Midsize US firms Smith Currie & Hancock and Oles Morrison Rinker & Baker have announced they are joining forces in a bid to create a ‘construction and government contract law powerhouse’.

The combined firm will be known as Smith Currie & Hancock, with Atlanta-based Smith Currie and Seattle-based Oles Morrison creating a 76-lawyer strong practice with seven full-time national offices between them, plus another two that are by appointment only. Both firms currently hold top national rankings for construction and government contract law, with the tie-up intended to cement that position.

Eric Nelson, Smith Currie’s managing partner, said: “The arrangement of uniting the two firms will augment Smith Currie’s strength in providing comprehensive legal services to all segments of the national construction industry.”

Smith Currie said the combined firm will have a greater ability to serve clients coast-to-coast, enhancing its coverage in the heavy highway/civil and infrastructure sectors.

Tom Krider, Oles Morrison’s managing partner, said: “The partnership generated by the firms coming together presents remarkable growth opportunities for everyone involved, and the result will include robust support and services for our construction industry clients nationally.”

Krider will join the combined firm’s executive committee, with Nelson remaining as managing partner.

The firm says it will “continue actively seeking growth opportunities” across its offices this year and beyond.

The Smith Currie and Oles Morrison combination adds to an increase in law firm combinations and mergers this year, with the overall number of US deals in the first quarter outpacing levels seen during the same period in 2022, according to Fairfax Associates.

Those included Holland & Knight’s combination with Nashville-based Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis and Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe’s combination with Washington DC-based Buckley.

Another Atlanta-based firm – Smith Gambrell & Russell – combined with Chicago firm Freeborn & Peters at the start of April.

Fairfax said: “We expect the increase in merger activity in the first quarter to continue as 2023 unfolds. Law firms remain interested in not only geographic growth, but in deepening core practices and building on sector strength.”

Other mergers have been announced, including a potential mega cross-border tie-up between Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling, which came after merger talks between Shearman and Hogan Lovells were abandoned in March.