The burgeoning field of legal support services and document management became a little bit leaner last week.

Avalon Document Services announced the acquisition of one of its local competitors, Exacta Legal, in a move that formalized a long-standing relationship between the two litigation support services firms. The companies are part of a growing local presence in the electronic document management and discovery business that includes IKON, D-4 LLC and Toshiba Business Solutions, all with offices serving Buffalo.

Though Avalon first looked into acquiring the company last summer, J.P. Midgley, managing partner at Avalon's buffalo office said they felt the time wasn't right, and only last month revisited the idea. The transaction was finalized last Thursday.

Midgley said he expects the acquisition to allow his company to branch out in both "pre-litigation preparedness and trial services," and distinguish themselves from the competition. The market for legal document services and support has seen steady growth as more Western New York courts are moving toward electronic discovery as the norm in handling court cases.

"The big thing for us, is that they (Exacta) had a much longer-standing tradition of being a great service provider in Buffalo while we are the new people in town over the last year and a half," Midgley said. "I am hoping it opens some doors and allows us to work with some people that they have had those long-standing relationships with."

Avalon employs over 90 people in offices in Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Utica. Exacta Legal had a staff of four operating out of its downtown Buffalo office. Midgley said those employees were relocated to Avalon's offices and have been retained. He also didn't rule out future acquisitions for what has now become Buffalo's largest litigation support firm.

"Down the road we'll probably look at things and we are always open to any mergers or acquisitions that could benefit the company," he said.