Winston & Strawn, Taylor Wessing Plan Transatlantic Merger (1)

Winston & Strawn and the UK’s Taylor Wessing will merge next year to form a new transatlantic law firm under the new shared name Winston Taylor, the firms announced in a joint statement Monday.

The merger will create a firm with 1,400 lawyers across the US, UK, and Europe with an estimated combined revenue of more than $1.75 billion, the firms said in the statement. The merger is expected to be completed in May 2026, subject to approvals and a vote of the partners in each firm.

The plan adds to a busy year of mergers in the legal industry, as firms seek growth to compete with other large firms in a market where demand for services is growing below the inflation rate. Activity has been particularly robust in the UK, where firms seek a larger foothold in the lucrative US market.

“By combining Winston & Strawn’s strength in the major hubs across the United States with our coverage of the key centers of London, Europe, and the Middle East, we will have created a firm with the highest level of transatlantic capabilities in key practices and sectors,” Shane Gleghorn, managing partner of Taylor Wessing UK, said in the statement.

Winston, one of the oldest law firms in Chicago, has large practices in litigation and transactional work. The firm brought in more than $1.27 billion in revenue in 2024, and its partner profits hit $3.5 million, according to data from the American Lawyer.

The two firms said Dec. 12 that they were in merger talks.

“Once combined, we will have a London-headquartered partner that fulfills our long-held ambition to grow in the UK, while preserving the culture, agility, focus, and relentless client service that define Winston & Strawn,” said Winston & Strawn chairman Steve D’Amore in the statement.

D’Amore, who has led Winston since 2024, will stay on as chairman of the combined law firm.

Taylor Wessing, which operates as a network of affiliated firms known as a verein, brought in $379 million in revenue in its last fiscal year. Gleghorn will serve as managing partner of Europe and the Middle East for Winston Taylor and will become a member of its executive committee.

Law firms completed 47 mergers in the first three quarters of the year, up from 43 in the same period of 2024, according to legal consultants Fairfax Associates. Mergers announced this year include McDermott Will & Emery’s and Schulte Roth & Zabel; Herbert Smith Freehills’ and Kramer Levin; and Perkins Coie and Ashurst.

Law firm demand grew just 1.9% in the first nine months of the year, Citi found in a survey of more than 200 of the operations, including 80 of the largest 100 by revenue.

As a result of the merger, Taylor Wessing’s UK-led business, which has operations in the UK, Ireland, Dubai and lawyers in San Francisco, will exit the Taylor Wessing verein and combine with Winston & Strawn to create Winston Taylor.

Taylor Wessing Netherlands will exit the verein and will enter into an agreement with the newly-combined Winston Taylor to operate under its brand. Winston Taylor will have a referral relationship with the remainder of the Taylor Wessing verein.