Citrin Cooperman Advisors, a Top 25 Firm based in New York, is expanding its presence in Southern California by acquiring Gatto, Pope & Walwick in San Diego, the latest in a string of M&A deals since receiving private equity funding.
The deal is expected to close Dec. 1, 2025. Financial terms were not disclosed. Citrin Cooperman ranked No. 17 on Accounting Today's 2025 list of the Top 100 Firms, with revenues of $870 million, 455 partners and more than 3,300 professionals. GPW is joining Citrin Cooperman with 10 partners and managing directors and more than 60 talented professionals.
"At Citrin Cooperman, we believe that great firms are built on great people and meaningful client relationships," said Citrin Cooperman CEO Alan Badey in a statement Thursday. "From our very first conversations, it was clear that GPW shares our commitment to being trusted advisors, providing the highest level of client service, and creating a supportive environment where talented professionals can thrive. We are thrilled to have the GPW team join Citrin Cooperman and make us better together!"
Citrin Cooperman has been growing steadily in Southern California having already completed 12 acquisitions, including four in the San Diego metropolitan area, since January 2019.
"This move is about doing more for the people who trust us most – our team and our clients," said GPW managing partner Tom McFadden in a statement. "We were determined to align with a firm that values relationships over transactions, talent over titles and people over processes. With Citrin Cooperman, we found a partner that shares those values. Our clients will continue to work with the same trusted advisors, now with broader services behind them. Our people will have more opportunities to grow and succeed. We couldn't be happier."
Citrin Cooperman has completed over 30 acquisitions since 2019, many of them after receiving private equity funding from New Mountain Capital in 2021. New Mountain later sold its majority stake to another PE firm, Blackstone, in January of this year. As is typical for firms that operate in alternative practice structures due to private equity funding, the transaction will consist of Citrin Cooperman Advisors LLC acquiring certain non-attest assets and Citrin Cooperman & Company, LLP acquiring certain attest assets of GPW.
In September, Citrin Cooperman acquired Ostrow Reisin Berk & Abrams Ltd., also known as ORBA, a Regional Leader based in Chicago. In August, Citrin acquired Barkin, Perren, Schwager & Dolan LLP, a firm based in Woodland Hills, California. In February, it acquired HW&Co., in its first M&A deal since Blackstone took over from New Mountain. Last year, the firm acquired ClearView Group in the Baltimore area; Signature Analytics in San Diego; Teplitzky & Co., in Woodbridge, Connecticut; S&G, in Worcester, Massachusetts; Maier Markey & Justic, in White Plains, New York; Keefe McCullough & Co., Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Mibar, a business software consulting firm in New York; and Coleman Huntoon & Brown, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
In 2023, it added Gettry Marcus, a Regional Leader based in Woodbury, New York; FMT Consultants, a California-based consulting firm; and Berdon, a Top 50 Firm based in New York.
In 2022, Citrin acquired Murray Devine Valuation Advisors, in Philadelphia; Untracht Early, in Florham Park, New Jersey; Shepard Schwartz & Harris in Chicago; Kingston Smith Barlevi in Los Angeles; McNulty & Associates in Westford, Massachusetts; Appelrouth, Farah & Co. in Coral Gables, Florida; and Bloom, Gettis & Habib in Miami; as well as music industry consultancy Massarsky Consulting in New York. In 2021, it added OLC Management, a California-based business management firm.
