The proposed combination would create a global law firm with more than £2.7 billion in revenue
Hogan Lovells and Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft have announced plans to merge in a move that would create the largest law firm combination ever seen and one of the most powerful players in the global legal market.
The proposed deal, announced on 18 December 2025, would see the firms operate under the name Hogan Lovells Cadwalader, subject to approval by partners at both firms. If completed, the combined firm would generate annual revenue in excess of £2.7 billion and employ around 3,100 lawyers across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region.
The merger would position the new firm as the world’s fifth-largest law firm by revenue. Its global footprint would span major financial and commercial centres, with a stated focus on strengthening the New York–London corridor. In London alone, the merged practice would rank among the top ten firms by headcount, employing close to 600 lawyers.
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The announcement comes amid a wave of high-profile consolidation across the international legal sector. Only days earlier, Taylor Wessing’s UK arm confirmed plans to merge with US firm Winston & Strawn to form Winston Taylor, while Ashurst has also revealed plans to combine with US firm Perkins Coie. Together, these moves underline the intensifying competition among elite global law firms to secure scale, reach and specialist expertise.
Hogan Lovells is the larger of the two firms by a significant margin. It operates from 35 offices worldwide and maintains a sizeable trainee intake in London of around 50 each year. Cadwalader, by contrast, has five offices and recruits only a small number of trainees annually, but is widely recognised for its strength in high-end finance and Wall Street work.
The firms said the proposed merger would create a more balanced transatlantic practice, combining Hogan Lovells’ extensive international platform with Cadwalader’s established reputation in top-tier US finance.
Hogan Lovells chief executive Miguel A. Zaldivar, Jr said clients increasingly expect law firms to offer both deep sector expertise and global reach. He said Cadwalader’s market-leading finance capabilities would complement Hogan Lovells’ international strengths, enabling the combined firm to advise more comprehensively on complex, cross-border matters.
He added that the merger would enhance the firm’s ability to serve clients in sectors where international investment continues to drive growth, including finance, energy, technology and life sciences.
The firms have not set a completion date, with the transaction remaining subject to partner votes and regulatory approvals. If approved, the merger would mark a significant milestone in the ongoing reshaping of the global legal market.