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Law Firm News Stories

FFW to merge with Osborne Clarke. Or someone else.
21 September 2012

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The merger merry-go-round continued this week, with Field Fisher Waterhouse confirming that it was in talks with Osborne Clarke.

FFW originally approached LG for a merger in May. But the talks broke down acrimoniously, with each party ending up slagging off the other: FFW dissed LG's financials and LG suggested FFW's partnership wasn't as united as it might be. However FFW has now approached Osborne Clarke and if the merger goes ahead, the new firm (Water Borne LLP?) would have a combined revenue of nearly £200m, placing it firmly within the bronze medallion tier of large-but-not-that-exciting firms.

Water Borne LLP - how it might look

OC wouldn't comment, and FFW would only say that it was discussing the possibility of a merger with several firms, and according to the Lawyer it's got three firms on the go at once. The brazen hussy.

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anonymous user 21/09/2012 08:35 Rate it 12 Report as offensive Any merger should see the real estate department binned.
anonymous user 21/09/2012 09:22 Rate it 14 Report as offensive The truth is that the FFW partnership has a number of high-powered but very 'difficult' people who tend toward conflict; and there's no getting around that. Any firm contemplating merger with them simply has to deal with this disruptive element or walk away. But, other than paying off people such as Abell et al and asking them to walk once the merger is done, what is the solution? Otherwise FFW will remain single for a very long time, or end up merging with a firm that doesn't care, which sounds like a recipe for more trouble. (PS - always thought OC was a nice firm and it would be a shame for them to have their culture damaged by a FFW merger).
anonymous user 21/09/2012 09:52 Rate it 8 Report as offensive FFW starting to look a bit like that really, really drunk girl at the end of the night when the lights go on, begging someone, anyone to take her home. Maybe ItalianGuy will merge with them?
anonymous user 21/09/2012 09:57 Rate it 11 Report as offensive Totally agree with post #2 timed at 9:22. Having worked at FFW previously I cannot say I look back on that time and their culture with any fondness whatever.
anonymous user 21/09/2012 11:12 Rate it 33 Report as offensive The truth is that it is a has-been firm. It has not treated people very well and FFW's reaction to the whole LG thing shows the firm's true colours. I look forward to the next installment summarising the next disastrous move they make.
anonymous user 21/09/2012 11:15 Rate it -18 Report as offensive I doubt this rumour is true. OC's strategy has always been to grow organically, not by way of merger. I also take issue with RoF's "large-but-not-that-exciting firms" in the event they did merge, on the basis that no firm in the City can properly be described as "exciting".
anonymous user 21/09/2012 14:11 Rate it 5 Report as offensive Consolidation is inevitable and there is little to be gained from delaying. All of these mid sized firms need to be looking to building towards £1 billion + in revenues and an international platform.
anonymous user 21/09/2012 16:32 Rate it 41 Report as offensive LOL at OC being a "nice" firm
anonymous user 21/09/2012 17:09 Rate it 38 Report as offensive Most firms are vile, both big and small, full of vile people, horrible morale, boring work, long hours, no trust between colleagues. As a general rule the most vile and sociopathic are actually the wannabe "silver circle" type of firms.
anonymous user 22/09/2012 15:12 Rate it 0 Report as offensive There are law firms, of any size, that can actually be described as "exciting"?
anonymous user 26/09/2012 12:18 Rate it 3 Report as offensive Dewey & LeBoeuf was exciting for a time

anonymous user
21/09/2012 08:35

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Any merger should see the real estate department binned.

anonymous user
21/09/2012 09:22

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Report as offensive

The truth is that the FFW partnership has a number of high-powered but very 'difficult' people who tend toward conflict; and there's no getting around that. Any firm contemplating merger with them simply has to deal with this disruptive element or walk away. But, other than paying off people such as Abell et al and asking them to walk once the merger is done, what is the solution? Otherwise FFW will remain single for a very long time, or end up merging with a firm that doesn't care, which sounds like a recipe for more trouble. (PS - always thought OC was a nice firm and it would be a shame for them to have their culture damaged by a FFW merger).

anonymous user
21/09/2012 09:52

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FFW starting to look a bit like that really, really drunk girl at the end of the night when the lights go on, begging someone, anyone to take her home. Maybe ItalianGuy will merge with them?

anonymous user
21/09/2012 09:57

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Totally agree with post #2 timed at 9:22. Having worked at FFW previously I cannot say I look back on that time and their culture with any fondness whatever.

anonymous user
21/09/2012 11:12

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The truth is that it is a has-been firm. It has not treated people very well and FFW's reaction to the whole LG thing shows the firm's true colours. I look forward to the next installment summarising the next disastrous move they make.

anonymous user
21/09/2012 11:15

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-18

Report as offensive

I doubt this rumour is true. OC's strategy has always been to grow organically, not by way of merger. I also take issue with RoF's "large-but-not-that-exciting firms" in the event they did merge, on the basis that no firm in the City can properly be described as "exciting".

anonymous user
21/09/2012 14:11

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Consolidation is inevitable and there is little to be gained from delaying. All of these mid sized firms need to be looking to building towards £1 billion + in revenues and an international platform.

anonymous user
21/09/2012 16:32

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LOL at OC being a "nice" firm

anonymous user
21/09/2012 17:09

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Most firms are vile, both big and small, full of vile people, horrible morale, boring work, long hours, no trust between colleagues. As a general rule the most vile and sociopathic are actually the wannabe "silver circle" type of firms.

anonymous user
22/09/2012 15:12

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There are law firms, of any size, that can actually be described as "exciting"?

anonymous user
26/09/2012 12:18

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Dewey & LeBoeuf was exciting for a time