Pinsent Masons and McGrigors secure merger agreement

Pinsent Masons and McGrigors have agreed to merge in a deal that will create a combined firm with a £280m-plus turnover and more than 1,500 lawyers.

The merged firm, to operate under the Pinsent Masons name, will have offices across the UK. It will also have four offices in Asia Pacific, while there are plans to open in France and Germany in 2012.

In a joint statement, Pinsent Masons senior partner Chris Mullen said: "We've been very encouraged by the strong support from among our clients and the resoundingly positive reception to the merger proposal by our partners. Each firm has great respect for the other's reputation and culture and recognises that we have a common heritage of quality coupled with ambitious plans to grow our capabilities even further."

Richard Masters, managing partner of McGrigors, said: "The merger is the result of a strong cultural and operational fit, with clients from both firms being major UK and international players. We believe that the new firm will provide a solid platform for growth, allowing us to become a clear market-leader in strategically key sectors."

News of the Pinsent Masons-McGrigors deal comes just days after DWF and Cobbetts ended their own merger talks without reaching a deal. The two firms blamed “current uncertainty in market conditions” for the decision.