Nearly five months after signing a preliminary term sheet to merge, Houston- and Dallas-based Locke Liddell & Sapp and Chicago-based Lord, Bissell & Brook announced Wednesday that the firms’ lawyers have voted to approve the marriage. The new firm will be called Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell.

The merger, which is effective Oct. 2, creates a firm with roughly 700 lawyers, offices in 11 cities and gross revenues of approximately $400 million.