Weightmans is to open a nine-partner strong office in Manchester in March as part of a renewed offensive to become a national firm.
Eight partners will move from the firm's head office in Liverpool and one from its Birmingham office. All will be based full-time in Manchester.
The 45-staff strong office will concentrate mainly on insurance work. It will also house the firm's nationwide employment practice, led by partner Michael Ball, in its new 10,000sqft offices.
Ball said: "If you are going to a city centre like Manchester you have to go at a serious level."
By opening in Manchester, 42-partner Weightmans will be looking to take on the established insurance litigation players, such as Berrymans Lace Mawer, J Chapman & Co and Bolton firm Keogh Ritson.
Ball told Legal Week that the decision to move into the competitive Manchester legal market was partially driven by consolidation in the insurance industry and the need to provide a national insurance practice.
He said the firm was "conscious that the last few years have seen insurers becoming leaner, while at the same time they have been involved in a number of mergers".
"We believe size and geography will be long-term factors, along with the necessity to provide a quality, cost-effective service," Ball added.
As part of this shake-up in the insurance industry, Weightmans will take on an additional nine partners in May when it completes its merger with respected Midlands personal injury litigation practice William Hatton. It will also add offices in Leicester and Dudley to its network.
Last April, Weightmans was involved in unsuccessful merger talks with London firm Kennedys and Jacksons in the North East.
On the possibility of further expansion, Ball said Leeds was an obvious candidate for an office although there was "nothing on the agenda". He added that the firm was not talking to any London firms but they would "keep an open eye" for possible synergies.
The consolidation of the insurance industry has been a major factor behind the creation of national insurance practices such as Berrymans Lace Mawer and Beachcroft Wansbroughs.