The analysis, from Altman Weil, shows that the largest US merger announced this year was September's 500-lawyer combination of Kansas City-based Stinson Morrison Hecker and Minneapolis-based Leonard Street and Deinard. This merger is the third involving Kansas City law firms since 2008. 

Leveraging a bigger platform

Tom Clay, Altman Weil principal, says: 'Midwestern firms that have maxed out in their local markets can leverage the merged firm’s larger, more diverse platform to build visibility and credibility and to create a stronger economic base for future growth.'