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SANTA ANA — One of Orange County’s oldest court reporting firms is being gobbled up by one of the nation’s largest legal reporting companies. M&M; Certified Court Reporters, which was
founded more than 40 years ago in Santa Ana, is being acquired by New York-based Esquire Communications Ltd. as part of Esquire’s effort to set up a national court reporting network, the
companies said Monday. Financial terms were not disclosed. M&M;, which handles depositions for hundreds of law firms, has 65 court reporters and branch offices in Los Angeles, San Diego
and San Bernardino. Harvey Melman, one of M&M;’s owners, said Esquire is acquiring regional agencies throughout the country in an effort to establish a national network in the
$3.5-billion court reporting industry. “It’s an area that’s been overlooked for years, and the time has come for this type of national service,” Melman said. The transaction also would allow
M&M; to provide nationwide service for its customers, he said. M&M; would retain its name and be run by the three current owners, Melman said. M&M; management “will determine
all the policy and pricing structure, so there’ll be no change,” he said. Esquire acquired another Santa Ana court reporting firm, Sarnoff Deposition Service Inc., in 1994. The New York
company also announced plans recently to acquire a San Diego company, Kitlas, Dickman & Associates. The Sarnoff and Kitlas firms have a total of more than 100 court reporters. Esquire’s
acquisitions of M&M; and the San Diego firm would boost the New York company’s annual revenue by more than 25%, said Malcolm L. Elvey, Esquire’s chief executive. The company expects to
report annual revenue of more than $20 million for 1995, he said. The company said a definitive agreement to acquire M&M; could be in place by June 30. M&M; originally was named Pina
& MacAuley after founders Roy Pina and William MacAuley, two Orange County Superior Court reporters who started the deposition agency in 1955. The name changed to MacAuley & Manning
in 1963 when Pina retired and James Manning became a partner. During the 1970s, MacAuley and Manning retired, but the new owners--Melman, Richard Barrett and Carlton Dawson--incorporated
under the name M&M; Certified Court Reporters. Esquire, which transcribed the O.J. Simpson trial for NBC, provides court reporting and related legal support services. (BEGIN TEXT OF
INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC) In the Works A New York firm, Esquire Communications, plans to acquire Orange County-based M&M; Certified Court Reporters. Details on the two companies and
proposed acquisition: M&M; Certified Court Reporters Headquarters: Santa Ana Business: Provides court reporters for legal depositions Founded: 1955 Owners: Harvey Melman, Richard Barrett
and Carlton Dawson Employees: 14 (65 court reporters are employed as independent contractors) Branches: San Diego, San Bernardino and Los Angeles Purchase price: Not disclosed Esquire
Communications Ltd. Headquarters: New York Business: Legal deposition court reporting and information management Chairman: Malcolm L. Elvey Additional acquisitions: San Diego-based Kitlas,
Dickman & Associates 1994 revenue: $12.8 million Estimated 1995 revenue: More than $20 million Exchange: Nasdaq Source: Esquire Communications Ltd.; M&M; Certified Court Reporters
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