SZD Grows by 11 New Professionals in Raleigh, N.C., Including Former Lt. Governor Dennis Wicker

COLUMBUS, Ohio, March 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Schottenstein Zox & Dunn Co., LPA (SZD) announces the expansion of its legal presence through the hire of 11 new professionals including nine attorneys in Raleigh, N.C. The firm's new attorneys include Dennis Wicker, a named partner of Helms Mullis & Wicker and former Lt. Governor of North Carolina, who will now serve on SZD's management committee. Colleague David Otterson of Helms Mullis will serve as the managing partner of the developing Raleigh office.

"Adding someone with the stature of Dennis Wicker to the SZD team significantly expands our presence in North Carolina," said Jim Davidson, president of SZD. "His reputation and prominence in the state give SZD the immediate credibility we need to grow our law practice there."

SZD's careful consideration of expansion opportunities over the past several years steered the Columbus law firm to Raleigh in 2007 when the firm's management first determined to open an office for SZD Whiteboard, the firm's consulting affiliate. SZD Whiteboard's focus on economic development and site location services have been well received in this market. Particularly, Wicker's focus on government relations supports the firm's desire to strengthen such services and bolster the firm's reputation in North Carolina.

"This is a great opportunity for me to take a new direction and to build and nurture a great firm whose entrepreneurial nature matches mine and that of the others joining SZD," said Wicker. "My role will be to lead the effort to advance SZD's business law presence, first in the Triangle then throughout North Carolina," he added.

Raleigh's strength in advancing research and technology through its top universities and Research Triangle Park was also a draw for SZD's expansion and mirrors the technology focus of the City of Columbus. In addition to the strong foundation of attorneys in North Carolina, several of SZD's attorneys in Ohio are dually licensed to practice in both states in order to better serve local clients that have operations in North Carolina.

The new Raleigh law office is scheduled to open April 1, 2008.

About Schottenstein Zox & Dunn:

Established in 1966, Schottenstein Zox & Dunn is one of Ohio's largest full-service law firms. The firm has over 120 attorneys located in Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati, Ohio, and Raleigh, N.C., and serves the business community, from large corporations to small, entrepreneurial and family-owned companies. www.szd.com

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Source: Schottenstein Zox & Dunn Co., LPA

CONTACT: Melissa Wilson, Marketing Manager, +1-614-462-2307,
mwilson@szd.com, for SZD

Web site: http://www.szd.com/

2008-03-21 13:06:06 0317858 PRNEWSWIRE