Hunton & Williams and Andrews Kurth Kenyon in merger talks – reports
Media outlets have reported that US-based law firms Andrews Kurth Kenyon and Hunton & Williams have agreed on a potential combination.
The reports, which have appeared in the New York Law Journal and Law 360, are adding fuel to persistent market commentary since October 2017. Recent partner departures reported at Andrews Kurth Kenyon in Dallas and Houston to rival firms have drawn more attention to the potential merger.
While neither law firm has offices in Spain or Latin America, both handle a significant amount of deals in the Iberian – American markets. Hunton recently advised Promerica on its acquisition of Citi’s assets in Guatemala and also acted for Sabadell in the sale of its US business to Iberiabank. More recently, Andrews Kurth Kenyon represented IDB Invest in a $30 million loan to Terminal Zarate, an Argentinean container terminal.
Both law firms have a extended US and international footprint, with overlapping offices in Austin, Beijing, Dallas, Houston, London, New York and Washington, DC.
According to the New York Law Journal, which quoted figures from The American Lawyer, Andrews Kurth posted $289 million in revenue in 2016, a fall of 2.7 percent from the previous year, while Hunton & Williams grew revenue 2.5 percent to $541 million. The article also noted that both firms have revenues per lawyer on the same level.
When contacted for this story, a spokesperson at Andrews Kurth Kenyon stated the firm had no comment while Hunton & Williams did not respond to the request by the time of publication.
