Auckland law firm in multinational merger

Auckland-based DLA Phillips Fox has merged with Global law firm DLA Piper. Photo / Thinkstock.

Multinational law firm DLA Piper has merged with Auckland based DLA Phillips Fox.

Phillips Fox chairman Martin Wiseman said the decision was a logical next move after DLA Piper merged with its Australian colleagues five years ago.

DLA Piper has a network of 4,200 lawyers in the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East.

"For us it was a no brainer really," Wiseman said. "We have a view about globalisation and we had a very strong relationship with DLA Piper so all arrows pointed in this direction," he said.

Wiseman said the integration, which will see Phillips Fox rebrand as DLA Piper, had been in the pipeline for a long time, and that the name change would give the firm quality assurance and brand strength.

He said the integration would also give the firm a wider reach in the market.

"It's going to enable us to attract and retain the best people which has got to be good," Wiseman said.

"I think it's going to give us further access to global expertise in terms of both practice groups and sectors and I think for New Zealand businesses that are going overseas, it means we can introduce them to trusted advisers who are locally networked in whatever market centre that they need to do business in."

DLA Piper New Zealand has a team of 25 partners and 67 lawyers and a client base that includes domestic and global companies, as well as international brands operating out of New Zealand.