Put your love to the test.

Working hard one afternoon last week, Obiter's attention was directed towards a Web site which could prove a great tool for any firm looking at a merger.

By entering the two firm names on www.lovecalculator.com, 'Dr Love' will calculate the chances of making a successful match.

Obiter tried it first on this week's merged firms, Swindon-based Townsends and Thrings & Long in Bath (see page 5).

Good news indeed for the newly-weds: Dr Love says they have an 88% chance of forging a successful partnership.

Not such good news for the most recent big love match - Hammond Suddards and Edge Ellison have just a 47% chance.

Dr Love warns that they must be 'prepared to make some sacrifices for it.

You'll have to spend a lot of quality time together'.

And for City firm Stephenson Harwood (the Tara Palmer- Tomkinson of legal love matches), it is perhaps just as well that the Lawrence Graham merger talks failed - because there was only a 49% chance of success.

But another rumoured courtship with Clyde & Co really sets the alarm bells off; Dr Love damned them with a 19% chance.