The two firms issued a joint press release this morning announcing that the management of both firms unanimously supports the merger. If the partner vote scheduled for mid December goes as expected, the merger could be finalized as early as May of next year.

Mergers between US and UK law firms are rare, in part because of different accounting systems used. The firms have not yet released details of how those differences will be resolved, but the partners in each firm will be receiving documents next week setting out the terms of the deal. If finalized, this will be the first transatlantic merger between between two top tier firms, and may trigger other US/UK merger negotiations.

The combined firm would instantly become one of the world’s largest with over 2,500 attorneys around the globe and revenues in the range of $2 billion. No report yet on what the new name would be.

• Is Yet Another Merger Forthcoming?
• 18 Partners Bolt Hogan Prior to Merger with Lovells
• Morning Roundup
• Hogan & Hartson in Merger Talks with Lovells
• Hammonds Hong Kong Office Rejects Merger of Hammonds and Squire, Sanders & Dempsey

Here’s a quick look back at yesterday’s stories…

Foley & Lardner has struck a deal with the NIH…

McGuire Woods gets around to making some of its offers to its summer class…

Ropes & Gray adds another attorney to its new office in London…

A beauraucratic snafu may cost Pepsi $1.2 billion…

and our condolences go out to the family and friends of Texas lawyer Sidney Davis, who died this week from complications due to the swine flu…

Also of note – several sites yesterday were carrying stories about a possible merger between Hogan & Harston and the UK firm Lovells. We reported on this story a few weeks ago, and there isn’t really anything new to report yet. For our original story, look here. We will of course bring you any updates as they arise.

• Morning Roundup
• Morning Roundup
• Morning Roundup
• Morning Roundup
• Morning Roundup