Womble and BDB Pitmans End Merger Negotiations: Law Firms Call Off Talks

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Global law firm Womble Bond Dickinson and smaller U.K. firm BDB Pitmans have announced that they have abandoned their merger talks after “extensive discussions.” In a joint statement, the firms stated that they have decided that the best path forward is to remain independent of each other. The two law firms first announced that they were in early talks of a potential merger in October.

It is not unusual for law firms to engage in discussions that do not result in a final deal. Client conflicts and market mismatches are among the common issues that can derail merger talks.

Womble Bond Dickinson, with over 1,000 attorneys, was formed through a transatlantic merger between North Carolina-based Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice and U.K.-based law firm Bond Dickinson in 2017. If the merger between Womble and BDB Pitmans had taken place, it would have created a firm with over 1,200 lawyers and given Womble a more substantial presence in the U.K. legal market.

  

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Law firm mergers have been on the rise, with several unique combinations being announced this year involving big firms. Some unusual combinations include Holland & Knight’s deal with a Nashville-based firm and Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe’s planned combination with Buckley.

Both firms have declined to provide further comments through a spokesperson. Despite abandoning the merger talks, Womble Bond Dickinson remains a formidable player in the legal industry, while BDB Pitmans continues to offer top-notch legal services in the U.K. market.

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Law firms Womble and BDB Pitmans call off merger talks