Continuing its growth in New York, Blank Rome has added two restructuring lawyers from fellow-Philadelphia-based firm Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young.

Mitchell Brand and Harris Diamond joined Blank Rome's finance, restructuring and bankruptcy group as partners in New York. They have practiced together for about 15 years, Diamond said. Before joining Stradley Ronon in 2014, they were based at New York midsize firm Otterbourg, where Brand practiced for more than three decades.

“Blank Rome provided an opportunity to provide services for our clients across the nation on a larger platform,” Brand said. “It became clear to us the firm's continued commitment to continued expansion both in New York and on a national basis.”

“Having finance colleagues in the markets where we have clients was important to us,” Diamond added.

The Am Law 100 firm has been on a hiring spree in the first few months of 2019. Blank Rome is currently looking to grow its New York, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and Houston offices, and it is eyeing opportunities to open a Chicago location, according to firm leadership.

Its finance, restructuring and bankruptcy group now consists of 65 lawyers across the country, the firm said.

Brand and Diamond said they hope to bring their clients with them, though they would not identify them. In their practice, they represent regional and national banks, commercial finance companies, hedge funds and credit funds, private equity firms and other lenders.

“They bring a diverse financial and restructuring background that further bolsters our leading financial services practice,” Blank Rome managing partner Grant Palmer said in a statement about Brand and Diamond. “With the relocation of our [New York] office to 1271 Avenue of the Americas scheduled for later this month, we are well positioned to continue to welcome accomplished attorneys like Mitch and Harris in the market, with an eye toward continued expansion.”

Diamond noted that he and Brand were both bankruptcy attorneys at the beginning of their careers, which has given them useful background knowledge in a broader restructuring practice.

“It gives us the perspective in counseling our clients, we understand in structuring deals what happens if the deal goes sideways,” Brand said. “We provide continuity to the client from the point in time when we close a transaction right through the whole process. Having the bankruptcy background behind us allows us to do that in a cost-effective and efficient manner.”

In an emailed statement, Stradley Ronon chairman William Sasso said of Brand and Diamond, “They were new additions to the firm and unfortunately it did not work out.”

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