In a sign of change ahead, a growing number of independent firms in Europe say they are open to merging with a fellow independent firm, or a US or UK firm, according to this year’s Legal Week Independent Law Firms in Europe survey.
Forty-two percent of the 116 firms surveyed in 28 countries across the European Union (EU) and beyond say they would consider a merger with another independent firm, compared with 58% which rule out the idea. While the prospect of tying up with a US or UK firm is greeted slightly less warmly, 39% of respondents admit they would consider a tie-up with a global firm, with the remaining 61% rejecting the idea outright.
