Scots legal giant D&W in London merger talks

The two firms last night confirmed discussions had taken place after rumours circulated the legal market about the potential tie-up.

However, in a joint statement, Donald Shaw, managing partner at D&W, and Guy Vincent, managing partner at Bircham Dyson Bell, insisted that “no conclusions” have yet been drawn.

They said: “As both firms have previously confirmed separately, we are committed to developing our businesses, and each party has been considering various options including combining forces with firms who could help us to achieve that aim.

“Given our positive mutual experience of collaboration to date, we can confirm that discussions between Dundas & Wilson and Bircham Dyson Bell have taken place as to whether we might combine forces more formally. At this stage we have reached no conclusions so it is very much business as usual for both firms.”

The two practices declined to comment further but it is believed that the proposals could be put to a partner vote as early as this week.

If it goes ahead, the move would be one of the biggest deals ever struck by a Scottish law firm.

A merger with, or takeover of, Bircham Dyson Bell, which is headquartered near St James’s Park in London, would provide a substantial boost to D&W’s operations in the UK capital, where it has been seeking to grow.

It is believed that some 39 per cent of the Scottish law practice’s revenues already come from its London office but Bircham Dyson Bell achieved turnover of £31 million in the last financial year – exactly half of D&W’s total haul across its operations of £62m.

The deal is likely to be typical of the kind of consolidation predicted over the next year in the over-crowded legal market as firms north and south of the Border struggle with downward pressure on fees and increased competition for fewer contracts.