DLA Piper followed up its two US mergers with a stunning wave of expansion across Europe and Asia during 2005 and 2006. The firm now faces the tough tasks of integration, both of personnel and of financial systems, and turning its geographic growth into a bulging bottom line.

In the midst of all the expansion the firm still managed to post double-digit increases in both turnover and average profit per equity partner (PEP), although only a third of firm's 459-strong partnership have full shares in the equity.

Together, the firm's Europe, Middle East and Africa (Emea) regions posted a 13.9 per cent increase in turnover to £366.4m ($666.8m), while PEP reached £604,000 ($1.1m), an increase of 13 per cent. These figures do not include DLA Piper's US operations.

In the UK, the regions remained crucial to the firm's success. They account for some 60 per cent of the firm's UK turnover of £269.3m ($490.1m), proving their worth in a firm that now boasts more than 60 offices in 22 countries.

DLA Piper will be a global powerhouse when it becomes fully financially integrated, a milestone expected some time in 2008. But until then, the Emea region is turning a tidy profit of its own.

However, with the level of fee-earner growth the firm has made in the past year, a significant amount of improvement will be expected to the firm's figures over the coming 12 months. Rivals are watching closely.