Farrer & Co announces marriage with media firm Crockers Oswald

Niche media firm Crockers Oswald Hickson has been swallowed up by City firm Farrer & Co.

The merger will create a 52-partner firm which will retain Farrers' name and management team.

The merged firm will have a six-partner media team headed by Farrers' head of media Robert Clinton and Crockers' senior partner Rupert Grey.

Crockers property partner Simon Kingston and commercial partner Katie Jones will join the merged firm. However, private client partner Alan Macfadyen is moving to Salisbury-based firm Wilsons and last month Crockers' personal injury team, led by Peter Norman, left for niche personal injury firm Lawsons.

Clinton says: "The merger is a good fit. We can offer a broader range of clients and more expertise, and we acquire critical mass."

Grey says that Crockers had been looking to build up a strong intellectual property (IP) team but it did not have the resources. "Farrers has a very strong IP team designed for a media client base," he says.

The two firms share a number of clients including The Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Telegraph and the Financial Times.

Farrers' chief executive Andrew Mills-Baker says that the merged firm wants to strengthen all of its core practice areas.

On 1 May charities partner Anne-Marie Piper joined Farrers from Paisner & Co. The firm is also taking on two family law partners firm Lincoln's Inn firm Dawson & Co - Christopher Butler and Mark Fenton will join the firm at the end of August.

Farrers is best known for its connection with the royal family. However, at the end of last year private client rainmaker Fiona Shackleton left for rival firm Payne Hicks Beach and took a number of clients, including Prince Charles, with her.

The merger will take effect on 4 June.