Durham Jones & Pinegar Merges with St. George Firm Snow Nuffer (Read full article)
Utah Coverage Expanded
January 2, 2003

The Salt Lake City-based law firm of Durham Jones & Pinegar merged with the largest law firm in St. George, Snow Nuffer, effective January 1, 2003.

The merged firm -- to be known as Durham Jones & Pinegar -- is the 13th largest law firm in Utah. The new firm has more geographic reach in Utah than any other law firm, with offices in Salt Lake City, Ogden, St. George and Mesquite, Nev., said Durham Jones & Pinegar president Paul M. Durham, who will serve as president of the combined firms.

Together, the two firms will employ more than 40 lawyers and eight paralegals, with expertise in corporate and securities, real estate finance and development, banking, tax and estate planning, employment, bankruptcy, commercial law, medical malpractice defense, and general commercial and complex litigation.

Durham Jones & Pinegar's clients range from Fortune 500 companies to individuals and small businesses on a local, regional, national and even international scale.

"This is a combination of two premier law firms," Mr. Durham said. "We envision a combined firm that embodies our joint commitment to deliver a wide range of high-quality legal services on a statewide basis."

The dynamic growth in recent years of Southern Utah, particularly the St. George area, is a major reason officials of each firm elected to merge, Mr. Durham said. The business and commercial focus of the new Durham Jones & Pinegar practice will allow the firm the ability and versatility to expand along with its clients' ever-changing, more demanding needs.

"This merger creates tremendous opportunities for all of us," said Terry L. Wade, current president of Snow Nuffer, who will be the managing attorney of the St. George office and a director of the combined firm. "Together, the two firms will offer both current and new clients a significant presence up and down the Wasatch Front, as well as in Southern Utah and Southern Nevada."

The merger between a major Salt Lake firm and the largest St. George firm may be the first time in history two such entities have combined forces in Utah, firm officials said.

Founded in 1991, Durham Jones & Pinegar has been recognized as the state's fastest growing law firm. In 1998, 1999, and 2000, the firm was named as one of the "Top 100 Fastest Growing Companies" in Utah (based on revenues over a five-year period) by Governor Michael Leavitt and the Mountain West Venture Group.