This story has been updated to include a statement from Thomson, Rhodes & Cowie.

Pittsburgh-based Burns White has continued to grow its medical malpractice group, bringing on a five-person team from Thomson, Rhodes & Cowie, including the firm's president.

David Johnson, co-founder of Thomson Rhodes and its president until his move, joined Burns White along with partners Ashley Griffin and Daniel Margonari and a paralegal and legal assistant. The team represents hospitals, physicians and other health care professionals, and joins a professional liability practice of more than 30 lawyers at Burns White.

Johnson said the move presented his group with the opportunity to join a larger, “progressive” firm.

“There are tremendous challenges with a small firm like where we're coming from that was nearing the end of its lease, with high overhead,” Johnson said.

Johnson said the future is uncertain for those remaining at Thomson Rhodes. Managing director Jerry Hogenmiller did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.

In a emailed statement Friday, the firm said it plans to continue operating as it has for 35 years, and maintains strong practices in medical malpractice and other defense work.

“The future of Thomson, Rhodes & Cowie is clear and bright. The firm will continue its strong presence in the Western Pennsylvania legal community,” the firm's statement said.

Johnson said his practice will remain largely the same, but he will benefit from Burns White's geographic reach and resources.

“They're looking into being a larger firm, they have very modern technology, they try to present things in a way that creates economies for their clients, and they have a larger footprint,” he said, comparing Burns White to his former firm.

In a statement, Burns White executive committee member David White said he has known Johnson for many years, and that he is known as “one of the premier medical malpractice lawyers” in western Pennsylvania.

Johnson said he has known White for more than three decades, as they were involved in cases together, and he has used White as a mediator. Last fall, they had an unplanned meeting at an event Burns White was sponsoring, and they started talking about Johnson joining the firm, he said.

Johnson said it's sad to leave the firm he helped establish, but going to Burns White creates a “fresh new beginning.”

“I feel badly about the people who are left behind. It's hard to leave folks that you've worked with for all these years, but I think the circumstances dictated that it was time,” he said.

Burns White has made similar acquisitions before, as when it added a professional liability group from Pittsburgh's Grogan Graffam, which closed its doors in 2016. The firm also grew its medical malpractice group that year, bringing on two lawyers from Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel.