Ashurst and Perkins Coie have agreed to merge, creating one of the largest global law firms by both headcount and revenue — and marking the most significant US–UK combination since A&O Shearman.
The new firm, Ashurst Perkins Coie, will launch with $2.7bn in revenue, a dramatically expanded U.S. footprint, and sector depth spanning tech, litigation, energy, infrastructure, and cross-border corporate work. It is a merger that not only shifts the competitive balance but also creates an immediate impact on recruitment across the U.S., UK, and Asia-Pacific.
By the Numbers
The combined firm will have:
- 7,810 total headcount
- Ashurst: 4,955 people
- Perkins Coie: 2,855 people
That makes Ashurst Perkins Coie:
- Slightly smaller than Latham & Watkins (8,032 people)
- Larger than White & Case (7,215 people)
- Larger than Hogan Lovells (6,834 people)
In pure headcount terms, the combined firm becomes the 8th largest AmLaw firm globally.
Officially published figures from the firms also show:
- 1,000 partners
- 3,000 lawyers
- 52 offices in 23 countries
- 4th-highest number of Chambers-ranked lawyers worldwide
- 9th-highest number of Chambers-ranked practices worldwide
This is a scale neither firm could have reached independently — and one that places the merged platform firmly among the global elite.
A Strategic Play
The merger continues a clear trend: US–UK combinations are now a defining feature of the global legal landscape. A&O Shearman and HSF Kramer set the tone; Ashurst Perkins Coie accelerates it.
For Ashurst, the deal finally delivers the piece it has lacked for decades: real U.S. depth.
For Perkins Coie, it offers global reach, especially across London, Europe, and Asia-Pacific — regions where client demand increasingly spans borders.
Leadership will be equally split, with Bill Malley and Paul Jenkins serving as global co-CEOs, and Karen Davies and Brian Eiting as co-chairs — an unusually balanced governance model in mergers of this scale.
Global Platform
Using publicly available data tracked by Pirical Legal Professionals (PLP), the merger dramatically expands Ashurst’s U.S. presence:
- Ashurst currently operates in three U.S. locations.
- Perkins Coie brings over 10 additional cities, including Seattle, Palo Alto, Chicago, Portland, Washington D.C., Denver, and Phoenix.
For corporate, regulatory, and technology clients, this gives Ashurst a footprint capable of competing with top-tier U.S. firms for the first time.
The combined hubs in Seattle, London, Sydney, and New York anchor a genuinely global network.
Practice Impact
Perkins Coie’s strength in IP litigation, cybersecurity, privacy, and complex disputes fills long-standing gaps in Ashurst’s global practice map.
Ashurst brings scale in energy and infrastructure, cross-border corporate and finance, regulatory, projects, and emerging markets.
The result is a platform with far greater balance, particularly in sectors tied to technology, AI, energy transition, and infrastructure investment.
What This Means for Recruitment
Major combinations always create some movement. As teams assess integration and strategy, the market typically experiences a period of elevated senior mobility, with some lawyers exploring options as their path may seem less clear. At the same time, the addition of 10+ U.S. offices and stronger cross-border capabilities means the merged firm will likely, at some point, need mid-level associates to support growing client demand, creating broader opportunities across multiple jurisdictions. The two firms will also merge their training and development programs for junior lawyers.
For associates — particularly Australians, Canadians, and UK-qualified lawyers — the combined firm offers improved access to U.S. work, cross-border mandates, secondments, and movement between offices in Asia-Pacific, London, and the U.S. Competitors will move quickly to attract talent unsettled by integration, while Ashurst Perkins Coie will likely launch a refreshed recruitment strategy to match its new global scale and client offering.
A Redefined Global Competitor
With $2.7bn in revenue, 7,810 people, and top-tier Chambers recognition, Ashurst Perkins Coie becomes a genuine global heavyweight.
Not only does it instantly join the ranks of the 20 largest firms by revenue — it surpasses several long-established names by headcount.
This merger signals the next chapter in global BigLaw:
firms with broad geographic reach, integrated transatlantic capability, and sector depth across tech, disputes, energy and cross-border finance will define the next decade.
Ashurst Perkins Coie now finds itself firmly in that category.
