Sweden's Lindahl has confirmed that it is to merge with the 40-lawyer Rydin Carlsten in a tie-up that will create a 200-lawyer Swedish firm.

The combined firm, effective as of next month (1 February), will continue to be known as Lindahl.

The merger sees Lindahl – which, with six offices in Sweden, is the country's third-largest firm – take one step closer to market leaders Vinge and Mannheimer Swartling.

The tie-up also adds Rydin Carlsten's intellectual property (IP) expertise to Lindahl's corporate focus.

The news comes as Lindahl rival Gernandt & Danielsson loses name partner and arbitration heavyweight Johan Gernandt to Vinge, along with fellow arbitration partner Jonas Eklund.

Meanwhile, Finnish firm Roschier has boosted its Swedish operation with the appointment of a new managing partner and a new co-senior partner.

Stockholm head Axel Calissendorff will become co-senior partner of the firm from 1 February along with current Helsinki-based sole senior partner Tomas Lindholm, who is also chairman of the board.

Helsinki-based head of M&A Ulf-Henrik Kull will take over the managing partner role from Lennart Simonsen, who has held the role since 2001.

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