Simpson & Marwick announces merger with Clyde & Co

Clyde & Co senior partner James Burns said the merger would benefit clients "in all our sectors"

One of Scotland's largest law firms, Simpson & Marwick, has announced it is to merge with global legal business Clyde & Co.

Simpson & Marwick has 45 partners based in offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee, North Berwick, Newcastle upon Tyne, Leeds and London.

Clyde & Co has more than 320 partners, 1,700 legal professionals and 2,800 staff in 39 offices worldwide.

The merged firm will be known as Clyde & Co.

However, the residential property division will continue to trade under the Simpson & Marwick name.

The merger is due to take effect from 1 October.

Simpson & Marwick, which was founded in 1886, specialises in insurance disputes and residential property.

'Great platform'

Clyde & Co senior partner James Burns described it as a "client-led" merger.

He added: "Simpson & Marwick is the go-to firm for many of our clients in Scotland and we've long held it in high regard.

"Not only does it firmly position us as the leading insurance-sector firm on both sides of the border but it benefits our clients across all our sectors by giving us a great platform to meet their legal needs in Scotland."

Simpson & Marwick managing partner Gordon Keyden said: "We are proud of our history as one of Scotland's leading law firms and this is a merger that will enable us to significantly increase the services we offer to our clients.

"Increasingly clients want consolidated expertise across England and Scotland and Clyde & Co is a tailor-made fit for us given that we share a number of similar practices and clients.

"Many of our insurer clients operate on a global stage and this merger enables us to join them on that stage."

The deal is the latest in a series of mergers involving Scottish firms over the past 18 months.

Last year, Dundas and Wilson merged with international law firm CMS, while Aberdein Considine completed a merger with Stirling-based Muirhead Buchanan.

Harper Macleod also announced a tie-up with solicitors Bird Semple, while Thorntons merged with leading Fife solicitors Murray Donald and Cupar legal firm Steel Eldridge Stewart.