Taft Completes Merger With Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss, Expanding Its Midwest Reach to Detroit

(Jan. 3, 2022) — Effective Dec. 31, 2022, Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss, a Detroit-area firm with more than 120 attorneys representing over 25 practice areas, joined Taft.

With this addition, Taft is now comprised of more than 800 attorneys in eight primary Midwest markets and the District of Columbia.

First announced in September 2022, the combination of Jaffe and Taft will offer greater benefits to their clients, bringing together two firms that value a client-first approach, commitment to culture, and collaborative mindset. Founded 54 years ago in 1968, Jaffe has established itself as one of the most respected full-service law firms in Michigan — representing public and private clients throughout the Midwest and United States, and internationally, with a Midwestern rate structure. This expansion not only welcomes new talent and resources to both firms, but it also creates a stronger overall presence across markets and further strengthens Taft’s position as the modern law firm.

“The Jaffe team is excited to embark on this journey, joining with Taft to expand our offering in the Detroit market,” said Mark Cooper, Taft Detroit’s partner-in-charge. “We’ve been working collaboratively as Team Taft to create a seamless transition for our clients, attorneys, and staff while bringing significant enhancements to our current capabilities in the region. We look forward to starting this new, modern chapter.”

Taft operates under a “One Taft” leadership mentality — a structure that offers balanced representation across Taft markets and practice areas in all firm-wide, executive-level decisions. With this combination, Taft Detroit will have four seats on the firm’s executive committee. Each Taft market is empowered to make decisions locally while being supported by the Taft brand, vision, and firm-wide resources.

“At Taft, we are extremely pleased to welcome such incredible talent to our team — sharing a strong commitment to our clients, while also enhancing the way we operate and deliver services as a modern law firm. As a united front, we look forward to continuing to grow, engage, and support the Detroit community,” said Robert J. Hicks, Taft’s chairman and managing partner.