A glut of law firms merged or dissolved last year as the legal marketplace consolidated. With clients demanding more for less, companies are now innvotating at the expense of law firms with technology reshaping the marketplace. Eversheds Sutherland was formed, a US £600 million combination and US law firm Womble merged with Bond Dickinson. The demise of King & Wood Mallesons’ (KWM) European arm saw it filing for administration last January, the largest ever UK law firm collapse.

Combinations

Less dramatically, Chadbourne & Parke disappeared from the scene as it was absorbed into Norton Rose Fulbright whilst 85 year old US law firm Sedgwick announced it was shutting its doors in January after massive partner defections in recent years and declining revenues.Other firms which disappeared include US law firm Liner which combined with DLA Piper; Levine Sullivan Koch & Schulz and Lindquist & Vennum, both part of Ballard Spahr; and most recently Morvillo, whose lawyers will join Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe in January.