Richard Hans, who left DLA Piper two years ago to join Thacher Proffitt & Wood, is heading back to his old firm as the new one faces merger or dissolution.

Hans became DLA Piper’s head of litigation this last January. He refused to comment to Am Law Daily.

Thacher Proffitt has seen profits fall and partners leave with the collapse of the real estate and credit markets. Profits per partner last year dropped 22.1 percent to $1.02 million.

  

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The New York headquartered firm shut down its White Plains, New York office in October as partners there, including vice chairman Thomas Leslie, departed for Greenberg Traurig. In November, Hogan & Hartson hired two partners, including executive committee member Richard Schaberg.

King & Spalding was in talks to acquire most of Thacher, though the state of those talks is uncertain. All of Thacher’s New York office space at Two World Financial Center has been put on the market.