Herbert Smith, Kramer Levin Partners Approve UK-US Merger Deal

Partners at Herbert Smith Freehills and Kramer Levin have approved a plan to merge the two law firms in the latest industry tie-up.

The combined firm is set to launch June 1 as Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer, or HSF Kramer in the US.

“This combination is a historic and long-term commitment from both firms to pursue our future together as one combined firm, and this is just the beginning,” Rebecca Maslen-Stannage, chair and senior partner of Herbert Smith Freehills said in a statement.

The firms together have more than $2 billion in revenue and around 2700 lawyers, including roughly 630 partners, according to the statement.

Voting closed today on the deal, with the implementation date pushed back by one month.

Herbert Smith Freehills was founded via the merger of UK firm Herbert Smith and Australian litigation outfit Freehills in 2012. It has one US office, in New York.

Kramer operates three offices across the US, in New York, Washington DC, and Silicon Valley. The firm’s sole international office, in Paris, joined Morgan Lewis in December.

Paul H. Schoeman and Howard T. Spilko, co-managing partners of Kramer Levin, described the deal as “a significant achievement”.

The combination joins the other ranks of transatlantic mergers, including 2024’s A&O Shearman tie-up.