Tanenbaum Keale, formed five months ago when a group of Newark-based Sedgwick lawyers spun off into their own litigation firm, has done some growing since then, with four single laterals from various firms including, of course, Sedgwick.

Tanenbaum Keale most recently brought on Robert Gilmartin Jr., previously counsel at McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter in Morristown, who handles asbestos, construction and pharmaceutical litigation. He joined May 30.

Also joining the firm, in March and April, were three associates: Marina McGuire, from Sedgwick, who handles pharmaceutical and medical device litigation; Pamela Kaplan, from Porzio, Bromberg & Newman of Morristown, who handles asbestos, environmental and toxic tort litigation; and Arshia Hourizadeh, from Mischel & Horn in New York.

All retain their counsel and associate ranks in the move, Tanenbaum Keale managing partner Michael Tanenbaum said in an interview.

Gilmartin had been at Sedgwick previously; as had McGuire, who was on leave when Tanenbaum Keale broke off last January. Kaplan and Hourizadeh are not Sedgwick alums, but had connections to lawyers at Tanenbaum Keale, Tanenbaum said.

That's the growth formula at present: The firm is taking an apparently risk-conscious approach, by targeting people with personal ties to the firm, and staying within its litigation wheelhouse, according to Tanenbaum.

"We are looking only at people we know," Tanenbaum said, noting that the firm isn't using headhunters. The firm is "not interested" in unknown laterals "because it could be disruptive of [what] we're trying to do and what we're trying to build."

"We don't want to grow into a full-service firm now, or probably ever," he added.

Full story to be posted later today.