Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Nicholson Graham, the latest major US/UK merger, is set to win official backing this week as the two firms vote on the proposed combination.

The vote, scheduled to take place as Legal Week went to press, was regarded as a formality with the firms having already drafted a statement on the merger between Kirkpatrick and 135-lawyer City practice Nicholson Graham & Jones (NGJ).

A successful deal would create an 800-lawyer, 364-partner practice, across 10 offices and have projected annual revenues for the next financial year of more than $500m (£279.1m).

The deal would make NGJ the latest mid-sized City practice to hook up with a US giant over recent years, following on from Rowe & Maw, which merged with Mayer Brown & Platt, and Gouldens, which was taken over by Jones Day last year.

However, as with both those deals, the combined firm will see the US side dominate the tie-up.

The proposed management structure for the new firm would see Kirkpatrick's 15-member management committee extended to 17.

NGJ chairman Michael Johns and managing partner Tony Griffiths both coming on board. The US firm's current chief, Peter Kalis, will be overall chair.

In addition, a new five-member executive committee will also be created, which will also include Johns. Griffiths will be Kirk-patrick's London managing partner.