Japan's largest law firm, Nishimura & Asahi, will merge with a Thai firm, becoming just the second major Japanese firm to do so.

Nishimura & Asahi's eight-lawyer Bangkok office will merge with 60-lawyer SCL Law Group in October; the merged Bangkok office will operate under the new name SCL Nishimura.

SCL was founded in 2005 by managing partner Chavalit Uttasart, who focuses on intellectual property and mergers and acquisitions. Previously, Uttasart was a partner at Thai firm International Legal Counsellors Thailand Ltd.