Editor's letter: Choosing a firm name

By Manju Manglani, Editor, Managing Partner

What’s in a name and does it matter? When two established firms decide to merge, the question of what to call the new firm will naturally be high on the agenda. There are concerns about maintaining the branding, history and reputation of each firm.

A key concern is that clients were attracted to the firm because of its long-standing name and therefore this needs to be maintained for their sake. However, at the end of the day, clients are usually more concerned about their work continuing to be done well – or even better – following the merger, without having to re-explain it.

Corporate counsel will of course expect to be kept well informed about the implications of the merger. But the change of firm name only really affects them if it results in relationship partners leaving to join competitor firms.

Ultimately, if clients are made to feel that they have benefited from the merger, they are more likely to instruct the combined firm and to recommend it to fellow corporate counsel – regardless of what the new firm is called.

The only people who will really be bothered by the change in the firm name will be those who are personally invested in it – the partners. And so the unenviable task falls to managing partners to try to achieve consensus on this domino-effect issue.

Until next month,

Manju Manglani, Editor

mmanglani@wilmington.co.uk