By Hailey Konnath

Law360 (July 1, 2020, 10:29 PM EDT) -- Troutman Sanders LLP and Pepper Hamilton LLP officially merged Wednesday, launching as Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP after the deal was delayed three months due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The newly formed firm boasts 1,100 attorneys in 23 U.S. cities, making Troutman Pepper one of the 20 largest law firms in the country, according to a statement from the firm. Its attorneys work in a number of major industries, including health sciences, energy, real estate and insurance, finance, private equity, construction and technology, Troutman Pepper said.

Steve Lewis, the former managing partner at Troutman Sanders, will head the new firm as its chair and CEO. Lewis said in the statement that Troutman Pepper's goal is "a higher commitment to client care."

"The combining of the two storied firms presented an opportunity to seamlessly merge different but complementary strengths of each," he said.

According to the statement, Atlanta-based Troutman Sanders specialized in serving the energy, banking, finance, and insurance industries, while Philadelphia-based Pepper Hamilton was known for its health care, life sciences and private equity practices.

The two firms initially confirmed they were discussing a possible combination in November and announced the deal in January. They had planned to make it official April 1 but delayed the merger in the midst of the pandemic.

Lewis said Wednesday that delaying the merger allowed the firms to prioritize the health and safety of employees.

"In the interim, our firms have come together in meaningful ways to guide clients through this difficult time," he said. "As our industry and indeed all industries continue to grapple with the challenges created by the health crisis, we know that we are stronger as one firm and choose to move forward together."

As the economic effects of COVID-19 ravaged the legal industry, both firms implemented pay cuts. Pepper Hamilton said at the beginning of May that nonpartner attorneys' annual salaries would decline 12% for 2020 and that staff making $60,000 or more would experience annualized cuts between 3% and 9%, depending on salary.

Later that month, Troutman Sanders announced its own pay cuts ranging from 2% to 18.5% on an annualized basis, depending on how many months the reductions last.

Both firms also canceled their 2020 summer associate programs.

Pepper Hamilton and Troutman Sanders had been on different trajectories in headcount in recent years, according to rankings data from the annual Law360 400. Those reports show Troutman Sanders growing from 595 attorneys in 2014 to 672 in 2019.

Pepper Hamilton, on the other hand, had contracted, shrinking from the 78th-largest law firm in the U.S. in 2014, with 530 attorneys, to the 103rd-largest, with 462 attorneys, in the 2019 rankings.

The combined firm has offices in Atlanta; Berwyn, Pennsylvania; Boston; Charlotte, North Carolina; Chicago; Detroit; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Los Angeles; New York City; Orange County, California; Philadelphia; Pittsburgh; Portland, Oregon; Princeton, New Jersey; Raleigh, North Carolina; Richmond, Virginia; Rochester, New York; San Diego; San Francisco; Silicon Valley, California; Virginia Beach, Virginia; Washington, D.C.; and Wilmington, Delaware.

Tom Gallagher, vice chair of Troutman Pepper, said in Wednesday's statement that the firm's culture "encompasses teamwork and respect, inclusion and diversity and pro bono and community service."

"How we treat one another, create welcoming workplaces, and give back to our communities were values each of our firms honored," he said. "They are the foundation of the Troutman Pepper culture."

--Additional reporting by Kevin Penton, Aebra Coe and Emma Cueto. Editing by Peter Rozovsky.

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