Law partners reorganize into two firms

FORT COLLINS — One of Northern Colorado’s largest and longest-running law firms split into two practices earlier this month.

Dwyer, Huddleson & Ray P.C., which traces its origins to 1937, was reorganized after managing partner Dave Dwyer decided to reduce his role in the practice at the end of 2003.

The result is two firms: Dwyer, Ringenberg & Funk P.C., which will focus on business law, and Ray & Jouard P.C., which will focus on litigation. Attorneys for both firms will continue to share offices in the First National Bank Tower at 215 W. Oak St.

Jim Ringenberg, Joel Funk and Richard Beller will be initial partners of Dwyer, Ringenberg & Funk, while Dave Dwyer and Kent Sutherland will serve “of counsel” roles. Explaining his “of counsel” status, Dwyer said he’ll work on large projects for existing clients, referring other work to other lawyers in the new business law firm.

The litigation firm will be led by Steve Ray and Steve Jouard.

“This reorganization is expected to allow each firm to more fully focus on its core strengths and expertise and better meet the objectives of its clients,” Dwyer said in a letter to clients last month to explain the changes.

Dwyer sparked the restructuring when he decided to resign his positions of shareholder and president for Dwyer, Huddleson & Ray. Dwyer had been president of the firm — once known as Fischer, Brown, Huddleson and Gunn — since 1996 and was a partner for 22 years.

The move was precipitated by Dwyer’s growing activity in Vista Ventures, a venture capital firm he founded in 1999.

Initially, Dwyer said he spent 25 percent of his work hours on Vista Ventures. That proportion expanded to 50 percent last year and will grow to two-thirds of his schedule this year.

Vista Ventures has grown rapidly over the past year, adding a new office in Boston and growing its investment capital from $20 million to $75 million. The company expects to announce a round of new investments this year.

In its new form, Dwyer, Ringenberg & Funk will have five attorneys and plans to hire a sixth sometime in the first quarter, Dwyer said. Ray & Jouard P.C. will have two attorneys.

The reorganization caps a series of changes for the former Dwyer, Huddleson & Ray over the past two years. In that span, partner Chuck Huddleson retired, associates Michelle Bush and Russell Sinnett left the firm, and Beller joined the firm.

Because the two firms continue to share offices and support staff, there will be “no discernible change whatsoever” for clients, Ringenberg said.

“We’ll refer cases as we did before. We’ll consult between each other. The relationship is one I would characterize as cordial and cooperative.”

The transformation of Dwyer, Huddleson & Ray should not trigger a flow of clients to other local firms, said John Frey, a partner with Frey, Korb, Haggerty & Michaels PC in Fort Collins.

“It sounds to me like the same people practicing in different relationships,” Frey said. “Historically, clients will probably follow wherever the individual attorney is who has been chiefly responsible for their business.”

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