The date has been set, the guests invited, and the bride’s dress picked out. Now all that remains is the all-important parental blessing.

Lovells and Hogan & Hartson have formally announced that the two firms will join forces as early as May next year pending approval from each firms’ respective partners in December.

The two firms’ worldwide management committees met yesterday to approve the merger, which could create one of the biggest firms worldwide by headcount, with around 2,800 lawyers according to ALB 50 2009 figures. In Asia the firm would have 243 lawyers. Next week documents outlining the “terms” of the proposed merger will be forwarded to partners who will weigh up the decision in meetings scheduled in the next month. If approved by the partners, the merger would be effective in May 2010.

However, partners are likely bring up issues surrounding the two firms’ cultural and structural differences – Lovells operates in the lockstep model whereas Hogans uses merit-based compensation, but sources close to the couple say the two are very likely to go ahead with the merger.

“The strong similarities [in] values of each firm, combined with the powerful business rationale for the merger, are a compelling proposition,” said Lovells managing partner David Harris.

“This would be the first transatlantic merger of two top 30 global law firms. The … combination complements each firm's capabilities from a practice, geographic, and industry perspective,” said Hogan & Hartson Chairman J Warren Gorrell Jr. 

See ALB's January issue for in-depth coverage including market reaction on the merger.

Lovells + Hogan & Hartson in Asia & the Middle East

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