The leadership of CMS, Nabarro and Olswang released a statement on the rare three-way merger. 'We can confirm that the leadership of CMS, Nabarro and Olswang are in discussions about a potential combination. The leadership consider this combination would create a differentiated, modern firm that would combine scale with an exceptional depth of sector expertise. The combined firm would provide clients with a stronger and more global platform served by 65 offices across 36 countries, underpinned by a 250 year City heritage. There should be no assumption as to the outcome of these discussions and we will update in due course.'

Partners meetings 

According to industry publication Legal Business, the management teams from Olswang has been summoned today to discuss and vote on the potential tie-up, while CMS Cameron McKenna is also conspicuously holding a partner meeting of its own. Nabarro partners are also said to be voting on the proposed merger today, according to reports in The Lawyer. 

 Olswang looking for merger

Should the tie-up go through, a combination of CMS, Olswang and Nabarro would create a global law firm with total revenues around £997m. Revenues at CMS were up 8.4 per cent this year to £735.3m and up 3.5 per cent to £130.4m at Nabarro, but down 10.8 per cent to £113m at Olswang. The embattled Olswang has been keeping its eyes peeled for a merger opportunity for some time now, following a destabilising string of partner exits in recent years. The firm has already been linked to Bird & Bird, Osborne Clarke, Simmons & Simmons and Cooley in its hunt for a merger partner, as well as its now would-be suitors CMS and Nabarro. Sources: Legal Business; Legal Week; The Lawyer