Q2 mergers see the launch of two new global firms, reports Fairfax Associates
WASHINGTON, D.C., July 1, 2026 – Law firm merger activity was quieter than typical in Q2, although included two large cross-border combinations. The Fairfax merger research team tracked 7 completed mergers in the second quarter (meaning the effective date occurred during Q2 2026), bringing the total for the first half of the year to 43 mergers. This result is only 2 fewer than the first half of 2025, due to a very active Q1.
The two largest mergers of the quarter were the creation of Ashurst Perkins Coie from London-based Ashurst and Seattle-based Perkins Coie, effective June 29th, and the creation of Winston Taylor from Chicago-based Winston & Strawn and London-based Taylor Wessing, effective June 1st. These mergers are two of several large combinations announced in Q4 of 2025 and closing this year.
The next largest merger of Q2 was the combination of San Diego-based Tyson & Mendes (298) and Philadelphia-area firm Rebar Kelly (21). The remaining Q2 mergers involved at least one firm with between 5 and 20 lawyers. Two of these were multi-region combinations: Philadelphia-based Weber Gallagher Simpson Stapleton Fires & Newby (121) merged with Chicago-based Karbal, Cohen, Economou, Silk & Dunne (11) and Fort Lauderdale-based Greenspoon Marder (199) merged with Los Angeles-based Resch Polster & Berger (10). Rounding out the quarter: New Orleans-based Phelps Dunbar (425) combined with Dallas-based Johnston Clem Gifford (5), and Ligris + Associates (38) and Alavi+Braza (5) merged (both Boston-based firms).
In its ongoing tracking of alternative business structures in the legal industry, Fairfax’s merger team also tracked the acquisition of London-based Avantia Law (23) by San Francisco-based enterprise resource planning software platform Carta. The transaction creates Carta Law, an entity that will offer legal services via Carta’s platform. Alternative business structure transactions are not included in Fairfax’s merger numbers.
There are also three announced mergers set to become effective in Q3 or later: the creation of Hogan Lovells Cadwalader from Hogan Lovells (2,703) and New York-based Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft (427); the combination of Kansas City-based Spencer Fane (583) and Tulsa-based Conner & Winters (78), both set to be effective on July 1; and the combination of upstate New York’s Harris Beach Murtha (261) and Boston-based Peabody & Arnold (40).
Fairfax Associates collects data from published reports, press releases and direct reports from law firms. Mergers are reported where the acquired firm has five or more lawyers and at least one of the firms is US based. Law firm combinations involving all lawyers from both firms are included in reports even if not officially reported as a merger by the firms. Upon routine verification of the data, some historical numbers may have been updated since previously issued reports, and the number of mergers contained herein may change as additional mergers are announced.