Armstrong Teasdale acquires London's Kerman & Co in transatlantic deal

US firm Armstrong Teasdale has acquired London-based Kerman & Co in its first overseas venture. The move by the top 200 US firm adds 50 lawyers to its roster, bringing its headcount to roughly 340 fee earners and 300 support staff. Armstrong Teasdale’s Managing Partner David Braswell commented on the similarity of vision shared between the two firms and extoled the “tremendous growth opportunities in London”.

Daniel O’Connell, managing Partner at Kerman & Co, said the acquisition allows the firm to continue “building a strong bridge into Europe under the Armstrong Teasdale brand”. O’Connell is set to become head of Europe with a brief to “lead the execution of strategic growth for the firm in Europe”. This should come as positive news to those fearing the decline of London as a legal centre in the wake of the UK’s departure from the EU. Although some City firms have chosen to focus on opening offices in member states, Andrew Linger of Robert Walters has claimed US firms continue to see London as a “gateway into the rest of Europe”.

Kerman & Co specialises in corporate law/M&A, capital markets, commercial and intellectual property, litigation, employment and immigration, sports and entertainment, and real estate. Armstrong Teasdale has 12 offices across the US, opening a new one in Delaware last month. It is headquartered in St. Louis and has a presence in New York and Las Vegas. As part of the acquisition it will also assume Kerman & Co’s current offices on the Strand.