Winston & Strawn and Taylor Wessing have secured final partner approval for their proposed merger, clearing a decisive hurdle towards the creation of one of the largest transatlantic law firms in the market.
The deal, first announced in December, will result in a firm with more than 1,400 lawyers across 20 international offices and estimated annual revenues of £1.2 billion (US$1.6 billion). On those figures, the combined firm would rank just outside the top 40 of Law.com’s Global 200.
The merger is expected to complete in May 2026, following an integration process to be led by the partners of both firms. The combined practice will operate under the name Winston Taylor and will focus on areas including complex litigation, corporate and transactional work, intellectual property and private wealth, with a particular emphasis on technology, life sciences and financial services.
As part of the transaction, Taylor Wessing’s partners in the Netherlands and Belgium have approved operating under the Winston Taylor brand, with a view to full integration at a later stage, subject to regulatory approvals.
In parallel, Winston Taylor has entered into a cooperation and referral agreement with the remaining Taylor Wessing network, including the German firm, aimed at ensuring continuity of service and comprehensive jurisdictional coverage for clients.
Steve D’Amore, chairman of Winston & Strawn, who will continue as global chairman of the combined firm, said the strong level of partner support reflected a shared strategic vision centred on client demand.
“Our clients are looking for genuinely integrated teams on both sides of the Atlantic, and Winston Taylor has been designed to deliver seamless advice across borders, markets and key innovation sectors”.
Shane Gleghorn, managing partner of Taylor Wessing in the UK — who will become managing partner for Europe and the Middle East and join the firm’s executive committee — said the merger strengthened the firm’s presence in major financial and innovation hubs across the US, Europe and the Middle East.
“Our partners backed this combination because both firms share an absolute commitment to our clients’ objectives, and that commitment will underpin our collective success”.
The deal follows a series of mergers between US and British law firms in recent years. Ashurst and Perkins Coie announced their intention to merge to create a firm of around 3,000 lawyers, subject to partner approval, with a closing expected in the third quarter of 2026. In early 2025, the merger between Herbert Smith Freehills and Kramer Levin resulted in a firm of approximately 2,700 lawyers, while Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling combined to form A&O Shearman, a firm with nearly 4,000 lawyers globally.
