Sherman & Howard Announces Combination With
Netzorg McKeever Koclanes & Bernhardt

Firm Now Totals 190 Attorneys, Builds Denver-Based Litigation Practice

DENVER - Jan. 5, 2009 - Sherman & Howard L.L.C., the firm with the second greatest number of attorneys in Denver, announced January 1, 2009 that it has combined its firm with Netzorg McKeever Koclanes & Bernhardt LLC (NMKB).  The move, along with a combination with Phoenix-based Mohr, Hackett, Pederson, Blakley & Randolph, P.C. brings Sherman & Howard's total number of attorneys to more than 190 in nine offices in Colorado, Arizona, Nevada and Missouri. 

Thanks to NMKB, Sherman & Howard will enhance its litigation practice in both numbers and stature.  The six-person, Denver-based firm includes highly respected trial and appellate lawyers with deep experience in complex litigation for large corporations, small businesses, other law firms and individuals in Colorado and throughout the country.   

"We are thrilled to have the NMKB team join ours," said Sherman & Howard Chief Executive R. Michael Sanchez.  "They are highly respected litigators who have made names for themselves trying bet-the-company, complex cases.  They bring significant strength and an enhanced public profile to our litigation team. 

"In addition, we can now offer even deeper experience and services to our clients in many different areas of litigation and dispute resolution, while also providing the robust capabilities of Sherman & Howard to NMKB clients," Sanchez said.

The addition of the NMKB team brings the Sherman & Howard litigation group to more than 50 attorneys, and the new members will move into Sherman & Howard's 17th Street offices in downtown Denver. 

Gordon "Skip" Netzorg, founder of  NMKB, added, "Given our firm's love for Denver and Colorado, we are delighted to be joining a firm with such a rich heritage in the Rocky Mountain West's legal and business communities.  And we're thrilled to be able to offer our clients a significantly deeper bench of very skilled attorneys."

Reflecting on the synergies that exist between the two firms, Sanchez said, "At Sherman & Howard, senior attorneys work on a day-to-day basis on client matters.  The same holds true for the NMKB attorneys, which is why we believe there to be such a great fit here for both firms." Sanchez explained that while his firm's culture embraces an entrepreneurial spirit, it also encourages work/life balance. 

"We look forward to beginning this new chapter in our 117-year history," Sanchez said.  "Joining forces with NMKB will undoubtedly strengthen Sherman & Howard's position as a powerful legal resource to clients in this region."

About Netzorg McKeever Koclanes & Bernhardt LLC
Since its founding more than 25 years ago, NMKB's litigation practice has involved  high stakes corporate and partnership battles, real estate, oil and gas and other natural resources disputes, lender-borrower issues, and securities fraud, fiduciary duty, and intellectual property litigation.  

Skip Netzorg is a past president of the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association, and was honored by the members of the Colorado Bar Association with the Best of the Bar Award for securities law. He is currently vice-chair of the State Committee of the American College of Trial Lawyers. Peter Koclanes regularly tries a wide variety of complex cases and has been on the list of Colorado Super Lawyers since its inception.  Peter is slated to become president of the Colorado Association of Corporate Counsel later this year and president of the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association in 2010. Susan Bernhardt is a past chair of the Ethics Committee of the Colorado Bar Association, and sits on the Conduct Committee for the United States District Court for Colorado. Susan was recently named as one of the Top Twenty-Five Female Colorado Super Lawyers. Nick McKeever, a co-founder of the firm, is a seasoned trial lawyer and an accomplished appellate advocate. He is listed in Best Lawyers in America for appellate advocacy.

About Sherman & Howard
Established in 1892, Sherman & Howard L.L.C. is the oldest law firm in Denver, with 190 attorneys serving clients in a wide range of industries. The firm provides its clients with assistance in most aspects of law affecting businesses and public institutions, and maintains offices in Denver, Colorado Springs, Steamboat Springs and Vail, CO; Reno and Las Vegas, NV; Phoenix and Scottsdale, AZ; and St. Louis, MO.

For more information, contact Kimberly Coey at 303.299.8030.

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