Another day, another report on the frantic pace of law firm mergers.

With 79 law firm tie-ups announced in the first nine months of this year, 2018 appears poised to become the busiest year ever for consolidations, according to data released Tuesday by Altman Weil. The 27 mergers and acquisitions announced in the third quarter have put 2018 ahead of the record-breaking pace established in 2017.