An upswing in law firm merger discussions at the end of 2010 bodes well for increased consummation of such deals in 2011, Altman Weil said in a report issued Wednesday.

There were 15 new law firm mergers and acquisitions announced in the United States in the fourth quarter of 2010, which is close to pre-recession levels for the October-through-December time period. The fourth quarter announcements constituted 38 percent of this past year’s total merger news, the consulting firm said.