Allen & Overy and O’Melveny & Myers chiefs meet at Frankfurt hotel as mega-merger talks continue
Two months after representatives from both firms met in London

Senior lawyers from Allen & Overy (A&O) and US outfit O’Melveny & Myers met at a plush five-star hotel in Frankfurt yesterday as discussions over a possible transatlantic merger between the duo gather momentum. If given the go-ahead, the tie-up would create a new global law firm with over 3,000 lawyers and combined revenues north of £2 billion.
It has now been reported that Bradley J. Butwin, O’Melveny’s chairman, was part of a group of lawyers from the Los Angeles-headquartered outfit that flew into Germany this week to hold further talks with A&O representatives. According to Legal Week (£), yesterday’s meeting took place at the plush five-star Sofitel Frankfurt Opera hotel.
News of the meet-up comes just two months after it was reported that O’Melveny partners had jetted into London to hold talks with A&O’s top brass. Speaking at the time, a spokesperson from A&O told Legal Cheek:
“We have been clear that developing our presence in the US is a priority for us and that we have spoken to a number of law firms there. However, we do not have any developments to announce and would reiterate that we won’t comment on any particular firm until the right time.”
The latest report claims there has been an “increasing amount of contact between both firms in recent weeks”, however “a date to vote on a potential deal has not been set”. Speaking anonymously, one A&O partner in Germany reportedly told the website:
“I couldn’t give you a sense if people are against it or in favour — it’s not really tangible for us yet.”
The Frankfurt meeting comes on the back of a strong set of financials for A&O. Profit per equity partner (PEP) at the magic circle player jumped by 4% to £1.64 million, while revenues rose steadily to £1.57 billion. Net income hit £690 million, an uplift of 3%.
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48 Comments
Anonymous
So?
PEPE
THICC
Short sighted Erbert
Alan has ovaries and a Frankfurter?????
Anonymous
I think they were top lawyers, not just senior.
Anonymous
Surely A&O Cravath if this goes ahead
Anonymous
Ahaha keep dreaming. Neither firm can afford the Cravath scale pre-merger, so why would the merger make any difference?
2nd rate firm + 2nd rate firm = larger 2nd rate firm
Anonymous
Wrong. A&O and other white shoe firms have already matched Cravat scale.
Anonymous
In the US… pretty sure anon at 10:57 was talking about UK pay.
Anonymous
not in London they haven’t.
A&O isn’t a white shoe firm (it’s UK based)
Anonymous
This post gave me aids.
Irwin Mitchell don’t need to merge
I hear the management at DWF are fuming that this US law firm chose A&O.
All DWF wants is to be another Womble.
Womble Bond Dickinson NQ
Stfu man, we’ve now got branded puffa vests and golf balls, we’re global!!!!
SPB NQ
But have you seen ours?
http://www.squirestore.eu/acatalog/sport.html
Anonymous
They don’t even stock a Pattagucci fleece…
Anonymous
How is Great Uncle Bulgaria these days?
Anonymous
Most mergers involving UK and American firms have compliance issues due to restrictions over who is eligible to have ownership founded in regulations in the US.
Irwin M. NQ
O’Melveny are scraping the barrel for merger partners, they must be mad that IM turned them down ruthlessly
Anonymous
What’s IM?
Anonymous
Information Memorandum
A&O worried
Initial Margin
I read through Clifford Chance's M&A Awareness microsite every day
It’s funny how OMM has managed to end up with a lower PEP than A&O
Says a lot about the quality of the firms involved …
Allen Glusker LLP
A&O should merge with Greenberg Glusker, top firm.
Anonymous
either that or Dechart or Dorsey
Anonymous
A&O should stay as they are.
Mergers tend to be used to camouflage a lack of organic growth.
Anonymous
in a business where the raw material is people’s time and the advice delivered is largely indistinguishable between the suppliers and where cilent relationships stick with people not the firm, the only you do grow fast enough to outpace inflation is to buy the growth or to join forces.
Anonymous
CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang O’Melveny Myers Allen & Overy LLP
Anonymous
Seems like decent value.
Anonymous
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen, Slaughter and May.
Anonymous
Once again, the PEP disparity renders this a complete non-starter
Anonymous
Dorsey & Mitchell LLP
Anonymous
Dechart Mitchell
Anonymous
Dechart Dorsey & Boggs
Anonymous
3 x shet still equals shet
Marcel
Ouanqier
OMM trainee
Couldn’t handle the pay cut 🙁
anon
Don’t forget teh O’Melveny blog
http://brian-boyle-omelveny-torture-attorney.blogspot.com
reader
This post has been removed because it breached Legal Cheek’s comments policy.
Dick Edwards
*rubs eyes*
It has a post on the merger!
Gross
This post has been removed because it breached Legal Cheek’s comments policy.
Anonymous
That’s disgusting!
You can’t say that!!!
Jay
Thanks for the link. Interesting blog.
CMS Future Trainee
I think CMS is a better firm. Loads of offices.
Anonymous
More offices = more money.
Oh wait….
Anonymous
It does. More offices will probably mean more money, not necessarily more profit. Top top firm.
Ritz - Waldorf merger when
Imagine being so poor and unprofitable that you have to meet at a Sofitel of all places
Nonsense
Nonsense comments above.
Anonymous
I was once a member of the sugababes
Whitelocke
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