Linklaters has denied claims it approached Cleary about a potential merger earlier this year.
US publication Semafor reported on Monday (13 July) that Cleary had rebuffed Linklaters’ approach while Cleary managing partner Jeff Karpf has also denied the rumours.
Linklaters has denied reports that it approached New York firm Cleary about a potential merger.
US news publication Semafor reported on Monday (13 July) that Cleary had rebuffed an approach from the Magic Circle firm earlier this year, citing people familiar with the matter.
Linklaters told Non-Billable that the report was inaccurate. Cleary also rejected the claims, with a spokesperson describing the rumours as “categorically false”.
Cleary managing partner Jeff Karpf separately told The Lawyer on Monday that the firm was "absolutely not" in talks with Linklaters.
“I don’t view ourselves as focused on that right now and, on the record, I’ll say I hadn’t heard anything about that,” he told the publication. “Are we talking to them? No, absolutely not.”
A Cleary spokesperson told Non-Billable: “These rumours are categorically false, and they distract from the strategically aggressive growth plan our firm has been successfully pursuing.
“In addition to seeing impressive year-over-year revenue growth and expansion in key markets and practices, since the beginning of 2026 alone, Cleary has made 11 impressive lateral partner hires in key industries such as capital markets, private equity, and funds.”
The report comes as transatlantic mergers continue to shape the global legal market.
This year has already seen the birth of Winston Taylor, Ashurst Perkins Coie and Hogan Lovells Cadwalader. Herbert Smith Freehills combined with Kramer Levin in 2025, and in 2024, Allen & Overy merged with Shearman & Sterling.
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