Herbert Smith Freehills And Kramer Levin Announce Transformative Merger

Herbert Smith Freehills and Kramer Levin Announce Transformative Merger

Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) and Kramer Levin have announced plans to merge, marking strategic move that will create a fully-integrated global law firm under the name Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer (HSF Kramer in the U.S.). This merger, establishes a single global profit pool from day one, positioning the combined firm among the top 20 globally by revenue, with over $2 billion in annual revenues.

HSF, a major player in the UK, Australia, Europe, and Asia-Pacific, will significantly expand its U.S. presence through this merger, gaining approximately 120 U.S. partners across Kramer Levin’s key offices in New York, Washington, D.C., and Silicon Valley. The combined firm will boast a strong footprint in disputes, financial services, energy, infrastructure, mining, technology, and other key sectors, with a workforce of 2,700 lawyers, including around 640 partners, across 25 offices.

Rebecca Maslen-Stannage, Chair and Senior Partner of Herbert Smith Freehills, said: "This is transformational. We have long been committed to expanding our offering in the US and Kramer Levin is the perfect fit. The combination delivers immediate growth for both firms from day one." Justin D'Agostino, Global CEO of Herbert Smith Freehills, said: "This is an excellent long-term, strategic move for our firms, our clients and our people – a bold opportunity to build an exciting international firm together, based on our strong cultures of collaboration, superb clients and people, and our existing areas of strength. This is just the beginning."

Howard T. Spilko, Co-managing Partner of Kramer Levin, said: “Joining forces with Herbert Smith Freehills is a one-of-a-kind opportunity that helps us achieve our vision and potential for strategic growth. The combination provides us with a significant competitive advantage by bolstering our destination practices with a deeper bench, broader geographic reach and sector expertise, while providing the opportunity to collaborate to achieve great outcomes for clients internationally.” Paul H. Schoeman, Co-managing Partner of Kramer Levin, said:

“We are very much aligned culturally and share critical core values, particularly a belief that a collaborative approach is the key to providing best-in-class solutions and service to our clients. We also have the same deeply rooted commitment to diversity and inclusion, pro bono work, and community service.”

For HSF, the merger builds on the legacy of its previous combination with Australia’s Freehills 12 years ago, which helped the firm establish a strong European network. The new combination will supercharge HSF’s expansion into the U.S. market, enhancing its competitive position across major sectors and creating an elite offering in disputes and transactional practices worldwide.

The merged firm will leverage its single global platform to attract top talent and expand its client services. With shared values of entrepreneurship, high performance, and client-centered service, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer aims to redefine international legal practice through this transformative partnership.