New YorkWhite & Case is set to hunt for a merger with a New York rival following the decision by the US giant's management to recommend a Wall Street deal as a top priority.

At a partnership meeting in Florida in January, the 1,300-lawyer firm discussed a management proposal to merge with a 200 to 300-lawyer New York firm in a bid to bolster its credibility with investment banking clients.

The proposal, which has yet to receive the backing of the firm's partnership, is designed to counter long-term criticism that the firm's international network is undermined by the relative weakness at its 350-lawyer New York base.