London’s Watson Farley & Williams and New York-based Chadbourne & Parke have emerged as the latest firms to enter into transatlantic merger negotiations.

The high-level talks, which began formally in January, are being led by Watson Farley managing partner Michael Greville and Chadbourne managing partner Charles O’Neill. They are being assisted by a handful of senior management figures, including Watson Farley’s chairman, Frank Dunne.