The pace of law firm mergers is steadily increasing, according to a report released Monday by legal consultancy Altman Weil.

Since the start of 2015, 48 law firms have announced mergers, the highest half-year total since the Newtown Square, Pennsylvania-based law firm management firm began tracking combinations between legal shops in 2008.

“That's a big first-half number,” said Altman Weil principal Eric Seeger. “We know from our consulting experience that a lot of firms are talking to each other, so we won't be surprised to see another big number” in the second half of the year.