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Ashurst will merge with US firm Perkins Coie, after both partnerships voted “overwhelmingly” to combine.

Ashurst's merger with the Seattle-headquartered firm, will result in the expanded firm having around 3,000 lawyers, across 52 offices in 23 countries, with combined revenues of approximately $2.8 billion, putting it in the top-20 firms globally by revenue. 

Ashurst has offices in New York, Los Angeles and Austin, until now, but has made no secret of its desire to secure a high-grade US presence, following aborted attempts with Sidley Austin, Fried Frank, and Latham & Watkins (not all at once). When it didn't work out for the nth time, the firm swerved in the other direction and found love with Australian firm Blake Dawson, although that was always regarded as a stopgap measure by plenty in the firm. 

The new firm is expected to launch in Q3 this year, subject to the customary closing conditions, under the new name of Ashurst Perkins Coie, furnishing it with an acronym suitable for both disputes matters (Armoured Personnel Carrier), and transactional ones (A Perfect Circle).

Bill Malley, Managing partner at Perkins Coie, said: “Our partnership’s approval reflects a shared belief that combining to form Ashurst Perkins Coie will create a truly differentiated global legal platform - one with the scale, sector depth, and technological leadership to meet our clients’ increasingly complex, cross-border needs.”

Paul Jenkins, global CEO of Ashurst commented: “This vote confirms the strong alignment between our firms and our joint ambition for the future. Through our extensive engagement with partners, our people, and clients since announcing our intention to combine, it has become clear that our two firms are a natural fit."

While Karen Davies, Ashurst's Global Chair, said: “This combination will create a global firm that will enable us to deliver truly global solutions seamlessly across borders and practice areas to meet our clients' ambitions around the world.” 

Like two juggernaut buses coming at once, another huge transatlantic merger has been given the green light this week, as Hogan Lovells, building on its previous transatlantic merger, confirmed its proposed combination with Cadwalader will go ahead. 

Other UK firms which have pulled off transatlantic couplings include Allen & Overy with Shearman & Sterling, HSF with Kramer Levin, Norton Rose Fulbright with Chadbourne & Parke, Eversheds with Sutherland Asbill & Brennan, DLA with Piper Rudnick, BLP with Bryan Cave, and Bond Dickinson with Womble Carlyle. And Taylor Wessing is set to merge with Winston & Strawn, subject to a vote by the partners. 

Some UK firms have tried to woo a US counterpart, only for things to go cold, such as Freshfields and Debevoise abandoned courtship many moons ago.

The Ashurst Perkins Coie merger, comes at a time when the US firm is still battling against an executive order by Trump. That order was deemed to be unlawful, but the Department of Justice is appealing to overturn that decision; Perkins Coie recently stated on its website: "We remain committed to defending our firm, our people, and our clients."