Partner Article

Dickinson Dees in merger talks with Bond Pearce

North East-based law firm Dickinson Dees revealed they are in discussion with South West company, Bond Pearce over a possible merger.

The deal has the potential to push the two businesses into the top 40 law firms in the UK, if they were to combine.

If Dickinson Dees and Bond Pearce agreed a deal, they would be worth £92m together and would significantly expand their skills base and capabilities to serve clients.

Dickinson Dees have offices in Newcastle Tees Valley, York and London, while Bond Pearce operate from Bristol, Plymouth, Southampton, Aberdeen and London.

Bond Pearce were in talks in March with Maclay Murray & Spens, a Scottish law firm that failed to agree a merger for “commercial reasons”.

Dickinson Dees managing partner, Jonathan Blair, commented: “Bond Pearce’s vision is to compete as a top 30 UK law firm by delivering the best service experience. Dickinson Dees’ vision is to become, by 2020, a top 20 UK law firm.

“Our strategies, cultures, sector capabilities and geographic footprints appear to be sufficiently complementary as to warrant consideration of whether, in a rapidly consolidating market, a merger of our two firms would facilitate the execution of their respective strategies.”

Victor Tettmar, managing partner of Bond Pearce, said: “Both Bond Pearce and Dickinson Dees
have clearly articulated strategies.

“By merging the two firms we could take a major step towards fulfilling our longer term strategic goals, implementing now a client and values driven merger to create a firm in the top 30 in the UK capable of delivering the strength in depth and specialist skills required by our clients, be they large corporates, major organisations or high net worth individuals. It is that opportunity that we now wish to explore.”

Together, the company would have a total of 125 partners and over 450 lawyers with a nationwide reach. Mr Blair added that the two firms would not make further comments until their discussions ended.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Miranda Dobson .