Bryan Cave spent much of 2006 locked in merger talks with fellow US firm Squire Sanders & Dempsey. The latter's coverage in emerging European markets such as the Czech Republic, Poland, and Slovakia was a key driver for the talks.

Ultimately, after more than six months of discussions the talks came to nothing (as reported by The Lawyer, 1 August). However, their existence flagged up both firms' requirement for greater depth nationally and internationally. They proved, in other words, that size does count.

For its part, Bryan Cave managed a 7 per cent rise in revenue to £219m ($398.6m) for its 2005 financial year and a much better 15 per cent increase in average profit per equity partner (PEP), to $615,000 ($338,000).

Bryan Cave is a significant player in the US heartland, with a client base predominantly featuring major manufacturing companies. The ambition to service this US client base in particular was the key to the talks with Squire Sanders, with its strong presence in Central and Eastern Europe a major attraction and an area one Bryan Cave partner described as "the other China".

The firm is based out of St Louis, but beefed up significantly in New York with its 2002 merger with Robinson Silverman Pearce Aronsohn & Berman.

Coincidentally, the firm was adjacent to a certain Squire Sanders & Dempsey in both the profit and revenue tables for 2005 (the latter firm managed a PEP of £343,000 ($625,000) and £225.3m ($410m) in revenue).

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