Downtown Law Firm Expands to Inland Empire

Manning & Kass acquires Smith Law Group, adding 9 attorneys to its governmental entity liability team.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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Downtown Los Angeles law firm Manning & Kass, Ellrod, Ramirez, Trester has expanded into the Inland Empire market through the acquisition of the Riverside-based Smith Law Group. The merger adds 9 attorneys and their support staff to Manning Kass, bolstering the firm's governmental entity liability team.

Why it matters

The acquisition allows Manning Kass to grow its presence in the Inland Empire region and strengthen its expertise in governmental entity liability cases. The merger also highlights the ongoing consolidation in the legal industry as mid-sized firms look to expand their geographic reach and service offerings.

The details

The deal sees the former Smith Law Group, led by founder Doug Smith, join Manning Kass. Smith, a former judge advocate for the U.S. Marine Corps, had built up a strong practice representing public entities in the Inland Empire. The merger will allow Manning Kass to leverage Smith's team and client relationships in the region.

  • Manning Kass acquired Smith Law Group in January 2026.

The players

Manning & Kass, Ellrod, Ramirez, Trester

A mid-sized law firm based in downtown Los Angeles that has now expanded into the Inland Empire market through this acquisition.

Smith Law Group

A Riverside-based law firm that was acquired by Manning Kass, adding 9 attorneys and their support staff to the firm's governmental entity liability team.

Doug Smith

The founder of Smith Law Group, who is a former judge advocate for the U.S. Marine Corps and has built a strong practice representing public entities in the Inland Empire.

Dennis Kass

The managing partner of Manning Kass, who cited the firm's shared values and commitment to client excellence as reasons for the acquisition.

Eugene Ramirez

A name partner at Manning Kass who co-leads the firm's governmental entity liability team and has a professional relationship with Doug Smith.

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What they’re saying

“Doug has built an amazing team, and his culture of empowerment and respect are at the core – a core set of principles that drives us. Adding new people like Doug and his team is important to our continued growth, while keeping our amazing firm culture.”

— Dennis Kass, Managing Partner, Manning & Kass (labusinessjournal.com)

“Our clients are very happy that Smith Law has found a national law firm that shares our same values and commitment to client excellence.”

— Doug Smith, Founder, Smith Law Group (labusinessjournal.com)

“His team represents some of the same public entities that we represent. Our clients will benefit from the merging of teams.”

— Eugene Ramirez, Name Partner, Manning & Kass (labusinessjournal.com)

The takeaway

This acquisition allows Manning Kass to expand its geographic reach and expertise in governmental entity liability cases, strengthening the firm's position in the legal industry. The merger highlights the ongoing consolidation in the legal sector as mid-sized firms seek to grow through strategic acquisitions.