FLORIDA
Fuoco Group merges in CIRA practice
Details: Fuoco Group LLP merged in Coral Springs accounting firm Donna Seidenberg PA. Seidenberg and her staff will join Fuoco Group's Boca Raton office, expanding Fuoco's homeowners' association services. Seidenberg will be contributing her expertise on the financial aspects of common-interest realty associations and assist in budgeting, bookkeeping, bill-paying and identifying areas for cost savings. Seidenberg has been providing CIRA accounting and tax services for over 30 years.
ILLINOIS
Kutchins Robbins merges in Barinholtz & Horwitz
Details: Gene Barinholtz of Barinholtz & Horwitz has merged his team and their practice into CPA firm Kutchins, Robbins & Diamond Ltd. The merger is expected to create one of the top 35 CPA firms in the Chicago area. The two firms have been collaborating in various areas for the past five years.
Barinholtz has become the partner-in-charge of the business services unit at KRD. Also making the move to KRD are Lauren Clawson, Arlene Meyers and Lori Wuchevich, bringing the total number of professionals at KRD to 48.
The two firms actually merged in early December, but decided to delay the public announcement.
OHIO
Cohen & Co. acquires Lipson unit
Details: Cleveland-based Cohen & Co. has acquired the family office practice of The Lipson Group, which focuses on tax and financial and estate planning for affluent, multi-generational families.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
Alan Lipson, who started The Lipson Group in 1984, elected not to join Cohen & Co. full-time, but will remain active as part of the transition team. Going forward, he plans to independently provide consulting and trusteeship services to several of his long-time clients.
Cohen & Co. ranked No. 92 on Accounting Today's 2011 Top 100 Firms list, with revenues of $32 million.
PENNSYLVANIA
LECG sells practices to FTI, Grant Thornton, WeiserMazars
Details: Facing a cash crunch, LECG Corp. announced its intention to transition various practice groups to FTI Consulting Inc., Grant Thornton LLP and WeiserMazars LLP. The transaction with FTI involves LECG's international arbitration, aviation competition, and forensics practices. LECG also signed a letter of intent with Grant Thornton to transition its tax and business consulting groups. Simultaneously, the partners of LECG Partners LLP, which provide attest services, will continue with either Grant Thornton or WeiserMazars.
The transitions will involve approximately 350 employees across the country. The cash-strapped LECG plans to use the majority of the proceeds from the transitions to repay $27.8 million in principal outstanding under a credit facility.
TEXAS
MJLM acquires tech consultancy
Details: Houston-based McConnell Jones Lanier & Murphy has acquired Paladin Communications, allowing it to add new technology and telecommunications services, including telecom audit and lifecycle management, wireless audit and optimization, and network design, implementation and sourcing. Terms were not disclosed. Paladin president and founder Robert Foster will help lead MJLM's Strategic Technology Planning Division.
Calvetti Ferguson expands tax talents
Details: Houston-based Calvetti, Ferguson & Wagner PC has acquired local firm Kainer & Co. PC, which provides tax advice to individuals, closely held companies, estates and trusts. Deborah Kainer will join CF&W as a principal.
PMB Helin Donovan merges in McEvoy
Details: Austin-based accounting firm PMB Helin Donovan has expanded its presence in Houston by merging with McEvoy & Co. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. All of McEvoy & Co.'s employees will become a part of PMB Helin Donovan, with a combined presence of 20 employees in Houston.
