Stoll Keenon Ogden merges with Indianapolis-based Katz Korin Cunningham

By Rachel Nix, Building Kentucky

Leaders from Stoll Keenon Ogden and Katz Korin Cunningham outside the Indianapolis office including (front row) Ron Katz, Norris Cunningham, Beth McMasters; (back row) Mark Hurst, Doug Barr, Michael Gabovitch and Offer Korin. (Courtesy SKO)

Two well-respected law firms have joined as one. Kentucky and Indiana-based Stoll Keenon Ogden PLLC (“SKO”) has merged with Indianapolis-based Katz Korin Cunningham, effective July 1, 2022.

Pre-merger, SKO had 145 lawyers in offices in Louisville, Lexington and Frankfort, Kentucky and Indianapolis and Evansville, Indiana. With the addition of Katz Korin Cunningham, SKO has more than 180 attorneys and approximately 130 professional staff. With this move, SKO increases its presence in Indianapolis from 7 lawyers to 45 and, in combination with its substantial and growing number of lawyers in Evansville (20), has a total of 65 Indiana-based lawyers and 118 Kentucky-based lawyers. P. Douglas Barr (Lexington/Louisville) remains as the Managing Director of SKO.

The increased presence in the Indianapolis market reflects SKO’s dedication to adding excellent legal services capabilities to serve an increasingly regional client base in more than 40 practice areas in a range of industries. SKO serves hundreds of clients in its geographic footprint and represents clients in nearly every state and other countries.

“In a rapidly changing world and business environment, we believe our success has been the product of being nimble enough to anticipate and adapt to change while remaining doggedly determined to hold on to SKO’s primary values – the pursuit of professional excellence and outstanding service to our clients and our communities. We are our clients’ trusted advisors and our clients’ needs have never stopped at state borders,” said Doug Barr, Managing Director of the merged firm. “The abundant economic connections between Indianapolis, southwest Indiana and Kentucky have meant it has long been part of our strategic plan to grow in Indianapolis. We could not have been luckier to find a partner like Katz Korin Cunningham that shares our values and goals. Katz Korin Cunningham possesses experienced and highly skilled attorneys who are equally dedicated to excellence in service to clients and community. This combination will allow us to better serve our clients in Indiana and beyond.”

“Prior to speaking with SKO, our firm had not truly considered merging with another law firm, though we had been approached many times,” said Offer Korin, co-founding shareholder at Katz Korin Cunningham. “Through talking to leaders at SKO, we believed coming together would provide greater opportunities for our clients and communities as part of a fully integrated and purposeful regional firm. It became clear that one plus one equaled much more than two in terms of how we can enhance what we do as a team with SKO.”

SKO has a proud and storied history serving Kentucky, Indiana and surrounding states since Richard Stoll founded the firm in 1897. At the time of this merger, SKO had 145 attorneys and 89 professional staff. Katz Korin Cunningham has operated in Indianapolis since 1994. The firm’s 38 attorneys and 40 professional staff in Indianapolis join one of the region’s oldest and largest law firms, adding breadth of practice areas, expertise and office size.

Discussions began in July 2021, and shortly thereafter the two firms knew they had something special. The deal was completed July 1, 2022 and takes effect immediately. Financial details of the transaction will not be shared publicly. SKO’s Indianapolis office will now be consolidated in Katz Korin Cunningham’s downtown Indianapolis office, located in the Emelie Building at 334 N. Senate Ave., Indianapolis, Ind. 46204. An updated logo that reflects the combined firm is in development and will be unveiled at a later date.

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