King & Wood Mallesons’ European, Middle East Arm Considers Merger

What will become of King & Wood Mallesons?

After its European and Middle East partners failed to raise enough capital to shore up its balance sheet after a number of partner departures, the firm said it is considering a range of strategic options, including a merger that could sever the firm’s European and Middle East operation from the rest of the 2,200-lawyer firm.

Such a deal would mark a dramatic contraction to the first law firm that bridged the divide between the Asia Pacific and the U.K. through a merger, structured as a swiss verein, which maintains separate finance units but ...