Baker & Daniels

Baker & Daniels LLP

Type	LLP
Industry	Law
Founded	1863
Headquarters	Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Website	www.bakerdaniels.com

Baker & Daniels LLP is a full-service law firm representing clients in regional, national and international matters.

With more than 370 lawyers and legal professionals^{[citation needed]}, the firm counsels clients in transactional, regulatory and litigation issues throughout the United States and around the world. Founded in 1863 by Thomas Hendricks, Conrad Baker, Oscar Hord as Baker, Hord, and Hendricks, its founders all died in 1880s. Baker's son Albert Baker took owenership of the firm and took on a new partner, Edward Daniels, renaming the firm Baker & Daniels'. The firm's clients include Fortune 500 corporations, regional businesses, local governments, nonprofit organizations and individuals. Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, Baker & Daniels also has offices in Chicago, Illinois; Washington, D.C.; Fort Wayne, Indiana; South Bend, Indiana; and Beijing, P.R. China.^{[citation needed]}

On January 1, 2012, Baker & Daniels and Faegre & Benson successfully combined firms and began business operations as Faegre Baker Daniels LLP.

History

Baker & Daniels was founded in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1863 by then-U.S. Senator Thomas A. Hendricks, who later served as Governor of Indiana and Vice President of the United States under Grover Cleveland. The first Baker at the firm was Conrad Baker, who also served as Governor of Indiana. Later, Albert Baker, the son of Conrad Baker, and Edward Daniels, the first Daniels at the firm, joined the practice. After going through several name changes, the firm became known as Baker & Daniels in 1888. After that, Joseph Daniels, the son of Edward Daniels, joined the firm.

Through the years, Baker & Daniels has expanded. In 1976, the firm established an office in Washington, D.C. The Fort Wayne, Indiana, office opened in 1983. Two years later, Baker & Daniels created a subsidiary company — Sagamore Associates, which later became B&D Sagamore. Located in Washington, D.C., Sagamore assisted clients with federal relations issues.

In the 1990s, Baker & Daniels continued to expand. The South Bend, Indiana, office opened in 1990, followed by the Elkhart, Indiana, office in 1993. In 1998, the firm’s first overseas office was opened in China. During that time, Baker & Daniels created a second subsidiary company called Capitol Direct (which later became B&D Quorum). This D.C.-based company assisted clients through grassroots advocacy, direct marketing and public affairs efforts.

In 2000, Baker & Daniels opened its 96th Street office in Indianapolis. In addition, a new Baker & Daniels subsidiary was founded — Aventor, a global medical technology consulting firm. At the start of 2006, merging the people and practices of Aventor, B&D Quorum and B&D Sagamore into one company, B&D Consulting, assured a new approach.

As part of a long-term growth strategy, Baker & Daniels consolidated its practices in North Central Indiana into a regional model in 2007 by transferring operations in Elkhart to the South Bend office. Then in 2008, the firm opened a new South Bend office. Baker & Daniels was part of a multimillion dollar renovation project, allowing the firm to occupy the top five floors in a 14-story bank building. Also in 2007, B&D Consulting expanded its national services to the property tax industry with the addition of the B&D Equity Property Tax Group in Chicago. The group, which brought many years of experience in national property tax matters, aligned with the firm's growth initiative and provided entry into the Chicago market.^{[citation needed]}

Baker & Daniels expanded its presence in Chicago with the opening of a new law office in 2008.

From the beginning, lawyers have practiced at Baker & Daniels, including many whose careers involved public service. Evan Bayh was a Baker & Daniels partner before his election to the U.S. Senate. Other former partners include Stephen Goldsmith, former Mayor of Indianapolis; Pam Carter, the first African-American female State Attorney General in the country; and Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels, a firm partner before taking a senior position at Eli Lilly and Company. One former partner is and another was a Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court. Jack Swarbrick, a former Baker & Daniels partner, became athletic director at the University of Notre Dame in 2008, and Fred Glass, another former partner at Baker & Daniels, became athletic director at Indiana University at the start of 2009.

Divisions

B&D Consulting, a national advisory and advocacy firm based in Washington, D.C., is a division of Baker & Daniels. Since 1985, the consulting firm's workers have served private and public sector clients across the United States with expertise in technical analysis, strategic planning and external communications skills.^{[citation needed]} In 2005 — B&D Sagamore, B&D Quorum and Aventor combined people and resources to form B&D Consulting. In 2008, B&D Consulting moved to a new LEED Gold building at 1050 K Street NW, Washington, D.C.

B&D Consulting serves clients in a number of sectors, including communities and local governments, community services, education, energy and climate change, federal government relations, health and life sciences, insurance and financial services, social services, sports and entertainment, and strategic and public policy communications.

B&D Equity Property Tax Group is a division of B&D Consulting. With an office in Chicago, the group provides a range of services, including implementing tax strategies and creating tax policies. B&D Equity Property Tax Group staff also recommend deal structuring options.

Pro bono

Baker & Daniels has a long-standing commitment to pro bono and public interest work.^{[citation needed]} Baker & Daniels fully integrates pro bono and public interest work into its practice, philosophy and culture.

Today, lawyers, paralegals and other professionals at Baker & Daniels are involved in dozens of pro bono and public interest projects, engagements and cases impacting communities, states, the nation and the world.^{[citation needed]}

China

Baker & Daniels began building relationships in [China] during the 1980s and was representing U.S. companies in China by the early 1990s. In 1995, Baker & Daniels applied for a license to formally establish an office in China, becoming one of the first 14 U.S. law firms with an office in China.

Attorneys in Baker & Daniels' China practice in Beijing, as well as many in the firm's U.S. offices, are U.S.-educated lawyers who speak Mandarin and Shanghaiese, understand governmental compliance issues and restrictions, and are knowledgeable on the way Chinese companies conduct business.^{[citation needed]}

Global network

Baker & Daniels has developed relationships with many foreign law firms through membership in Lex Mundi, the world's leading association of more than 160 independent law firms. With its membership, Baker & Daniels has access to more than 21,000 lawyers from more than 560 law offices. Member firms provide access to the expertise and market knowledge in 100 countries, covering practically any jurisdiction in the world.

Baker & Daniels has been a member of Lex Mundi since 1989, the year it was established. Each Lex Mundi member firm is among the oldest, largest and most prominent in its location. Baker & Daniels is the only Indiana member. Outside the United States, Lex Mundi law firm members are located in Africa & the Middle East, Asia Pacific, Canada, Europe and Latin America & the Caribbean.

Clients

Baker & Daniels' legal professionals stay current on the laws.^{[citation needed]} One of the ways the firm keeps its clients informed is through practice-specific newsletters. Baker & Daniels newsletters are structured to provide legal updates and case studies.

Baker & Daniels professionals also develop seminars on various topics and are frequent speakers at seminars and conferences across the country.

References

• Gugin, Linda C. & St. Clair, James E, ed. (2006). The Governors of Indiana. Indianapolis, Indiana: Indiana Historical Society Press. ISBN 0871951967.