Firm bulks up to handle real estate boom.

IN a sign of the ongoing real estate pickup in West Los Angeles, a group of Santa Monica attorneys has formed a boutique firm to handle financing deals, litigation and estate issues.

Chris Harding and Tom Larmore, name partners of Harding Larmore Kutcher and Kozal, have bulked up their four-person operations with the addition of Dennis Mullen, a litigation partner at the former Maloney & Mullen PC in Santa Monica, and two of his associates. Another lawyer, John Jakle, a sole practitioner in Santa Monica with one associate, has joined the firm to handle trusts and estates work.

The new firm, Harding Larmore Mnllen Jakle Kutcher & Kozal LLP, handles land use permitting for projects throughout Southern California, focused primarily on Santa Monica.

Larmore, managing partner of the firm, said his clients have demanded more litigation and estates work. "They fit nicely with what we do," he said of the additions. "We're often getting requests to represent clients with disputes they have happening and generally would refer them to Mullen. Estate planning is a nice fit because a lot of the clients are individual investors and individual developers and property owners, so we had a lot of the same clients as John (Jakle)."

Previous work included master planning for Santa Monica College, the land use for various mixed use projects for JSM Construction Inc., Legacy Partners' development of 350 apartment units in The Plaza at The Arboretum and the addition of the private dining area for Wolfgang Puck's Chinois on Main restaurant.

Staff reporter Amanda Bronstad can be reached at [phone], ext. 225, or at [e-mail].