Edwards Gibson Quoted in The Global Legal Post on Ashurst’s Landmark US Merger

Edwards Gibson is pleased to share that Director Scott Gibson has been quoted in The Global Legal Post’s in-depth analysis, “It’s a scale game now: Ashurst has finally ended its decades-long search for a willing US merger partner”. The article, written by Victoria Basham, examines Ashurst’s proposed merger with US firm Perkins Coie — the third transatlantic law firm merger deal to be unveiled in less than three years.

The piece analyses Ashurst’s long-awaited move to secure a US merger partner and its current push for a transatlantic scale-up. Commenting on the merger, Scott Gibson observes:

“Ashurst has been looking for a US merger partner for more than 20 years, and Perkins Coie is a great brand. It’s not a bad move, it just doesn’t seem like the most natural fit.”

While the merger promises significant opportunities for both firms, Scott Gibson also raises the point that parity in profit per equity partner does not necessarily indicate this is a merger of equals: ‘Perkins Coie’s market position is less strong than Ashurst’s, given that firms in the US are able to achieve a higher margin as clients will accept higher charge-out rates’.

The deal is subject to partner votes and is expected to be completed in late 2026.

To read the full article, please click here.