It does not take a genius to spot the big story in Birmingham. The merger of what was perceived as the weakest of the Birmingham ‘big four’ Edge Ellison with national powerhouse Hammond Suddards might have surprised the local legal community, but are they worried?
Not yet. The arrival of one of the UK’s most successful firms into the Birmingham market is perceived as being more beneficial to the local competition than the reverse. Although senior partner James Retallack and former managing partner Simon Ramshaw had successfully shored up what was a fast-sinking ship following the breakdown of its merger with Pinsent Curtis in 1997, the view is that Edges, at least in the Midlands, was in danger of disappearing altogether. And the failure of one of the city’s top practices would damage the reputation of the region as a premier legal centre.
