SJ Berwin and Mayer Brown in merger talks
ONE of the UK’s top law firms is in preliminary talks with a US peer over a tie-up that would create a £900m business, it emerged yesterday.
According to The Lawyer, City firm SJ Berwin has held exploratory merger talks with Mayer Brown – a Chicago-based firm that has a significant London presence.
The news comes just a week after Mayer Brown elected a new chairman to replace Herbert Krueger, who will step down at the end of this month. Paul Theiss, a corporate partner at the firm, will take over on 1 June.
In March, incoming SJ Berwin senior partner Stephen Kon told City A.M. his key focus over his three-year term would be “integrating the firm’s international practices”.
The firm, which employs more than 500 lawyers in London, has recently been on the hunt for a potential merger, and last year managing partner Rob Day said a US tie-up would be the preferred choice.
SJ Berwin has offices across Europe and Asia, but does not currently have a US presence.
According to The Lawyer, it had revenues of £179m in the 2010-11 year, while Mayer Brown turned over $1.13bn (£715m) in the year to February 2012.
Both firms declined to comment.