CHICAGO & LONDON -- Winston & Strawn and Taylor Wessing’s UK-led business announced their intention to combine, creating a premier transatlantic law firm that would operate under a new shared name, Winston Taylor. The combination responds to increasing client demand for seamlessly integrated US-UK-EU counsel for the businesses, people, and markets driving capital and innovation.

The combination once final will unite two international firms with more than 400 years of combined history, complementary strengths, and a common vision to meet clients’ evolving global needs. The combined firm will include more than 1,400 lawyers, establishing one of the largest transatlantic firms whose footprint is primarily in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe, and also in Latin America and the Middle East.

Leveraging significant strength and scale in major litigation, critical transactions, strategic IP, and private wealth, Winston Taylor will deliver best-in-class client service across key sectors including technology, life sciences, and financial services. Clients will gain a unified team with end-to-end capabilities across jurisdictions to achieve their business objectives in the breakthrough moments across their lifecycle.

“Once combined, we will have a London-headquartered partner that fulfills our long-held ambition to grow in the UK, while preserving the culture, agility, focus, and relentless client service that define Winston & Strawn,” said Steve D’Amore, Chairman of Winston & Strawn, who will continue as Chairman of the combined firm. “This combination will establish an elite practice in the major commercial centers important to our clients. Winston Taylor will be positioned to lead on the most sophisticated litigation and transactions in the world’s most defining industries.”

“In Winston & Strawn, Taylor Wessing UK will have a US partner that shares our vision, our values, and culture, and absolute focus on the highest levels of client service,” said Shane Gleghorn, Managing Partner of Taylor Wessing UK, who will serve as Managing Partner of Europe and Middle East for Winston Taylor and will become a member of its Executive Committee. “By combining Winston & Strawn’s strength in the major hubs across the United States with our coverage of the key centers of London, Europe, and the Middle East we will have created a firm with the highest level of transatlantic capabilities in key practices and sectors.”

Winston Taylor, once formed, will bring together two firms with aligned practices, shared clients, and cultures rooted in innovation and exceptional client service. The combined firm’s expanded corporate, private equity, real estate, finance, antitrust, regulatory, and private wealth capabilities will provide clients with end-to-end global business strategy and support. In addition, the combination of Taylor Wessing UK’s Tier 1 UK-EU holistic IP practice with Winston & Strawn’s premier U.S. intellectual property litigation practice will establish a market-leading transatlantic IP platform.

As part of the combination, Taylor Wessing the Netherlands and Belgium will enter into an agreement with Winston Taylor to operate under the Winston Taylor brand.

Completion of the combination is expected in May 2026, subject to approvals and a vote of the partners in each firm. Until then, they will operate as separate firms in the normal course. Upon closing, Taylor Wessing UK and Taylor Wessing the Netherlands and Belgium would depart the Taylor Wessing verein and Winston Taylor would seek to have a cooperation and referral relationship with the Taylor Wessing verein to provide continuity of support to clients.