继霍金路伟和SNR Denton确定合并计划之后，美国美亚博律师事务所与英国西盟斯律师事务所最近亦开始寻求跨大西洋合并的可能性。据悉，两家律师事务所的高层合伙人正在针对合并可能进行初步讨论。

如果合并成功进行，合并后的新律所将在中国市场拥有雄厚资源，包括四间代表处和办公室 （北京，上海，广州和香港），接近80位合伙人和逾300位法律职员。该所将有可能取代贝克•麦坚实成为在中国规模最大的国际律师事务所。

Trans-Atlantic tie-ups have become a current fad in the international legal industry. Following the Hogan Lovells merger and the SNR Denton combination, UK firm Simmons & Simmons and its US counterparts Mayer Brown (known as Mayer Brown JSM in Asia) are also seeking a possible tie-up. The two firms have reportedly initiated preliminary discussions on the matter.

If the union goes ahead, the combined firm would have over 300 legal professionals including 80 partners in China, working across four offices – Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong. It may take over Baker & McKenzie to become the largest international firm in the country.

Simmons has recently hired partner Davis Wang from King & Wood and is in the process of establishing an office in Beijing. Mayer Brown's merger with Hong Kong firm Johnson Stokes & Master (JSM) in January 2008 has significantly expanded its presences in China, adding three new offices to its China practice, which previously only had one Hong Kong office. ALB

Related stories:

• Simmons & Simmons hires King & Wood partner for Beijing opening (18 June 2010)
• Watch out Hogan Lovells: new trans-Atlantic merger to proceed (10 June 2010)
• Hong Kong's JSM to merge with Mayer Brown (14 January 2008)