Recent rumours in the NZ market of merger talks between Minter Ellison Rudd Watts and DLA Phillips Fox have been played down by Minters.  "We have had good growth and are always looking for new opportunities, but we wouldn't comment on speculation - there is no news here," a firm spokesperson said.

Given the ties both firms have with global and regional legal groups, the rumours are something of an enigma. However, the recent switch of DLA's Adelaide office to affiliate status may be indicative of a wider structural shift for the firm. On a separate note, ALB also understands that the NZ merger rumour mill has been more active than usual of late with several mid-tier names being mentioned.