Hoff Barry and Smith Partners to Merge Law Firms January 1, 2027

We are excited to announce that Smith Partners PLLP and Hoff Barry PA have agreed to merge law firms.  

Smith Partners and Hoff Barry share a deep commitment to counseling local governments that support the development of thriving and sustainable communities. Hoff Barry’s track record boasts nearly 50 years of successful litigation and counsel to cities on myriad public-law issues and challenges. Smith Partners has established and maintained a venerable reputation for excellence in watershed law and public-private partnerships. The merger will integrate and expand the firms’ practices while retaining their uniquely valuable client relationships. The combined firm will be able to leverage expertise across a broader palette of legal services, including support for water-resources protection and flood-risk mitigation, municipal governance and operations, ordinance enforcement, and development-finance tools, along with real estate transactions, development agreements, and litigation. 

The merger will take effect January 1, 2027, under a new name that will be announced this fall. The firms’ partners – Justin Templin and Scott Landsman from Hoff Barry and Louis Smith, Chuck Holtman and Michael Welch from Smith Partners – and staff will be closely collaborating under an of-counsel agreement through the rest of 2026 to integrate our practices and bring our new capacities to clients.