California: pressure on firms following two-year tech slumpPittsburgh-based Reed Smith has agreed to merge with California firm Crosby Heafey Roach & May to form a 1,000-lawyer firm amid continuing consolidation of the US legal market.

The firms announced the decision on 31 October with 215-lawyer Crosby Heafey to join forces with Reed Smith on 1 January 2003 to create a major national firm.