Cantey Hanger adds aviation practice after aquiring Smith & Moore

Smith & Moore's website features lots of aircraft imagery.

Cantey Hanger acquires Smith & Moore PLLC, a boutique aviation law firm in Texas.

Smith & Moore’s website features plenty of aircraft imagery.

Cantey Hanger LLP, a US law firm with three offices in Texas and around 70 lawyers, has acquired Smith & Moore PLLC and five attorneys specialising in aviation law.

Charles Smith, J. Michael Colpoys, Stephanie Millett, Bryan David and David Denny will all join Cantey Hanger from 1 January 2014.

Smith & Moore’s aviation practice “is particularly appealing,” said Steve Tatum, Cantey Hanger’s managing partner. “It enables us to broaden our practice area with attorneys expert and experienced in many facets of aviation litigation.”

Smith, who is also a keen pilot qualified to fly Cessna Mustangs and Learjets, founded the firm with the late John Moore in 1991 and it has continued to focus on “complex, multi-jurisdictional business matters, aviation, products liability, professional malpractice, and general liability and casualty.”

“Charlie Smith has been one of the nation’s leading aviation lawyers for decades,” added Tatum. “We at Cantey Hanger are humbled that he and his firm chose to join our ranks. Charlie, Mike Colpoys and the rest of their team further enhance what we feel is one of the deepest litigation practices in Texas. We are thrilled that they are coming on board.”

Smith & Moore’s clients include Bell Helicopter and Cessna Aircraft, which are both owned by Textron, FlightSafety International, as well as a number of aviation insurance providers.

It is likely that the five attorneys will be based at Cantey Hanger office in Dallas, where they are already based with Smith & Moore. Cantey Hanger also has offices in Fort Worth and Southlake.