A transatlantic law firm is set to be created soon after the partners of the UK’s Berwin Leighton Paisner and U.S. firm Bryan Cave on Monday voted overwhelmingly to merge. Talks on the merger began in October last year.
The combined firm, which will be known as Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, will come into effect on April 1. It will have about 1,600 lawyers across 32 offices in 11 countries, and annual revenue of more than $900 million. The new firm will be jointly led by Bryan Cave chair Therese Pritchard and BLP managing partner Lisa Mayhew.
In Asia, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner will have four offices, in Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai and Beijing. The firm will have 69 lawyers, including 20 partners, in the region, which would have placed the firm at No. 34 among international firms in Asia, according to ALB’s Top 50 largest law firm ranking in 2017. BLP was ranked No. 38 with 62 lawyers.
“Different to most other international firms, ours will be fully financially integrated from Day one,” said Mayhew in a statement. “This will enable us to work in teams whose only focus will be to provide a first class service to clients.”
BLP’s Hong Kong office has experience integrating firms and offices, having acquired asset financing boutique William KK Ho & Co in 2016, and construction and arbitration firm Haley & Co in 2015. Bryan Cave was named among ALB’s Firms to Watch for 2018.
