Late last week, partners at both Eversheds and Atlanta-vase law firm Sutherland, Asbill & Brennan voted in favour of joining forces as a new global firm. Eversheds Sutherland, as the new firm will be known, will formally launch on 1 February and will boast 2,300 lawyers across 61 offices worldwide, 1,900 of those current Eversheds lawyers. Sutherland managing partner Mark Wasserman and Eversheds chief executive Bryan Hughes will serve as joint chief executives of the new firm, until Mr Hughes is succeeded by current managing partner Lee Ranson following his planned retirement in May.

The combination ends a years-long effort by Eversheds to find a foothold in the US legal market. Mr Hughes commented: ‘Our strategic desire to have a platform in the US has long been public record. The challenge has been finding the right firm, particularly one that shares the same vision as us and is a strong cultural fit. In Sutherland, we have found that firm.’ Merger negotiations held last year with Milwaukee-based Foley & Lardner collapsed before advancing to a partner vote.

Sources: Legal Business; Legal Week