Frost Brown Todd

Frost Brown Todd LLP was a U.S. national law firm headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. The firm was created in 2000 when Cincinnati-based Frost & Jacobs LLP merged with Louisville-based Brown Todd & Heyburn PLLC. It developed as a broad-based business law practice serving companies and other institutional clients across a range of industries and legal needs. The firm’s work included corporate and transactional matters, commercial litigation, intellectual property, labor and employment, and other legal services commonly required by businesses operating across multiple jurisdictions. Its growth was primarily achieved through a combination of geographic expansion and law-firm mergers rather than through a single concentrated market. In January 2009, Frost Brown Todd combined with Indianapolis-based Locke Reynolds LLP, strengthening its presence in Indiana and adding to its regional platform. During the 2020s, the firm pursued further national expansion. In 2023, it merged with California firm AlvaradoSmith, adding offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Orange County. It subsequently expanded into additional markets including Denver and Newport Beach. Before its final combination, the firm was described as having more than 600 attorneys working across 18 offices in a number of U.S. states and Washington, D.C., including California, Colorado, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Texas, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Frost Brown Todd’s operating model positioned it as a full-service or broad-service U.S. business law firm with a strong middle-market and regional foundation that had expanded into a coast-to-coast office network. The firm’s geographic footprint allowed it to handle matters involving multiple states while retaining roots in the Ohio Valley and Midwest. Effective January 1, 2026, Frost Brown Todd combined with Newark-based Gibbons P.C. The combination created a new firm named FBT Gibbons LLP, with approximately 800 attorneys and roughly 25 to 26 offices nationwide according to the cited reference material. Because the Frost Brown Todd organization was absorbed into that combined platform, Frost Brown Todd is treated here as a defunct or superseded firm name rather than an independently operating current brand.

Frost Brown Todd originated in the merger of two established regional law firms. Frost & Jacobs LLP was based in Cincinnati, Ohio, while Brown Todd & Heyburn PLLC was based in Louisville, Kentucky. Their combination in 2000 created Frost Brown Todd, giving the new firm a broader Ohio Valley platform and a larger base from which to serve business clients. The merger also established the name under which the firm would later build a national practice. Following its formation, Frost Brown Todd operated as a broad-service business law firm. Its practice areas included corporate and transactional work, litigation, intellectual property, labor and employment, and related services for companies and other organizations. Rather than limiting itself to a single industry or specialty, the firm developed a diversified legal offering intended to support clients across multiple legal and commercial needs. A significant stage in its development came in January 2009, when Frost Brown Todd merged with Indianapolis-based Locke Reynolds LLP. The transaction expanded the firm’s Indiana presence and reinforced its regional network. It also reflected a broader strategy of growth through combinations with established firms in important business markets. The firm continued to extend its geographic reach during the 2020s. In 2023, Frost Brown Todd merged with AlvaradoSmith, a California firm, adding offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Orange County. The transaction gave Frost Brown Todd a direct presence in California and supported its transition from a predominantly Midwest-rooted practice into a firm with a more extensive national footprint. The firm later added Denver and Newport Beach to its listed office markets, contributing to its stated coast-to-coast expansion. Before its combination with Gibbons, Frost Brown Todd was described as a national firm with more than 600 attorneys across 18 offices. Its offices covered California, Colorado, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Texas, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C. This network enabled the firm to combine local-market knowledge with the capacity to handle matters spanning several states. The final major event in the firm’s history was its combination with Gibbons P.C., a Newark-based law firm. The combination became effective on January 1, 2026, and the resulting organization was named FBT Gibbons LLP. Reference material describes the new firm as having approximately 800 attorneys and approximately 25 to 26 offices nationwide. This transaction ended Frost Brown Todd’s existence as a separately named law firm while carrying elements of its platform into the successor organization. Accordingly, Frost Brown Todd is best understood as a former U.S. national law firm whose history consists of its 2000 formation, subsequent regional and national expansion, and eventual combination into FBT Gibbons.

• 2026

  Combination with Gibbons P.C.

  [1]Frost Brown Todden.wikipedia.org

  Effective January 1, Frost Brown Todd and Gibbons P.C. combined to form FBT Gibbons LLP, a firm described as having approximately 800 attorneys and a nationwide office network.

• 2023

  California expansion through AlvaradoSmith merger

  [1]Frost Brown Todden.wikipedia.org

  The merger with AlvaradoSmith added offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Orange County.

• 2009

  Combination with Locke Reynolds

  [1]Frost Brown Todden.wikipedia.org

  The firm merged with Indianapolis-based Locke Reynolds LLP, expanding its Indiana operations and regional footprint.

• 2000

  Formation through merger

  [1]Frost Brown Todden.wikipedia.org

  Frost & Jacobs LLP of Cincinnati and Brown Todd & Heyburn PLLC of Louisville merged to form Frost Brown Todd.

A broad-service U.S. business law firm with Midwestern roots, a national office network, and a focus on serving companies across jurisdictions.

• Legal services

  Corporate and transactional legal services

  Legal advice for businesses and other organizations on corporate matters, transactions, and related commercial activities. These services formed part of Frost Brown Todd’s broad business-law offering and supported clients operating across multiple U.S. jurisdictions.

• Legal services

  Commercial litigation

  Dispute-related legal services for business clients, including commercial conflicts and litigation matters. Litigation was one of the firm’s principal practice categories within its comprehensive legal-services model.

• Legal services

  Intellectual property law

  Legal services concerning intellectual property and associated business needs. The practice complemented the firm’s corporate, litigation, and employment capabilities for organizations with proprietary assets or technology-related concerns.

• Legal services

  Labor and employment law

  Advice and representation relating to workplace and employment matters. Labor and employment was identified as one of Frost Brown Todd’s core service areas within its full-service business law platform.

• 2026

  Combine with Gibbons P.C. to form FBT GibbonsM&A

  Background

  Frost Brown Todd and Gibbons P.C. sought to create a larger nationwide middle-market legal firm.

  Action taken

  The firms combined effective January 1, 2026, under the name FBT Gibbons LLP.

  Aftermath

  Frost Brown Todd ceased operating as a separate firm name. The new organization was described as having approximately 800 attorneys and approximately 25 to 26 offices nationwide.

  Source

• 2023

  Merge with AlvaradoSmithM&A

  Background

  Frost Brown Todd was pursuing broader national and coast-to-coast coverage.

  Action taken

  The firm merged with California-based AlvaradoSmith.

  Aftermath

  The transaction added offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Orange County and expanded the firm’s California presence.

  Source

• 2009

  Merge with Locke ReynoldsM&A

  Background

  Locke Reynolds was an Indianapolis-based law firm, and the transaction supported Frost Brown Todd’s expansion in Indiana.

  Action taken

  Frost Brown Todd combined with Locke Reynolds LLP.

  Aftermath

  The firm strengthened its Indiana presence and increased the scale of its regional network.

  Source

• 2000

  Create Frost Brown Todd through a firm mergerM&A

  Background

  Frost & Jacobs and Brown Todd & Heyburn were established regional firms based in Cincinnati and Louisville respectively.

  Action taken

  The two firms merged and began operating as Frost Brown Todd.

  Aftermath

  The combination created a broader Ohio Valley legal platform that later expanded nationally.

  Source

1. 1Frost Brown Todden.wikipedia.org
2. 2Frost Brown Todd official websitefrostbrowntodd.com