Seattle's Perkins Coie Approves Mega Merger With Ashurst

The combined firm, Ashurst Perkins Coie, will have around 3,000 lawyers across over 50 offices worldwide.

Apr. 13, 2026 at 11:34pm

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A high-end, photorealistic studio still-life photograph featuring a stack of legal documents, a pen, and a pair of eyeglasses arranged elegantly on a clean, monochromatic seamless background, conceptually representing the abstract ideas of corporate strategy, finance, and global expansion.The merger of Seattle's Perkins Coie and London's Ashurst creates a new global legal powerhouse poised to tackle complex cross-border mandates.Seattle Today

Seattle-based law firm Perkins Coie has voted to approve a merger with London-based Ashurst, creating a new global firm called Ashurst Perkins Coie. The combined entity will have approximately 3,000 lawyers across more than 50 offices worldwide and an estimated $2.8 billion in annual revenue. The merger is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, pending regulatory approvals.

Why it matters

The merger represents a significant pivot for Perkins Coie, a Seattle-founded firm that has historically maintained a strong local presence, toward a more global strategy. The combined firm will be able to pursue larger, cross-border legal mandates by linking Perkins Coie's strengths in technology, IP, and litigation with Ashurst's experience in energy, infrastructure, and financial services.

The details

Perkins Coie and Ashurst said their respective partnerships voted 'overwhelmingly' to approve the combination. The new firm, Ashurst Perkins Coie, will keep Seattle as a flagship hub, while Ashurst gains a stronger foothold in the U.S. market. Leaders plan to run the combined business as co-CEOs, and the firms will continue operating independently until the deal closes. Retention and integration of talent are expected to be early priorities for the merged entity.

  • Perkins Coie partners voted on the merger proposal on Monday, April 13, 2026.
  • The merger is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, pending regulatory approvals and other closing conditions.

The players

Perkins Coie

A Seattle-based law firm that has historically maintained a strong local presence and is now pivoting toward a more global strategy through this merger.

Ashurst

A London-based law firm that specializes in energy, infrastructure, and financial services work, and is gaining a stronger foothold in the U.S. market through this combination.

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What’s next

The merger is still subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. Once the deal is finalized, the firms will work on integrating their operations and talent to create a cohesive global law firm.

The takeaway

This merger represents a strategic shift for Perkins Coie, a Seattle-based firm with deep local roots, as it seeks to expand its global reach and capabilities. The combined Ashurst Perkins Coie entity will be better positioned to pursue larger, cross-border legal mandates, but the integration of the two firms will be a key challenge in the months ahead.