Drummy, Garrett Partners Say They’ll Form New Firm

Six shareholders of a soon-to-close law firm, Drummy, Garrett, King & Harrison, announced Tuesday they are forming a new firm to specialize in litigation and corporate work.

Drummy, Garrett announced last week that it would close its doors March 15, after 21 years as one of Orange County’s largest and oldest law firms.

The new firm, to be called Drummy, King & White, will include two of the former firm’s name partners--Stephen C. Drummy and John P. King Jr., as well as veteran litigator Alan I. White.

Drummy, King will employ between 18 and 20 attorneys--many of them from Drummy, Garrett-- and may even use the same office space.

One partner Drummy, King didn’t snag was John C. Garrett, one of the county’s most respected real estate attorneys. Garrett, whose clients have included the Irvine Co., is going to work for Pillsbury, Madison & Sutro’s office in Costa Mesa.

Drummy, Garrett suffered from a host of problems, including key defections and internal indecision. Garrett’s departure is believed to have been the final straw that prompted the law firm’s shareholders to decide to cease operations.

Howard F. Harrison, the remaining name partner at Drummy, Garrett, plans to join another Orange County law firm but has not yet announced which one.