Top-50 firm Berrymans Lace Mawer has confirmed plans to merge with Scottish firm HBM Sayers next month. 

The combined firm, which will be called BLM, is expected to come into existence from 1 May.

Based on last year’s financial figures, the new entity will have a turnover of around £100m, with 170 partners and 1,550 employees, of which 630 are lawyers.

The move comes after clients called for a legal supplier with a physical presence and expertise throughout the UK.

Both firms are established in the general insurance sector and now want to boost their market share in corporate insurance, the public sector and healthcare.

Mike Brown (pictured right), senior partner at Berrymans Lace Mawer, said: ‘We’re excited about helping our clients to save time and money reducing risk, resolving disputes and managing claims. As BLM we will be able to do that across more lines of business and in more locations for more clients. 

‘The combination will give us a competitive edge at a time when Scotland’s legal market is changing, presenting our business with significant opportunities.’

David Taylor (pictured left), chair of the HBM Sayers management board, added: ‘Both businesses have been open about their ambitions to grow. This is absolutely right because we share many of the same clients and have a similar style and approach to meeting the needs of those clients. 

‘The things clients say they like about Berrymans Lace Mawer are the same things that they say they like about HBM Sayers.’

Berrymans already has 10 offices in the UK and Ireland: Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Dublin, Leeds, Liverpool, London (EC2), London (EC3), Manchester and Southampton. The firm will now add bases in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

It is understood Brown will lead the merged firm, with Taylor and HBM managing partner Andrew Relton coming onto the executive board.