Novak Druce + Quigg and Connolly Bove Lodge & Hutz have entered into exclusive merger talks in a bid to form the seventh largest intellectual property firm in the United States with seven offices and 140 attorneys.

The merger, which is expected to close shortly before the end of the year, will result in a new entity that will operate as Novak Druce Connolly Bove & Quigg LLP. News of the merger was first reported by Legal sibling publication Delaware Law Weekly.