An interesting battle is raging in Scotland on levels large and small. In early May, the Scottish National Party (SNP) swept to victory in 56 of the 59 seats available to it in the General Election and party leader Nicola Sturgeon pressed prime minister David Cameron to revisit the draft legislation on devolving more powers to Holyrood.
Continue reading “Comment: Be wary of vaulting ambition as competition ramps up in Scotland”
National firm Weightmans is looking to establish an offering in Yorkshire, announcing it is in final merger negotiations with single office, Leeds-based Ford & Warren.
Continue reading “Weightmans targets July for merger with Leeds-firm Ford & Warren”
Creating Shakespeare Martineau, Midland firms Shakespeares and SGH Martineau have confirmed they will merge on 15 June with Andy Raynor (pictured, right) acting as chief executive.
Following the failed merger attempt between Scottish firm Simpson & Marwick and Kennedys in 2013, UK top-20 firm Clyde & Co is hoping to seal the deal this time having confirmed it is in advanced merger talks with the Scots outfit.
Continue reading “Can Clydes seal the deal? Firm in advanced merger talks with Simpson & Marwick”
Having already announced a mammoth combination with Chinese firm Dacheng under a Swiss verein structure this year, Dentons bolstered both its US and CEE capabilities last month by combining with Atlanta-based McKenna Long & Aldridge and hiring a 50-strong team from the Budapest office of White & Case.
Dentons had been scoping the market for a US combination for some time, and previously attempted to tie-up with McKenna Long in 2013 – though that was unsuccessful after partners at both firms rejected the move. This time, Dentons chief executive Elliott Portnoy said events ran more smoothly than had been widely reported. ‘The conversation moved with substantial speed; in 2013 we weren’t able to bring it to a final closure. It’s common for them to begin and unfold over a number of years but fade before a deal can be done. You need a high level of alignment around strategy.’
The acquisitive DWF shows no signs of slowing down with the announcement today that it is to acquire niche insurance practice Watmores Solictors.
Continue reading “Consolidation: DWF to merge with City-based insurance practice Watmores”
DLA Piper ended its long wait to seal a merger in Canada last month after partners at Vancouver-based Davis voted to become the 33rd country in the firm’s sprawling empire.
The merger, due to complete this month, will add around 250 Canadian lawyers, including 112 partners, to DLA Piper’s 4,000-lawyer operation. While it is used to seeing the international LLP of DLA making acquisitions, the deal is the largest carried out by the US LLP and the Canadian firm will operate in a verein structure with the US branch.
Continue reading “DLA Piper’s Canada merger to build on west coast roots and target Toronto”
Having just announced its combination with Chinese firm Dacheng in January, a deal which will establish a 6,600 lawyer giant operating under a Swiss verein structure, Dentons has moved to bolster its US capabilities with a combination with Atlanta-based McKenna Long & Aldridge.
Continue reading “US expansion: Dentons and McKenna Long set to combine”
Tony Lin sizes up the world’s most lawyered firm and asks what Dentons’ much-hyped tie-up with Dacheng can deliver
Size clearly matters to Joseph Andrew and Elliott Portnoy, the respective chairman and chief executive of Dentons, the international law firm that in January announced a surprise ‘combination’ with Dacheng Law Offices. After all, the tie-up with China’s largest law firm by headcount creates the world’s most lawyered firm.
Continue reading “No playbook for Dentons’ bold China tie-up”
The push among regional players to consolidate continues with news today (2 March) of one of the most notable deals seen outside the City in recent years; Midlands players Shakespeares and SGH Martineau have confirmed they are in talks to merge in a deal that would create a top 50 UK law firm with combined revenues of over £75m.
