US firm Shaw Pittman is on the verge of sealing a merger that will provide a significant boost to its London office, it revealed this week.

The firm has signed a letter of intent to merge with rival US practice Pillsbury Winthrop, in a move that will see fresh investment in corporate, securities and regulatory expertise in London.


Shaw Pittman's London office in the iconic Tower 42 - which lost London managing partner Alistair Maughan and technology partners David Skinner and Andrew Smith to US firm Morrison & Foerster last November - specialises in complex technology transactions and outsourcing, while Pillsbury Winthrop also does corporate finance and capital markets work. Both firms currently have two London partners.


Stephen Huttler, Shaw Pittman managing partner, said: 'Having filled out our US footprint in the most important markets in the US - Washington, California and New York - we are able to focus on our international needs, starting with the UK. We will be building a UK presence that will serve our US client base.'


The two firms will execute a definitive merger agreement this month, with a partner vote expected by mid-March. The new firm, which will be known as Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, will be a top 20 US practice with 900 lawyers in 16 international offices, and annual billings of around $600 million (£320 million). Shaw Pittman is around half the size of its merger partner.


Mr Huttler said decisions over who would manage the London office were still to be taken. A majority of the senior management of the combined firm will be provided by Pillsbury Winthrop, with current chairwoman Mary Cranston becoming chairwoman of the new firm, and Pillsbury's David Syder and Marina Park taking the role of vice-chairman and managing partner respectively. Mr Huttler will become joint vice-chairman.


The combined firm will have offices in Australia, Japan and Taiwan as well as London and across the US.