Ashurst is on the cusp of securing a merger with a US-founded firm, capping years of ambition to carve out a meaningful foothold in the American market, according to several people familiar with the talks.

The global elite firm hasn’t confirmed the talks, Law.com reports that insiders say the discussions land at a moment when the US legal market is buzzing with combination chatter.

A pressure cooker of talent wars, scale demands and rising costs is turbocharging interest in mergers across the industry. The freshly minted HSF Kramer saw its trans-Atlantic merger complete earlier this year.

Ashurst, which currently operates in 18 countries, has explored various combinations over the years, including with heavyweights Latham & Watkins, Fried Frank, Harris Shriver & Jacobson and Sidley Austin — all without a deal.

Will this time be different?

More to come.

Source: Law.com