International firm Clyde & Co has confirmed it is looking into a possible merger with national practice Simpson & Marwick.

The firm, which has 1,500 lawyers across 40 offices, said in a statement this morning that discussions were at ‘an advanced stage’.

Simpson & Marwick has eight offices, including one in London and five in Scotland.

Clyde & Co revenues grew 9% to £365m in 2013/14, with profits up 11% compared with the previous year. The firm attributed growth to a strong performance in its UK business where revenue at its insurance practices rose 15%, and was up 17% in its corporate and transactional practices.

Clyde & Co said this morning: ‘The combination of the market-leading and professional liability practices in both England and Scotland has been tested with and received enthusiastically by our clients whose interests both firms have always, and continue to put first.

‘Outside of insurance, we share a common focus in such areas as dispute resolution, employment and real estate, which would enable us to develop synergies in these areas and combine our capabilities to the advantage of our respective clients.’