Spencer Fane to merge with Conner & Winters

Kansas City, Mo.-based Spencer Fane will combine with Tulsa, Okla-based Conner & Winters LLP. The merger, effective July 1, will result in Spencer Fane having its first Arkansas office, as the Conner & Winters office in Fayetteville is part of the combination.

Spencer Fane has more than 700 attorneys and 33 offices nationwide. Founded in 1933, Conner & Winters has more than 75 attorneys and five offices in three states, including Arkansas. As part of the merger, Conner & Winters will be rebranded as Spencer Fane.

Kevin Redwine, managing partner of Conner & Winters, said the legal industry has been experiencing a lot of consolidation, but this has not reached Oklahoma and Arkansas “in a big way” until now.

“Our firm has been around for 90-plus years,” Redwine said. “We weren’t necessarily looking for a combination with a big law firm. But this opportunity presented itself, and we saw lots of benefits from that. This combination will let us continue to represent our clients and provide the great service that we always have but only better.”

He said the firm has been intentional about its growth and enjoyed its legal independence over the years. However, the legal industry is changing and becoming more complex amid rising demand for technology and specialty areas. He added that many clients “insist on a firm of a certain size.”

Asked how the merger will impact the firm’s Fayetteville office and Northwest Arkansas clients, Redwine said the combination is strategic for Spencer Fane with its original office in Kansas City. “Oklahoma and Arkansas are natural markets for them that they had not tapped in a big way,” he said. “The Northwest Arkansas connection was a huge attraction for Spencer Fane in considering Conner & Winters. They see a really big upside in having an office in Northwest Arkansas.”

The firm’s Northwest Arkansas office kept coming up in discussions about the combination, he added. The plan is for Spencer Fane to grow the office here.

“Northwest Arkansas was really one of the sales points for us with respect to Spencer Fane,” he said. “They’re excited for Northwest Arkansas and hope to be a big player there.”

Conner & Winters has 11 attorneys and six staff who work at the Fayetteville office.