Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) and Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel have outlined plans to merge, with a decisive vote scheduled for mid-February and an official merger date set for May 1, 2025. In an interview with Law.com, leaders from both firms detailed their merger strategy and timeline, excluding Kramer Levin’s Paris office from the merger. The leadership, comprised of HSF’s Justin D’Agostino and Rebecca Maslen-Stannage, will maintain their roles in the new firm, while Kramer Levin’s leadership will join the executive committee and governance bodies.
The planned merger emphasizes expanding capabilities in private equity, class actions, and antitrust in the U.S., with a focus on the U.S. energy sector. The partnership will address the challenge of integrating Kramer Levin’s higher profit figures with a remuneration structure combining lockstep and merit-based pay. Despite the departure of Barry Berke and his litigation group before the merger announcement, leaders affirmed the merger was unrelated to his exit.