Switching firms usually means embracing change, not familiarity.

But it was deja-vu all over again twice last week, with two pairs of Philadelphia law partners returning to their former firms after years away.

Lisa Kabnick and Kathryn Pourmand Nordick both rejoined Pepper Hamilton from Reed Smith, where Kabnick had spent 14 years and Nordick had spent nine. And Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads brought back partners Frank Chernak and William Kennedy, who had gone to Ballard Spahr in 2002 as part of a large group move.