Charles Russell and Speechly Bircham complete merger

Charles Russell and Speechly Bircham have completed their merger to create the new firm, Charles Russell Speechlys, which will be one of the world's largest private wealth and business law firms.

Charles Russell Speechlys has 170 partners and revenues of £135m, putting it in within the UK's top 30 legal firms.

Partners at both firms voted in favour of the merger on 16 July 2014.

James Carter, pictured, Charles Russell Speechlys' managing partner commented: "The size and structure of the integrated firm unlocks significant opportunities for our clients and for our staff.

"Partners from both firms had the desire to create the market-leading firm providing business law and private wealth advice internationally. The creation of Charles Russell Speechlys takes us a long way towards meeting that shared and now very achievable objective."

The new firm boasts the largest and most experienced private client practice in the UK with 40 partners, 110 lawyers and revenues of £35 million.

Christopher Page, Charles Russell Speechlys' senior partner added: "This is a significant and exciting development for two firms that can both trace their heritage back for well over 100 years.

"We believe that the combination enables us to offer clients an integrated approach with greater depth of expertise and to continue our long traditions of delivering first-class client service combined with trusted legal insight and sophisticated commercial awareness."

The new firm's head office is based in London and has 500 lawyers in offices across nine jurisdictions around the world.

Binyamin Ali is assistant editor of Private Client Adviser