Womble Bond Dickinson formally launches

UK law firm Bond Dickinson LLP and US-based Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice LLP have combined to create Womble Bond Dickinson. Announced in June 2017, the combination builds on the strategic alliance announced by the two firms in 2016, creating a Global Top 100 firm by annual revenue ($410 m/£340m).

Operating in 24 offices across the US and UK, including Aberdeen and Edinburgh, with more than 1,000 lawyers serving more than 250 publicly traded companies, the new transatlantic practice also claims European market coverage through existing relationships in Germany and France.

The combined firm will focus on sectors covering energy & natural resources, financial institutions, healthcare, insurance, manufacturing, real estate, retail & consumer, transport, logistics & infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology & life sciences, technology and private wealth.

John Ralph, partner and head of the Edinburgh office, commented: "This is a combination of two firms with a common regional heritage founded on a shared commitment to client service excellence. A growing number of our clients have operations in Scotland and the United States, or are exploring opportunities on both sides of the Atlantic. The combination enables us to provide high quality support and insights from both sides of the Atlantic. For our local clients, we have chosen a partner who understands the importance of our UK network to support them, and shares our commitment to invest in Scotland."

Richard Cockburn, partner and head of the Aberdeen office, added: "Many of our clients operating in the Aberdeen area have activities in the USA and this combination allows us to provide a seamlessly transatlantic service on their doorstep. Instructions are already flowing to us from the USA, showing just how much interest there continues to be in the North Sea market."

The new entity is a company limited by guarantee in which Womble Bond Dickinson UK LLP and Womble Bond Dickinson US LLP operate as separate non-profit-sharing partnerships with their own independent boards. Four members from each partnership have been appointed to the board of the new entity.