Grand old law firms Wedlake Bell and Moon Beever merge to create new synergy

Grand old law firms Wedlake Bell and Moon Beever merge to create new synergy

The merger is expected to bolster its private client and dispute resolution capabilities

Two grand old London-based law firms Wedlake Bell and Moon Beever founded respectively in 1780 and 1851, have announced merger to create a new synergy. The merger is slated to come into effect from 12 July is expected to bolster the firm's practice.

Wedlake Bell's partner strength will go up to 71 and the total lawyer headcount to 217 lawyers. This includes Moon Beever, which has 11 partners and 56 fee earners. The terms of the deal, talks for which started last year, have not been made public yet.

Moon Beever specialises in insolvency and debt recovery, as well as private client, utilities and real estate work. Its revenue last year was estimated to be almost £7 million compared to Wedlake Bell's £37.5 million revenue in 2020-2021.

"The merged firm will enable us to enhance the offering to our clients in some of our core business areas – notably insolvency and restructuring, disputes, commercial property and private client. Clients will be able to access the full range of high-quality legal advice and services and the growth of our contentious practice, in particular, continues to future proof against a challenging and fast moving economic and operational environment," Wedlake Bell's managing partner Martin Arnold, who has been associated with the firm for the past 33 years after starting as a trainee in 1987, said. Arnold became the firm's managing partner in 2012.

Frances Coulson, Moon Beever's managing partner, said: "This is a very exciting opportunity, one which opens up enormous potential for growth at a time of unprecedented change. Wedlake Bell and Moon Beever are a strong cultural fit and this merger will allow both firms to enhance the strength and depth of the services that our clients require."

Coulson started her legal career with the Moon Beever in 1984. She is currently deputy chair of the Fraud Advisory Panel, an independent organisation that helps counter fraud in the UK, as well as deputy chair for regulatory conduct at the Insolvency Practitioners Association.