PORTLAND, Maine — Law firm Verrill Dana will become the largest law firm in Maine after joining with the 21-attorney Connecticut practice Levett Rockwood, which specializes in various aspects of business law.
Verrill Dana did not disclose the terms of the deal, which was announced Tuesday.
A statement from Verrill Dana said the law firm would have about 140 attorneys with the addition of Levett Rockwood’s attorneys. According to an annual survey of law firm staffing by Mainebiz, the move would make Verrill Dana the state’s largest law firm, taking that distinction from Pierce Atwood, which had 130 attorneys as of an October 2014 survey.
Verrill Dana had picked up 12 attorneys last year from the Portland firm Friedman Gaythwaite Wolf, through its first official merger.
Verrill Dana said the deal will involve its Stamford, Connecticut-based attorneys moving into the Westport, Connecticut, offices of Levett Rockwood.
The combined law firm will operate as Verrill Dana, which will have Maine offices in Portland and Augusta, as well as offices in Boston, Providence, Westport, Connecticut, and Washington, D.C.
Reports from the law firm consultancy Altman Weil show law firm mergers are on the rise, with the highest number of third-quarter mergers and acquisitions since 2007. Last year marked a high for law firm mergers, which jumped about 46 percent from 2012.