A transatlantic merger between commercial heavyweights Ashurst and US-based Perkins Coie will create a top-20 global legal practice operating in 23 countries, the firms said today.
Ashurst Perkins Coie will be a 'combination of equals', the announcement stated. It is the largest transatlantic law firm merger since Allen & Overy’s combination with Shearman in 2024. The business will have 3,000 lawyers, a turnover exceeding £2 billion and 52 offices in North America, Europe, Asia and the Pacific.
According to the announcement, the combined financial strength of both firms 'will leverage the power of AI to transform the practice of law and help clients harness it effectively to accelerate their growth'.
The firms’ current leaders, Bill Malley and Paul Jenkins, will remain in post as global co-chief executives.
Malley, managing partner, Perkins Coie, said: 'Ashurst complements our geographic reach and capabilities and shares our ambition to build a firm defined by ingenuity and collaboration. Together, we will combine resources and expertise to accelerate growth and set new standards for world-class legal service.'
Jenkins, global chief executive at Ashurst, said: 'Our ambition for many years has been to grow in the US with the right partner: a firm with deep, trusted expertise that complements our own. We have now found that partner – Perkins Coie is an ambitious, forward-thinking law firm meeting its clients at the forefront of technological change.'
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