Law firms BLP and Greenberg Traurig end merger talks with parties unable to find “common ground”
A proposed merger between City law firm Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) and US company Greenberg Traurig has been called off.
The law firms confirmed they were in talks over a merger last month.
But BLP has now said the two firms "could not find enough common ground".
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Lisa Mayhew, BLP’s managing partner, said in a statement: "BLP has a clear strategy for growth which is why it considered this opportunity in the first place.
"There was no one single reason for both sides to decide that talks should conclude but basically we could not find enough common ground.
"BLP is an ambitious firm with a strong culture and a reputation as a game-changer in the sector and we will continue to explore a range of opportunities that might further our long-term goals."
BLP confirmed talks with Miami-based Greenberg Traurig on 3 February.
BLP said at the time that the combination would offer clients "the top real estate and Infrastructure sector practice in the world".
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The merger would have also seen practices in corporate, finance, M&A and private equity "significantly expanded".
BLP has 850 lawyers across 14 offices. A merged firm would have had more than 2,500 lawyers, including with nearly 750 in London and New York alone.
Mayhew said at the time: "BLP has always been a game-changer in the legal sector and hungry to explore opportunities that will improve the quality and breadth of our service to clients."