Joining Forces: SJMS and McCormick Barstow Merge Law Practices
Often the holidays mean bringing people together – welcoming new members into the family to share old traditions and create new ones. When that happens in the corporate world, the process gets a bit more complex than sharing Aunt Margaret’s casserole recipe. Recently, two of Central California’s leading law firms – San Luis Obispo-based Sinsheimer Juhnke McIvor & Stroh (SJMS) and Fresno-based firm McCormick Barstow – announced the upcoming merger of their practices, to be finalized this month. Verdin had the opportunity to support the two firms with communications for the merger and would like to take a moment to offer our congratulations and best wishes for the combined practice moving forward.
The exciting news comes as SJMS celebrates 40 years of delivering exceptional legal services on the Central Coast. While SJMS will begin conducting business under the McCormick Barstow name effective January 2, current partners Warren Sinsheimer, Dave Juhnke, Herb Stroh and Kevin Elder will all remain with the firm. “It’s important for our local community to understand that we are the same local lawyers and staff but with expanded resources and a national reach,” said SJMS Managing Partner David Juhnke. “With this agreement, our clients will continue to have the same representation but with a broader range of expertise to meet the legal needs of the growing regional business community.”
With six locations in four states and very similar company cultures, merging with SJMS was the next logical step for McCormick Barstow. “Providing the expertise and service our clients expect in the Central Coast region is something we have been interested in doing for some time, and after a few conversations with the partners at SJMS it was obvious that our firms would work very well together,” said Ken Baldwin, managing partner, McCormick Barstow.
While both firms are already well-regarded in their respective communities, we are excited about the benefit their clients stand to gain from their expanded range of expertise and combined resources. “With many similarities in client representation and philosophy of client service, we are confident that our clients will very quickly see why merging our law practice with McCormick Barstow is the right choice for our firm and our clients,” said Warren Sinsheimer, founder of SJMS. “I am proud of the legacy that we’ve created on the Central Coast, and I look forward to continuing that legacy into the future. San Luis Obispo is our home and we are here to stay.”
We anticipate great things to come from these two powerhouses joining forces, and we wish them much success as they usher in an exciting new era of partnership and growth!
