The news confirmed yesterday (19 January) that Pinsent Masons and McGrigors are in advanced merger talks suggests 2012 is set to be a bumper year for law firm M&A. With discussions between DWF and Cobbetts emerging in November and Legal Week this week establishing the existence of the much-rumoured talks between Herbert Smith and Australian leader Freehills, the urge to merge is obviously spread across widely varying sections of the legal industry. And that’s before you get into the frenzied round of merger gossip currently doing the rounds.
If there is one thing uniting these proposed tie-ups, it’s that they all leave you somewhat scratching your head as to the logic (which doesn’t necessarily mean the logic isn’t there. Some initially lauded unions flop while other little-loved combinations deliver in spades. Back in 2001 when Berwin Leighton and Paisner & Co tied the knot, they were both viewed as so sleepy that rivals could barely be bothered to raise a patronising eyebrow).
