North East law firm Womble Bond Dickinson has abandoned its merger plans with BDB Pitmans, following several months of talks.
The Newcastle Helix-based business had launched into early stage discussions with its UK rival last October, exploring the creation of a group that would have commanded around £130m in sales and employed almost 1,500 staff. Womble Bond Dickinson – created through the 2017 merger between Bond Dickinson and US firm Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice – has bases across the UK in Southampton, Leeds, London, Bristol, Edinburgh, Leeds, London and Plymouth as well as its Tyneside head office. It also has 16 offices across the US.
BDB Pitmans, meanwhile, which was formed in 2018 following the merger of Bircham Dyson Bell (BDB) and Pitmans Law, has bases in Cambridge, London, Reading and Southampton. The two companies have now issued a statement, confirming that the proposed merger would no longer go ahead.
