Ashurst set to merge with Australian firm Blake Dawson

British firm Ashurst has announced plans to form an alliance with one of Australia's biggest law firms, Blake Dawson. The firms will merge their Asian practices in March 2012, at which time Blake Dawson will come under the Ashurst banner. The firms intend to vote on a full merger in 2014. Blakes managing partner John Carrington said he was confident the deal would result in the Australian partners sharing in the single profit pool of the Ashurst partnership without a reduction in partner numbers. Ashurst senior partner Charlie Geffen said: "We think much of the commercial world will be dominated by English law and New York law, and so far there has not yet been the creation of a serious law firm that is equally strong in the US, Britain and the Asia-Pacific", adding: "We see this as very much part of that process. Geffen also pointed out that: "In the next few years there is also likely to much more growth in the Asia-Pacific than in Europe or the US".

Ashurst set to merge with Australian firm Blake Dawson theaustralian.com.au Tue, Sep 27, 2011