One of Marietta's largest firms, Gregory Doyle Calhoun & Rogers, has merged with Moore & Reese, a five-lawyer Atlanta boutique, giving the combined firm 40 lawyers.

The merger took effect Nov. 15, and the combined firm is operating under Gregory Doyle's moniker, GDCR Attorneys at Law.

Moore & Reese co-founder Clay Reese, who has a real estate, business and estate planning law practice, joined Gregory Doyle as a partner, and the other four attorneys from Moore & Reese—Katie Fish, Sarah Wheeler, Wendy Kraby and Evan Conroy—joined as counsel.

Reese launched Moore & Reese at the beginning of 2008 with L. Hugh "Hutch" Moore III, who died in January at age 57 of complications from cancer. The two had previously been law partners at Miles, McGoff & Moore.

The two firms' leaders were not available for comment on Monday, but an announcement about the deal said it expands the combined firm's corporate, M&A, real estate, education law and local government and estate planning practices.

"With this strategic alignment, we will be able to offer clients of both firms the highest quality legal services, while broadening our areas of expertise," said H. Scott Gregory Jr., GDCR's managing member, in the announcement.

The firms' practice areas were complementary, Reese said in the announcement. "While neither Scott nor I were looking for a merger partner, through our conversations, it became crystal clear that our firms complement each other, making it a perfect fit," Reese said, adding that the firms both have a culture of "striving to be a place where people want to work and doing what is best for our clients."

Gregory Doyle's clients are a mix of closely held middle-market companies, family-owned businesses and multinationals, as well as local and state governments, agencies and school districts.

Moore & Reese's clients include small to mid-size businesses, homeowner and condominium community associations, local governments and individuals.

Moore & Reese acknowledged Moore's contributions to the firm in its LinkedIn announcement about the combination: "In moving forward, we will continue to admire and honor the legacy of Hutch Moore, our dear friend, colleague and one of the founding partners of Moore & Reese. Hutch valued teamwork and fostering relationships—core firm values that will continue to influence the culture of our newly combined GDCR."