Royds Withy King, the regional law firm with an office in Bristol, is in advanced merger talks with a smaller London practice in a move that would lift its annual revenue to more than £50m.
Bath-headquartered Royds Withy King, which also has offices in Swindon, Oxford and London, confirmed the discussions with Goodman Derrick, saying they were being held with a view to merging to create RWK Goodman with effect from May 1 next year.
A joint statement issued by the two firms added: “These discussions are progressing positively and a further announcement will be made when a formal agreement to merge is reached.”
Royds Withy King employs around 520 people, including 70-plus partners. It opened a satellite Bristol office at 33 Colston Avenue two years ago to service clients in the city.
It provides a wide range of legal services from corporate and commercial to family and private client, across a number of key sectors.
The Lawyer UK200 table of leading law firms ranks it at 93rd in its latest edition of with revenue of £36.9m.
Goodman Derrick, which has 20 partners leading a team of 90, operates out of a single office in the City.
It is at number 171 in The Lawyer UK200 table with revenue of £14.2m.
A merged RWK Goodman would be placed to 74th in the current table.
Goodman Derrick’s core services range from corporate and corporate transactions, commercial contracts, employment law, real estate and construction to dispute resolution and wealth and family.
The firm was founded in 1954 by Lord Goodman, who later became a key figure in British politics, including as solicitor and advisor to Prime Minister Harold Wilson. He was also chairman of the Arts Council.
Royds Withy King was formed in September 2016 through the merger of Bath-headquartered Withy King with single-office city of London practice Royds.
Withy King had previously made a number of small, strategic mergers including with Oxfordshire-based Whetter Duckworth Fowler in 2013 and Swindon’s Lemon & Co and Edward Pilling & Co in Oxford in 2014.
