DLA Piper is to combine with Danish law firm LETT by the end of May this year, becoming the largest firm in the Nordic region with five offices and more than 370 lawyers.
LETT, which has offices in Copenhagen and Aarhus, is a full-service firm which is ranked tier one in dispute resolution, environment, insurance and telecoms in the Legal 500 and has a particular focus on corporate M&A, insolvency and restructuring, pensions and insurance, real estate and the Danish public sector. The firm has around 150 lawyers.
Simon Levine DLA’s co-chief executive (pictured) said: ‘Together, the Nordic countries rank as a G20 economic entity and the region is home to some major international corporates. Many of our existing clients do business in the Nordics and by extending our presence in Denmark, we will now be able to offer them an unparalleled capability in the region and access to legal services which can meet their needs domestically, regionally and globally.’
In June last year DLA confirmed a merger with Swedish law firm Grönberg Advokatbyrå, adding 21 lawyers and seven support staff. DLA signalled the merger would strengthen the firm’s offering in its key sectors: financial services, technology, energy, real estate and infrastructure and construction.
And in February 2016 the firm agreed a combination with 30-lawyer Finnish law firm Peltonen LMR. Peltonen has strong local practices in banking, corporate, dispute resolution and IP. The firm counts Finland’s export credit agency Finnvera, the City of Helsinki and Nordea Bank as clients.
Despite its Nordic expansion, just last week DLA closed two offices in Berlin and Georgia. The firm’s sole partner in Berlin moved, alongside an of counsel to launch DWF’s offering in the German capital. Meanwhile, DLA has also shut down its Georgia operations with all fee earners, including two partners, departing for Dentons.
A DLA spokesperson said: ‘The firm has had a successful presence in Tbilisi since merging with a local Georgian law firm in 2005. However, we have since concluded that our respective interests and strategies can be better delivered separately in future.’
This article first appeared on the website of Lex’s sister publication Legal Business.