Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner has lost 12 corporate associates and a rainmaker in a post-merger exodus. 

BCLP was formed in April this year when BLP and Bryan Cave combined to create a 1,600 lawyer firm with offices in 11 countries. At the time of the merger Therese Pritchard, co-chair of the new entity, vowed that the meshing together or the US and UK firms would “result in an expanded presence and set of service offerings in key markets around the world".

That noble intent hasn't quite come to fruition in the London corporate department, which, RollOnFriday has learned, lost 12 associates this summer. According to the firm's website, it's resulted in a wacky partner-associate ratio where just two corporate associates are working for five partners and four counsel.

Until new associates are recruited, the firm will be involuntarily testing the rare (because rubbish) inverted pyramid work structure. And with those associates at maximum capacity, spare a thought for the partners trying to remember their Practical Law login details as they're forced to carry out their own research. 

BCLP has also lost its head of private client litigation, Rupert Ticehurst. Billed on BCLP's website as being "held in the highest esteem by his clients and fellow practitioners", Ticehurst is stepping away from mega-mergers and Biglaw politics to join Maurice Turnor Gardner, a boutique wealth firm, to head its litigation team.

A spokesman for BCLP declined to comment. 

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Comments

Anonymous 19 October 18 14:04

What does "counsel" mean for BCLP? Does it mean "grade inserted between senior associate and partner because the latter has retreated such a long way into the future" or does it mean "there's an over tenfold variation in partner pay, so what we're really doing is signally that these people aren't quite as good as our partners"?

Anonymous 25 October 18 09:58

“result in an expanded presence and set of service offerings in key markets around the world".

 

we've heard that line many many times in connection with other mergers/combinations. it's pure drivel and has no bearing or correlation to the real success of the post-merger entity.

 

they have a cool looking office building (from the outside) though

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