Global law firm, Kennedys Law LLP, is to merge with leading Scottish law firm, Simpson & Marwick. The merger is expected to go live on 1st November 2013.
The combined firm will be known as Kennedys, although Simpson & Marwick will be known as Kennedys Simpson & Marwick in Scotland for a period after the merger. The residential property business will continue indefinitely to trade under the name Simpson & Marwick which is a very well-established brand in the property market in Scotland.
Both firms are leaders in the insurance and claims sectors, as well as in employment law. In Scotland, Simpson & Marwick are also leaders in residential property and family law.
Both firms have experienced significant growth over the past five years and the merger gives clients access to greater resources and services across the whole of the UK, Ireland and via a significant network of international offices.
The merger will take over the combined number of partners in both firms to 220 and the total number of staff to over 1500 worldwide. Combined projected turnover is predicted to exceed £160m in the current financial year.
Kennedys’ senior partner Nick Thomas says: “Like us, Simpson & Marwick has significant strength in the insurance industry and we both have extensive similarities in our client base. There have been a number of clients for whom, and cases on which, Kennedys and Simpson & Marwick have worked together over a number of years and it became obvious that a merger would benefit both firms’ clients, partners and staff.”
Peter Anderson, managing partner of Simpson & Marwick said: “This merger is intended to continue the hard work and success we have achieved as separate firms to date. It is a natural progression from the firms’ collaboration over a number of years. The end result will be a powerhouse dispute resolution and litigation firm with a complete UK-wide and Ireland offering and a major international presence. We are looking forward to working together to add yet further value to what we do for all our clients.”
The merger is the latest strategic move from Kennedys designed to ensure the firm has a local presence in jurisdictions where clients require it. It follows the firm’s merger in June this year specialist aviation and aerospace law firm, Gates and Partners LLP.
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