Salt Lake City with the Wasatch Mountains in the background. Photo: Joseph Sohm/Shutterstock.com

Salt Lake City is known for its beautiful scenery, low cost of living and of course, the NBA's Jazz. But it's also been growing as a hub for technology and other businesses, attracting workers and, of course, law firms.

The latest Big Law newcomer to the "Crossroads of the West" is Armstrong Teasdale. The St. Louis-headquartered Am Law 200 firm has officially planted its flag in Utah with the hiring of two new partners, former Snell & Wilmer partner Michael Gehret and former boutique firm founder Brennan Moss—with ambitions to rapidly increase its presence.

The duo officially started on April 6.

"One of my close friends, Marty Walsh, who is a partner in the Denver office, and I were talking about how Armstrong Teasdale was well positioned to do well in Salt Lake City, which has a booming technology industry," Gehret said. "What is needed here is a full-service firm that has a deep bench for IP and tech."

Moss is moving his practice from Pia Anderson Moss Hoyt in Salt Lake, which he helped found. He said one of the reasons he decided to make the move was because of the culture of Armstrong Teasdale, which he described as very much like the one he had tried to create at his own firm.

"They really focus on treating their attorneys the same regardless of which office they are in," Moss said. "That is a challenge, and I dealt with it on a personal level. It takes a whole team that genuinely takes an interest in the attorneys."

Gehret, who had been at Snell for more than 12 years, focuses his practice on national litigation and bankruptcy work and has handled matters for financial institutions, private equity funds, health care companies and other industries, according to the firm.

Michael Gehret, left, and Brennan Moss, right, of Armstrong Teasdale. Courtesy photos

Moss is a cross-disciplinary attorney who has worked on matters in corporate law, real estate, intellectual property and litigation.

"These are extraordinary times, and we are very fortunate to be planting a flag in Salt Lake City," David Braswell, the firm's managing partner, said in a statement. "We are excited to welcome these additions to our team and continue to grow our footprint in the region moving forward."

Gehret said both he and the firm have high expectations for the office, including immediate and longer-term expansion plans.

Gehret said the firm will be welcoming Timothy Dance, another former Snell partner, soon. Gehret also said he expects to grow the office significantly in the next couple of years.

"Ideally, if we can have 10 new attorneys in the first year and 20 in the second, I'll be extremely pleased. I think the idea is to grow the office to 40 attorneys in the near future."

Due to the influx of technology companies, Gehret said that ambitious goal is achievable.

"The level of work is becoming more sophisticated," Gehret said of the legal services necessary in the Salt Lake City area. "Utah has a high education level and a low cost of living and more big companies, like Adobe, have a big presence there. That draws attention."

Several Big Law firms, including Dorsey & Whitney and Barnes & Thornburg, have recently decided to invest in Utah's largest city, seeing a balance of, as Gehret mentioned, a highly educated workforce and a price point significantly lower than those offered in New York or Los Angeles.

"We have a high quality of attorneys that can do sophisticated, coastal-type work at a lower rate," Gehret said. "That is an opportunity for national firms or regional firms that want to do work at a more competitive rate than that of the coastal firms."

Gehret and Moss both said that their client's reactions to the move have been positive, with many planning to bring business to Armstrong Teasdale.

Discussions for the lateral moves began before the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the duo said.  "When COVID-19 hit I was wondering if we were going to move forward. But Armstrong was dedicated to opening this office," Moss said.

"Armstrong was well equipped to have everyone start working remotely," Gehret said. "Really, it was unplugging one computer and plugging in the other from the home office."

Snell & Wilmer had no immediate comment on the departures.

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