Cardiff sets merge to create regional giant

Cardiff chambers 9 Park Place and 30 Park Place are set for a merger which will place them among the super league of regional chambers.

The move comes just a couple of weeks after the merger between 10 Park Square and 9 Woodhouse Square in Leeds.

A steering committee comprising of four members from each of the two Cardiff sets is in the process of ironing out details relating to accommodation and the criteria for selecting new team leaders.

It is believed that there is unanimous support for the merger. One source says: "Everyone is very positive and the merger is going to pay dividends in the medium to long term."

Civil work accounts for around 45 per cent of annual turnover at 9 Park Square, which is split into chancery, commercial, professional negligence, employment and administrative, and environment and planning. 30 Park Place is divided into criminal, civil and family and has an annual turnover of nearly £5m.

The merger will create a 72-strong set which will have a combined annual turnover in the region of £8.5m.

The Welsh Assembly has already appointed Milwyn Jarman of 9 Park Place and Rhodri Williams of 30 Park Place as external public law counsel (The Lawyer, 30 October).

Consolidation will bolster core practice areas such as planning and chancery and the merged set will be in an ideal position when the assembly selects counsel for commercial and employment disputes.