The worst-kept secret in global law finally became official in November. Norton Rose and Fulbright & Jaworski announced their 3,800-lawyer tie-up in June 2013, creating a $1.9bn firm comfortably inside the top ten largest in the world. It’s been a long time coming. We first spoke of merger rumours between the two firms in 2008 and the market has been awash with speculation ever since.
It’s little wonder that the union has captured the imagination. This deal is bigger than the last eye-catching transatlantic link-up, that of Lovells and Hogan & Hartson in 2010. While detractors may suggest that this isn’t a real merger because the firms are joining forces under a Swiss Verein structure and keeping finances largely separate, both firms are bringing their considerable firepower together under one compelling brand.
