Armstrong Miller, California firm merge

Reno law firm Armstrong Miller last week announced it is merging its practice with Downey Brand, Sacramento's largest firm.

The local firm will now be known as Downey Brand and the two attorneys, Sallie Bernard Armstrong and Edmond Miller, will continue to practice corporate bankruptcy and commercial litigation here.

"It's an opportunity for us to partner up with a very prestigious law firm from California with a depth and breadth of practice that we heretofore have not had," said Miller.

Armstrong and Miller will be joined by Downey Brand's four Nevada-admitted lawyers who have been practicing in the state since 2000 under the office name of Steinheimer Shapiro.

Those attorneys practice bankruptcy law as well as natural resources law, including water, energy and mining.

Armstrong Miller initially worked with Downey Brand two years ago, when they acted as co-counsel on a bankruptcy case, said Armstrong.

When Downey Brand began to look to beef up its Reno office because of the high rate of bankruptcies in the court here, they called Armstrong Miller.

The deal to merge practices was finalized in six weeks, she said.

In the last three years, Downey Brand has extended its practice into Bakersfield, Stockton and south Placer County in California.

With the addition of Armstrong and Miller the firm now has 110 attorneys.

"We have no immediate plans to expand the office in Reno but I believe those specialty practices will expand," said Max Steinheimer.

"And I'm sure we'll have a Las Vegas office too soon."