Two years ago, Gouldens' joint managing partner Charters MacDonald-Brown said at a press conference that his firm would never merge: it prided itself on its independence.

But that was before the corporate lull and at that time the firm was working on deals including a £1.5bn transaction for Liberty Life Group and a £1.3bn deal for Bankers Trust (now Deutsche Bank).

Two years down the line, the firm's story is very different. It has so far managed to maintain its impressive partner profits, but lacks the client activity needed to secure its future.