Cohen & Co., a regional CPA and business advisory firm based in Cleveland, has acquired the family office practice of The Lipson Group.

Payroll and HR outsourcing provider ADP has acquired AdvanceMD, a practice management and electronic health records concern.

Austin, Texas-based accounting firm PMB Helin Donovan has expanded its presence in Houston by merging with McEvoy & Co.

Houston-based CPA firm Calvetti, Ferguson & Wagner has acquired Kainer & Company, a tax and accounting consultancy.

Consulting and accounting firm Fuoco Group LLP merged in the Florida accounting firm Donna Seidenberg PA on Tuesday.

Professional services firm LECG Corporation said Monday that it expects to sign an amendment to its credit agreement and to transition two expert practice groups to FTI Consulting Inc., as the financially troubled firm struggles to stay in business.

Accounting firm McConnell Jones Lanier & Murphy has expanded its technology and telecommunications consulting services with the acquisition of Paladin Communications.

Recently merged accounting, tax and business advisory firm EisnerAmper LLP has created its new Web site, www.eisneramper.com.

The Internal Revenue Service has granted transitional relief from the penalties imposed by recent information reporting requirements that apply to stock issuers when an organizational action affects the basis of the stock.

KPMG has acquired outsourcing advisory firm EquaTerra for an undisclosed sum.

Financially troubled consulting and tax services firm LECG revealed Friday it has received an acquisition offer for at least part of its business from FTI Consulting that could help rescue the firm from its financial straits.

Payroll and benefits outsourcing provider Paychex said it has completed its previously announced acquisition of online payroll concern SurePayroll.

Cherry Bekaert & Holland has acquired the CPA firm Burrus Paul & Turnbull, expanding the firm’s presence in Virginia.

I get questions daily from CPAs asking if their firm should consider a merger or if it is possible for their firm to compete as an independent or local firm. My current answer is, "It depends!"

CALIFORNIA

Anderson ZurMuehlen and Co., a regional CPA and business advisory firm here, agreed to merge with Great Falls-based Hamilton Misfeldt and Co. effective July 1.

A troika of CPA executives, whose practices completed an aggregate of nearly 20 mergers during 2010, told attendees at this year’s Winning Is Everything conference here in Las Vegas that in order to craft a successful M&A strategy, a firm must have a unified vision and an internal champion to spearhead the program and never compromise its core values just to grow or add geography.

The Tax & Accounting business of Thomson Reuters has acquired the publishing division of Chicago-based consultancy PDI Global Inc. for undisclosed terms, effective Tuesday.

Ernst & Young’s member firm in Israel — Kost, Forer, Gabbay & Associates — has acquired the professional services arm of Hacktics Ltd., an Israel-based security organization that protects against cyberspace attacks.

Bartolomei Pucciarelli has merged in the accounting practice of Joseph H. Schwendt, CPA, expanding the firm’s client base in New Jersey.