Stoll Stoll Berne Lokting & Shlachter PC is shortening its firm name to Stoll Berne in recognition of senior partners Robert Stoll and Gary Berne.

"It's the same firm, but a simpler name," said Keith Ketterling, managing shareholder. "David Lokting and Rob Shlachter are, and will continue to be, a huge part of the heart and soul of our firm. They're not going anywhere."

Founded 30 years ago, the Portland firm specializes in complex business litigation and commercial real estate/business transactions. The firm has 10 partners and nine associates.

Tactix Real Estate Advisors kicked off the year picking up two additional major law firms in the market seeking space, continuing its dominance representing the local legal sector in lease deals.

The Radnor-based boutique brokerage is now representing an 80,000-square-foot Center City firm that it can't disclose the name of -- yet -- and Richards Layton & Finger, a Wilmington-based law firm that leases roughly 125,000 square feet at the Chase building. Tactix, which solely represents tenants, is also running around with Saul Ewing, which is in 110,000 square feet in Centre Square, which is has occupied for the past 30 years, and Fox Rothschild, which leases 90,000 square feet at 2000 Market St. Saul Ewing's lease expires in May 2010 and Fox Rothschild's at the end of next year.

In all, Tactix has wrapped up leases in its 10 years on 35 law firms. For example, in December it closed on Buchanan Ingersoll's 80,000-square-foot lease at Two Liberty Place, Hamilton Lane at One Belmont Avenue in Bala Cynwyd, and numerous deals for Fox Rothschild throughout the region and across the country. It also helped Dechert and Woodcock Washburn secure the first leases at Cira Centre in 2004, kicking off construction of the new tower.

"I think we understand law firms because a lot of us were lawyers," said Glenn Blumenfeld, who left Dechert in late 2002 to become a partner at Tactix. Judd Wambold, who formed Tactix in 1997 with Sal Ambrosio, was also an attorney at Dechert. Many of its hires have also been lawyers who left area law firms.

The San Diego law firm of Steigerwalt & Associates merged Wednesday with the Pacific Law Center, creating a new entity specializing in personal injury, bankruptcy and criminal defense litigation.

The new firm -- called Kerry Steigerwalt's Pacific Law Center -- will have 30 attorneys working out of offices in downtown San Diego, La Jolla, Escondido and Chula Vista, Steigerwalt said.

He said the company will provide effective and affordable representation for the average person who becomes involved in litigation, offering the services of experienced lawyers who have handled thousands of matters ranging from death penalty cases to traffic offenses.

Steigerwalt stressed KSPLC's commitment to offering experienced and effective legal services at affordable rates, including free initial consultations.

"The very rich can afford whatever lawyers they choose," Steigerwalt said. "The poor are provided lawyers at public expense. The big gap in legal representation involves the average citizen who becomes involved with litigation and doesn't know where to turn. We're here to provide them that same access to justice."

Princeton-educated Maze was executive director in Morgan Stanley's leveraged and acquisition finance group.

"We have built one of the pre-eminent combined high yield and senior leveraged finance capabilities in the market, and Dan's arrival further bolsters our banking practice," said Andrew Moyle, managing partner in the firm's London office.