Womble Bond Dickinson and BDB Pitmans cancel merger plans

Published by

Sam Pither

Law firms Womble Bond Dickinson and BDB Pitmans have cancelled plans for a possible merger which were announced in autumn last year.

Had the talks been followed through to completion, the resulting law firm would have employed around 1,500 with sales in the region of £130 million.

WBD was formed in 2017 merger between UK law firm Bond Dickinson and US-based Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice and currently operates in 30 different locations, seven of which are in the UK (Bristol, Edinburgh, Leeds, London, Newcastle, Plymouth, and Southampton).

BDB Pitmans was also born out of merger between Bircham Dyson Bell and Pitmans in 2018. The firm works out of its London, Cambridge, Reading and Southampton offices and most recently merged with the private wealth boutique Portrait Solicitors in April.

In a joint statement, the firms said: “Womble Bond Dickinson and BDB Pitmans announce today that they have decided not to proceed further with their proposed merger.

“After extensive discussions on the combined proposition, both firms have decided that the best path forward is to remain independent of each other. Excellent relationships have been established and the firms will continue to work closely together in the future.”

Sam Pither

Sam is the Regional Editor of Biz News, responsible for both Hampshire and Dorset. A new recruit to journalism, Sam started writing for the Business Magazine as a freelancer in May of 2022 after completing his degree in English at University College London. His passion for local businesses and ability to tell a story soon caught the attention of the publication’s management team and have led to his meteoric rise. Sam, who lives in central Reading, takes a particular interest in technology, gaming and food and drink, having been a chef before starting his degree.