Howard Kennedy pact with ABC to boost global reach

MERGERS: Reynolds Porter acquires niche insurance firm

Howard Kennedy is to merge with fellow City firm Amhurst Brown Colombotti (ABC), creating a firm with 56 partners and a combined turnover of more than 23 million.

The move is designed to provide a wider range of services to Amhurst's clients while giving a boost to Howard Kennedy's international work.

Eight of ABC's ten partners will relocate to Howard Kennedy's offices, along with six consultants and around 30 lawyers and support staff at the beginning of September.

They will join Howard Kennedy's 48 partners, and the firm will continue to practise under the Howard Kennedy name.

ABC practises in the areas of property, corporate, litigation, employment, private client and the leisure industry.

It has associate offices in Denmark, Islamabad, Madrid, Milan, Moscow and Warsaw.

Howard Kennedy's practice focuses on aviation, company and commercial, banking, project and trade finance, litigation, media and entertainment, sport, property, and employment law.

ABC managing partner Christopher Langford said the two firms had been talking about a merger for several months.

'I think [the merger] will provide a more in-depth and wider range of services to the ABC clients and give a more international dimension to Howard Kennedy,' he added.

The two firm's key practice areas 'complement each other well,' he said.

Meanwhile, London commercial law firm Reynolds Porter Chamberlain (RPC) has acquired niche insurance practice SJ Cornish from the beginning of August.

SJ Cornish was set up by Sarah Cornish some 12 years ago, and is headquartered in Devon, although it also has an office in the City.

She will become a senior partner at RPC.

RPC professional liability partner Paul Matthews will transfer to SJ Cornish's Tiverton office to help ease the transition.

Though an insurance firm, SJ Cornish is best known for acting for nursery nurses Dawn Reed and Christopher Lillie in their successful libel action last year over a Newcastle City Council report which accused them of abusing children in their care.

Chris Baker