Simpson & Marwick merger confirmed with global firm Clyde & Co

Scots legal firm Simpson & Marwick is to merge with global practice Clyde & Co from 1 October, it was confirmed today.

To be known as Clyde & Co, the merged firm will be a £420m practice that combines Simpson & Marwick's 45 partners across seven offices in Scotland and England, with Clyde & Co's 320-plus partners and around 3,000 staff in 39 offices on six continents worldwide. Simpson & Marwick has offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee and North Berwick, and also adds a presence in Newcastle and Leeds to Clyde & Co's existing UK bases in London and Manchester.

Earlier this month, Legal Business magazine ranked Clyde & Co as the 11th largest law firm by UK revenue.

Simpson & Marwick's residential property division will continue to trade under the Simpson & Marwick name.

Both firms have a strong insurance practice and the combined firm will be able to provide composite insurers with a comprehensive service across both England and Scotland, particularly, the announcement stated, in casualty, healthcare and professional lines. Simpson & Marwick also has highly rated employment and advocacy practices.

In 2013 Simpson & Marwick planned a merger with London-based Kennedys, but lengthy negotiations were eventually broken off.

Managing partner Gordon Keyden said: "We are proud of our history as one of Scotland's leading law firms and this is a merger that will enable us to significantly increase the services we offer to our clients. Increasingly clients want consolidated expertise across England and Scotland, and Clyde & Co is a tailor made fit for us given that we share a number of similar practices and clients. Many of our insurer clients operate on a global stage and this merger enables us to join them on that stage. It is a firm with a clear strategy, strong management and a high quality client offering that speaks for itself."

Clyde & Co Global Head of Insurance Simon Konsta commented: "The UK is one of the most important insurance markets in the world. As the market continues to consolidate here, it is increasingly important that we have the scale to meet the needs of our insurance sector clients across the board. Simpson & Marwick is the market leading firm in Scotland in insurance and has a practice that meshes well with our practices in London and the rest of the UK. Combining the market leading insurance and professional liability practices in both England and Scotland will enable us to develop synergies that will be to the advantage of our respective clients."

The merger marks a further cross-border tie-up of practices with a strong insurance business. Others in recent times have included Andersons with DAC Beachcroft, and HBM Sayers with BLM.