Three separate sources have confirmed that merger talks have been taking place between the two firms over the last few months. BLP has confirmed that its partnership will review the merits of a possible tie-up over the coming months, but has declined to provide any further comment at this time. While Miami-based giant Greenberg Traurig has successfully grown its own team from thee lawyers to 1,950 without merges with other firms, executive chairman Richard Rosenbaum has said that the firm will always look favourably on opportunities that carry strategic merits.

Global giant

A BLP-Greenberg Traurig combination would result in a 2,500-strong team of lawyers, 750 in London and New York alone, with 29 offices in the US and practices across Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. London-based BLP has been hunting opportunities to grow its US footprint after focusing earlier expansion efforts on Asia, with office openings in Hong Kong, Singapore, Beijing, Indonesia and most recently in Myanmar. Greenberg Traurig has 38 international offices, including overlapping practices with BLP in London and Tel Aviv. Sources: Legal Business; The Lawyer; Legal Week