Law firm splits, partners leave after failed merger

By Stephanie Tavares

Wednesday, May 20, 2009 | 2:11 p.m.

A founding partner and the managing partner of one of the state's largest law firms are stepping down as the firm splits after a failed merger.

Thomas Kummer, founding partner of Kummer Kaempfer Bonner Renshaw & Ferrario, is resigning and taking a job at a competing firm. Michael Bonner, managing partner of the firm, is also leaving.

Kummer Kaempfer partner Bob Gronauer will take Bonner’s place as managing partner.

“The firm will continue its longstanding tradition of serving our clients with the highest levels of excellence,” Gronauer said in a statement. “During the transition, our clients we serve can rest assured that our collective commitment to seamless service and client delivery stands above all else.”

The change signals a drastic decrease in the number of employees at Kummer Kaempfer, the fifth-largest Las Vegas-area law firm, according to the 2009 In Business Las Vegas Book of Business Lists. Several staffers, lawyers and partners, including Bonner, will leave the firm in June to join international firm Greenberg Traurig, which already had about 30 lawyers in Nevada.

Earlier this year, Kummer Kaempfer laid off about 10 lawyers and associated staff, some of whom said their jobs were eliminated because of an expected merger with Greenberg Traurig.

That merger never materialized, causing the current split among the firm's top partners.

Founding partner Chris Kaempfer will remain with Kummer Kaempfer.

“This is a difficult, but cordial decision that reflects the desires of certain practice groups in our firm to practice in an international firm,” Bonner said in a statement. “We will continue to work together with our Kummer Kaempfer colleagues as co-counsel on many matters now and in the future. More importantly, we will remain good friends.”