Pinsents and Halliwells link rumoured

Pinsent Curtis' name is being linked with Halliwell Landau as a merger partner in Manchester.

Since the breakdown of Halliwells' merger talks with fellow Manchester firm Cobbetts last month, the city has been awash with speculation.

It is known that prior to the Halliwells/Cobbetts talks, Pinsent Curtis had both firms in line as potential merger partners. With offices in London, Birmingham and Leeds, it has long been looking for a Manchester foothold.

Suggestions of Pinsents/Halliwells merger talks have been strenuously denied by Halliwell's senior partner Roger Lancaster, and neither confirmed nor denied by Pinsents senior partner Julian Tonks.

Tonks said: "We talk to lots of people. I could not comment at all, but they [Halliwells] are a very good firm." He said that Manchester was "clearly part of our plan. It is a timing issue."

He also declined to comment on speculation among local practitioners that Leeds corporate partner Alan Greenough is about to open a Pinsents office in Manchester.