New Jersey Law Firm Expands into Connecticut with Greenwich Team

Mandelbaum Barrett PC, a New Jersey-based law firm, is officially planting its flag in Connecticut. The firm is absorbing the full legal team of one of Greenwich’s oldest and best-known firms, Ivey, Barnum & O’Mara LLC.

This move gives Mandelbaum Barrett its first foothold in the state. It also extends its growing New England presence, especially as law firm mergers and combinations keep reshaping the legal landscape from Stamford to Hartford and beyond.

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Mandelbaum Barrett Expands Into Connecticut

Starting January 1, 24 attorneys and staff from Ivey, Barnum & O’Mara will join Mandelbaum Barrett. The firms haven’t shared financial terms, but the deal stands out for both sides and for the broader Fairfield County legal market.

Mandelbaum Barrett began in Newark in 1930 and now has about 150 attorneys. The firm operates offices in New Jersey, New York, Florida, Colorado, and now Connecticut.

By adding a Greenwich team, Mandelbaum Barrett lands in one of the state’s most competitive, high-value legal markets. Clients often come from communities like Darien, New Canaan, and Westport.

A Historic Greenwich Firm Joins a Growing National Platform

Ivey, Barnum & O’Mara, founded in 1950, has long ranked among the largest law firms based in Greenwich. Over decades, the firm built a reputation serving both individual and business clients across Fairfield County and beyond.

Many of their client relationships stretch from Greenwich up through Norwalk, Bridgeport, and into central Connecticut. By joining Mandelbaum Barrett, the team keeps its local experience but connects to a broader, multi-state platform.

Key Practice Areas Coming to Mandelbaum Barrett’s Connecticut Office

One big draw of this combination is the range of practice areas Ivey, Barnum & O’Mara brings. Those capabilities now become part of Mandelbaum Barrett’s Connecticut offering.

The incoming team’s core practices include:

Real estate – Residential and commercial transactions, a crucial service in markets like Greenwich, Stamford, and Westport.

Trusts and estates – Estate planning, probate, and wealth transfer work for high-net-worth families in towns from New Canaan to Darien.

Business law – Corporate counseling for closely held companies and entrepreneurs across the I‑95 corridor and into cities like Hartford.

Employment law – Advising employers and executives on contracts, compliance, and workplace disputes.

Litigation – Representing clients in civil disputes in both state and federal courts.

Personal injury – Handling injury and negligence cases for individuals throughout Connecticut.

What This Means for Connecticut Clients

For clients in places like Greenwich, Stamford, and Norwalk, the change means gaining access to a broader pool of resources. The same lawyers and staff will stay local, but now they’re backed by a 150-attorney, multi-state operation.

This bigger platform can help with complex litigation, sophisticated tax and corporate issues, and multi-jurisdictional matters that cross into New York, New Jersey, or Florida. That’s not something every local firm can offer.

Part of a Larger Trend in the Legal Industry

This combination isn’t happening in a vacuum. Across Connecticut—from Stamford and Hartford to Bridgeport, Norwalk, and Westport—firms are under pressure to recruit top talent, invest in technology, and compete for high-end clients.

Smaller and midsize firms are consolidating nationally and within the state to tackle these challenges. Joining a larger platform like Mandelbaum Barrett gives local teams access to:

Deeper practice-area support across multiple states.

Shared technology and research tools that would be expensive to build alone.

Broader referral networks for clients with multi-state or international needs.

Connecticut as a Strategic Growth Market

For an out-of-state firm, Connecticut makes sense as a place to grow. The corridor from Greenwich through Stamford to Bridgeport stands out as a prime target.

This region is packed with financial services, real estate investment, family offices, and closely held businesses. Many of these have ties to New York City and, honestly, to other major hubs as well.

Mandelbaum Barrett chose Greenwich for its first Connecticut office, building on the legacy of Ivey, Barnum & O’Mara. That move lets the firm reach clients along the Gold Coast and in business centers like Hartford.

Other communities statewide are in the mix too. It’s a smart way to tap into both established and emerging markets.

Connecticut’s legal market isn’t what it used to be. We’re seeing fewer stand-alone local firms and more regional or national platforms.

Firms want to give clients broader, more integrated legal services. At the same time, they’re trying not to lose the local knowledge that’s always defined the bar in towns across the state.

Here is the source article for this story: New Jersey law firm expands into CT with Greenwich team addition

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