Albany law firm plans Syracuse expansion

SYRACUSE — An Albany–based law firm with its sights set on 10 nationwide offices in the next five years will set up its next location in Syracuse.

Tully Rinckey PLLC plans to open its local office in April with three attorneys and expects to expand to seven in the following year. The firm is aiming for 10 attorneys in Syracuse within about two years after opening here.

Tully Rinckey started in Albany about seven years ago and then expanded to Washington, D.C. and Arlington, Va. Rather than spend years and years building a large firm in a single geography through challenging local recruiting, Tully Rinckey decided to expand through establishing a number of smaller offices in different markets, Founding Partner Mathew Tully says.

For its fourth office, the firm explored markets including White Plains, Maryland, and the Springfield, Mass. area. The firm liked the potential for two offices working in the same state and so settled on starting its next location in New York.

“What really made us like Syracuse was the commonality of law with our Albany office,” Tully says.

Plus, starting up in Syracuse is far less expensive than in White Plains, near New York City, he adds.

Practice areas at Tully Rinckey include matrimonial law, trusts and estates, criminal defense, real estate, and general litigation. Filling the Syracuse office with experienced lawyers in those areas will be the firm’s top priority, Tully says.

That doesn’t mean the firm won’t expand into other areas if the right attorney with a slightly different practice focus comes along, he adds.

The firm aims to recruit mid-level lawyers from other firms and has sent nearly 3,800 letters to attorneys within an hour’s drive of Syracuse. Tully says he wants to attract attorneys with experience, but not those at a senior level.

“A mid-level person might be making $90,000 a year, but generating $400,000 in revenue for that firm,” Tully says. “That’s the perfect candidate for us.”

One of Tully Rinckey’s experienced attorneys will move to Syracuse to help start the local office. The firm is already in talks with two local attorneys about joining, Tully adds.

After launching Syracuse, Tully Rinckey expects to continue its expansion west. The firm plans to open offices in both Rochester and Buffalo, including launching in one of those two cities by the end of 2012.

Overall, the firm’s goal is to employ more than 100 attorneys in the next three to five years, Tully says. The firm currently employs 84 people total, including more than 30 attorneys.

Tully Rinckey started in Washington, D.C. in 2008. That office now has 14 attorneys. It opened its third office, in Arlington, in 2010.  

SYRACUSE — An Albany–based law firm with its sights set on 10 nationwide offices in the next five years will set up its next location in Syracuse.

Tully Rinckey PLLC plans to open its local office in April with three attorneys and expects to expand to seven in the following year. The firm is aiming for 10 attorneys in Syracuse within about two years after opening here.

Tully Rinckey started in Albany about seven years ago and then expanded to Washington, D.C. and Arlington, Va. Rather than spend years and years building a large firm in a single geography through challenging local recruiting, Tully Rinckey decided to expand through establishing a number of smaller offices in different markets, Founding Partner Mathew Tully says.

For its fourth office, the firm explored markets including White Plains, Maryland, and the Springfield, Mass. area. The firm liked the potential for two offices working in the same state and so settled on starting its next location in New York.

“What really made us like Syracuse was the commonality of law with our Albany office,” Tully says.

Plus, starting up in Syracuse is far less expensive than in White Plains, near New York City, he adds.

Practice areas at Tully Rinckey include matrimonial law, trusts and estates, criminal defense, real estate, and general litigation. Filling the Syracuse office with experienced lawyers in those areas will be the firm’s top priority, Tully says.

That doesn’t mean the firm won’t expand into other areas if the right attorney with a slightly different practice focus comes along, he adds.

The firm aims to recruit mid-level lawyers from other firms and has sent nearly 3,800 letters to attorneys within an hour’s drive of Syracuse. Tully says he wants to attract attorneys with experience, but not those at a senior level.

“A mid-level person might be making $90,000 a year, but generating $400,000 in revenue for that firm,” Tully says. “That’s the perfect candidate for us.”

One of Tully Rinckey’s experienced attorneys will move to Syracuse to help start the local office. The firm is already in talks with two local attorneys about joining, Tully adds.

After launching Syracuse, Tully Rinckey expects to continue its expansion west. The firm plans to open offices in both Rochester and Buffalo, including launching in one of those two cities by the end of 2012.

Overall, the firm’s goal is to employ more than 100 attorneys in the next three to five years, Tully says. The firm currently employs 84 people total, including more than 30 attorneys.

Tully Rinckey started in Washington, D.C. in 2008. That office now has 14 attorneys. It opened its third office, in Arlington, in 2010.