 25 lawyers, and certainly expect to fill those offices in the next two years with some very high-quality folks,” Drennon said.
The contractor is LiveCo Construction of Benton, and the architect is Josh Newton of LiveCo Construction.
‘Positive Atmosphere’
Recruiting attorneys to the firm hasn’t been difficult because of its culture and the firm’s quality of work, said Drennon, the second HBS lawyer in the state.
“The firm is very focused on a positive atmosphere and being a positive place to work,” Drennon said. “The positive atmosphere that we work to create is something that’s very appealing for lawyers.”
He said the firm is looking for both experienced attorneys and those fresh out of law school.
“The resources that we have have been very helpful to an experienced lawyer who has a book of business to grow beyond just work in Arkansas,” Drennon said.
Hall Booth Smith doesn’t have any immediate plans to open another office in Arkansas. But it is opening an office in Raleigh, North Carolina, giving it 29 locations across the country, from Montana to Florida. Its practice areas include personal injury, corporate transactions and estate planning, and commercial litigation.
“Our firm has tried lawsuits in all but two states,” Drennon said. “And so whether you’re based in Arkansas, or anywhere else in the country, we can help you. And if you have a problem anywhere else in the country, we can help you.”
Sign up for Daily E-news
