Two Australian law firms,  McCabes and Curwoods, are in merger talks. The firms have signed heads of agreement with the aim to merge on 1 July with the new firm operating  as McCabe Curwood. The merger will bring together McCabes’ corporate and commercial offering and their specialist insurance lines, with Curwoods’ broad insurance practice to create a platform for growth across all business lines.  Andrew Lacey, McCabes' current managing principal, will be the managing partner of the new entity. Scott Kennedy, current managing partner of Curwoods, will be the head of insurance.

Complementary 

'Our businesses are complementary. We are ambitious, and we want to build a strong, large-scale legal business with an expanded interstate presence,' Mr Lacey said.  Mr Kennedy added: 'The new entity will have one of the largest and most diverse insurance practices in Australia. The combined entity will also provide a strong platform for continuing growth across the various commercial practice areas.We share the same goals of providing high quality services to our clients, supporting and developing our people, and streamlining systems and resources to be able to deliver on these goals.'

Similar culture

Both firms cite a similarity in firm culture and values as the basis for coming together, as well as the synergies the merger will generate in the expanded insurance practice, and across the firm as a whole. 'Each firm explored various options for growth, but the opportunities offered by a McCabes and Curwoods merger were by far the best foundation for us to build together a thriving business for the future,'  Mr Kennedy said.