Ashurst and Perkins Coie have formally completed their $2.8bn merger, creating a top 20 global law firm by revenue.
The merger follows the partnerships of both firms voting “overwhelmingly” in its favour earlier this year and creates a firm – known as Ashurst Perkins Coie – with more than 950 partners and 3,500 fee earners across 52 global offices.
It will be led by Ashurst global chief executive Paul Jenkins and Perkins Coie managing partner Bill Malley as global co-CEOs. Meanwhile, Ashurst chair Karen Davies and Perkins Coie chair Brian Eiting will act as global co-chairs.
Malley said Ashurst Perkins Coie would "focus on the sectors driving global economic transformation – particularly technology, energy and infrastructure, and financial services, all of which will be central to our strategy".
He added: "As AI brings these sectors closer together, we are uniquely positioned to help clients navigate this convergence so they can move forward with confidence.”
The tie-up is the latest in a string of large transatlantic law firm mergers, following Allen & Overy’s $3.5bn combination with New York’s Shearman & Sterling in 2024 and the formation of HSF Kramer last June, as firms seek greater scale to outpace rivals and shore up profits.
The $1.6bn merger of Winston & Strawn and Taylor Wessing’s UK-led business also went live at the start of this month, while Hogan Lovells and Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft are set to complete their $3.6bn tie-up on 1 July.
Perkins Coie’s merger with Ashurst combines the former’s focus on tech, fintech, environment and life sciences with the latter’s prowess in cross-border transactions, particularly in the energy, financial services and real estate sectors.
The two firms are broadly similar in terms of revenue – Ashurst’s 1,600 lawyers brought in just under £1.2bn ($1.5bn) in FY26, its tenth consecutive year of growth, while Perkins Coie reported turnover of just under $1.3bn in 2025, according to data published by Law.com. Profit per equity partner was also close – £1.59m ($2.1m) at Ashurst compared to $1.9m for Perkins Coie.
Ashurst Perkins Coie will organise its business around eight divisions, namely corporate; finance, funds and restructuring; IP; litigation, investigations and advisory; projects, energy, environment and resources; real estate; technology; and Advance, its New Law division.
The merger significantly expands Ashurst's presence in the US and Perkins Coie's international platform across Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Australia, with the combined firm boasting offices in 20 countries and flagship hubs in London, New York, Seattle and Sydney.
Paul Jenkins, Global Co-CEO, said: “Ashurst Perkins Coie enters the market with a clear ambition: to be the leading global advisor to the companies shaping the future economy. We have built a firm with the scale, capability and sector focus to combine global market insight with practical execution, helping clients tackle complex, cross-border challenges.”
Email your news and story ideas to: [email protected]
