M&Arriage!

It would seem that since David and Nick decided to commit to a shady political marriage, everyone else wants to give it a try. There is definitely some legal love in the air as firm after firm is getting the urge to merge.

What is M&A: If you spend anytime at all around law students and are not one yourself you probably don't like them. They tend to throw around letters like IPO and TC and M&A mid conversation and expect you to know what they are talking about. I, on the other hand would never do such a thing! 

So M&A = Mergers & Acquisitions. It is essentially when two single and ready to mingle firms decide that they have found the one. Much like a relationship (it comes with many of the problems too!)

It is a corporate strategy to combine companies. It can often help a smaller company to grow rapidly in an industry as they join with another company. It is not always so pleasant however as there can be hostile acquisitions. However, today we are on the topic of legal love.

So who are the latest lovebirds on the scene?

1.  Lovells and Hogan & Hartson --> Hogan Lovells. Managing partner David Harris has said: “The new firm will have unrivalled global capability and distinctive strengths in dispute resolution, regulatory, antitrust, corporate, finance, intellectual property and real estate.” As a united firm, they do wish to maintain the culture and values already instilled in each firm.

2. Denton Wilde Sapte and Sonnenschein Nath &Rosenthal --> SNR Denton. The firm will officially become SNR Denton on the 30 September this year, though I wish that Wilde Sapte had kept its maiden name (not to imply that Denton is the woman, nor that there is anything wrong with being the woman *sigh*) there are many positive things about this move. It was a unanimous vote amongst the partners at both firms and allows Denton to stretch its wings to the other side of the pond.

3. Shakespeare Putsman and Needham & James --> Shakespeare Putsman. This Midlands merger sounds like it may be the but of a few badly formed jokes. But the combined firm is no laughing matter. SP will one of the biggest players in the region with a proposed £24m practice.

Mayer brown are apparently looking for some London Love and like what they see over at Simmons. Only time will tell how many more firms will jump into a transatlantic M&Arriage.

Okay so I am going to stop turning serious business into a series of saucy love affairs now!

Oh, I cannot wait to see what their babies look like! :)