Rob. & Cole expands to Providence

More than a week after laying off 30 lawyers and staff, Hartford law firm Robinson & Cole today announced the hiring of two prominent Rhode Island attorneys who have opened its ninth office in Providence.

Peter V. Lacouture and Patricia J. Igoe, both from the firm Nixon Peabody LLP, were elected partners at Robinson & Cole. Lacouture joined the environmental and utilities practice group, while Igoe joins the finance practice group.

Three more lawyers will work in the downtown Providence office at One Financial Plaza.

Robinson & Cole now has 240 lawyers and nine offices in the Northeast and Florida. The firm announced March 31 the layoff of 11 attorneys and 19 staffers firmwide - half the cuts coming in Hartford.

"The addition of the Providence office speaks to our strength as a regional firm," said Managing Partner John B. Lynch Jr. "We have seen an increasing demand from our current clients to handle matters in Rhode Island. When the opportunity presented itself to add two experienced partners with established practices, we knew the time was right."