The US and London arms of collapsing Chicago firm Altheimer & Gray are engaged in separate talks to transfer teams to rival US firms in the wake of the shock management decision last week to dissolve the firm.

As Legal Week went to press, the firm’s 35-lawyer London arm was racing to secure a move to a US parent, with Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld and Hogan & Hartson emerging as early contenders to acquire the UK practice.