Summary: A merger between Gowlings and Wragge Lawrence has allowed the newly formed firm, Gowling WLG, to double in size.
Gowlings, Canada’s second largest independent law firm, merged Monday with Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co, a UK-based law firm. The two firms will now be known as Gowling WLG. They will have offices across Canada, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and the United Kingdom. The firms reached an agreement last July to merge but are just now making it official.
Law Firm Merger Numbers Rose in 2015
This merger is the latest in the past few years in a number of announced mergers for Canadian law firms with their oversea rivals. Domestic firms are looking for opportunities to gain more business from clients in overseas jurisdictions.
Wragge & Co Targeting 85 for Redundancy
This merger marks the first time a Canadian law firm has been the co-leader in a merger. Generally multinational firms that have a strong Canadian presence take the easy route of acquiring another Canadian law firm. For example, last year Davis LLP absorbed into DLA Piper and Norton Rose Fulbright gathered up Ogilvy Renault and Macleod Dixon.
Chief executive of Gowling WLG Canada Peter Lukasiewicz noted that both firms have around 700 lawyers saying, “This merger will help us serve our clients better…as we are doubling our expertise quotient overnight.”
The new firm will now have over 1,400 legal professionals in 10 countries. There will be a six-member international board leading the firm with three members from each firm.
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2016/02/22/business/22reuters-canada-lawfirm-m-a.html?_r=1
Gowlings Photo: lexpert.ca
WLG Photo: jobs.thelawyer.com