Let your next career move come to you.

FFW to merge with Osborne Clarke. Or someone else.
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.

Tip Off ROF

Comments

Anonymous 21 September 12 10:22

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 21 September 12 10:52

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 21 September 12 10:57

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 21 September 12 12:12

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 21 September 12 12:15

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 21 September 12 15:11

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 21 September 12 18:09

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.