Posted on: 10 August 2016
Waltons & Morse LLP has announced that the firm is to merge with international insurance law firm Kennedys, effective from 1 November 2016.
Waltons & Morse team (including five partners, one consultant and 18 legal staff in total) will strengthen Kennedys’ existing capabilities in marine insurance and shipping and create a £150m turnover business.
Chris Dunn, Waltons & Morse current Managing Partner will head the international marine team to be known as Kennedys Marine, and will join the Kennedys’ board. Kennedys Marine will have considerable combined strength and depth with 30 experts across the UK, Ireland, Spain, Singapore, Australia and the Americas, including 12 partners, which will augment our existing network of foreign correspondent Lawyers.
According to the statement Waltons & Morse LLP team knows many of the Partners at Kennedys, who are known to have an outstanding reputation in insurance, with a growing reputation in marine and shipping. Both firms share a similar client base including London Market (re)insurers and throughout Europe, Asia and the USA with insurers, ship owners, charterers, commodity trading companies, hauliers, forwarders, logistics and terminal operators.
It further states that clients are at the heart of any decision such as this. A vast amount of the Waltons & Morse LLP lawyers’ work involves clients and matters outside of the UK, so the international infrastructure of Kennedys offers greater access to a well-established network of offices, along with an excellent foundation for further growth.
The statement emphasises that for all the Waltons & Morse LLP lawyers it will be business as usual. They will start work now to integrate the two firms for 1 November and will relocate into Kennedys London office by the end of the year (25 Fenchurch Avenue, EC3M 5AD). In the meantime, clients should continue to work with their usual Waltons & Morse LLP lawyers in the same way.
Waltons & Morse LLP team is looking forward to this exciting opportunity and would welcome any comments from you either at this stage or in an open forum on a date to be arranged at their new Fenchurch Avenue premises.
