The law firms of Baker Donelson and Ober|Kaler have announced plans to combine. The combination will to take effect January 1, 2017. The combined firm, which will maintain the name of Baker Donelson, will become one of the 50 largest law firms in the country, with more than 800 attorneys and advisors across 25 offices in nine states as well as Washington, D.C. The combination will result in the third largest and most dynamic health practice in the country. It also brings together multiple nationally recognized practices, including financial services, construction and litigation. The combination will build on Baker Donelson's existing capabilities in more than 30 leading practices areas, including a wide-ranging litigation practice that covers appellate, class action, complex commercial, intellectual property, labor and employment, premises and products liability, securities, taxation and transportation litigation. Baker Donelson also has a global business practice that represents companies with interests in more than 90 countries and an emerging companies practice that represents high-growth start-up companies and other emerging businesses in every state in the Southeast.