Clyde & Co has finalised plans to acquire parts of construction boutique Shadbolt, it was announced today (25 January).

The UK top 20 firm is set to take over Shadbolt's London-based construction and infrastructure projects and disputes groups, as well as its UK corporate practice and Paris office. Eight Shadbolt partners will join Clydes at the start of February along with a handful of associates and trainees.

Clydes has confirmed that it intends to maintain Shadbolt's Tanzanian joint venture and build on the firm's associate office in Romania.

Shadbolt London chief Liz Jenkins, projects head Robert Meakin, projects partner Peter Gray and disputes partner Antony Albertini are set to join Clydes' City base, while corporate partner Andrew Trotter and Stuart Hutson will join in Guildford.

Disputes partner David Brown will join Clydes in Paris, while corporate partner Krista Bates-van Winkelhof will continue to oversee the Tanzania relationship.

The new arrivals will increase Clydes' global partner headcount to a total of 173.

Clydes said the move would give the firm a contractual side to its existing construction practice, which currently focuses on development, while Shadbolt will gain access to Clydes' network of offices in the Middle East, Asia, the Americas, Europe and Russia.

The two firms began merger talks in the summer after Shadbolt – which last year reported turnover of £12m – reviewed its business, concluding that it needed a greater international reach.

Clydes chief executive Peter Hasson told Legal Week that the eight new partners will join the firm's existing partnership, bringing a book of client contacts.

Clydes head of construction John Morris said: "The purpose of this move is to strengthen the range and depth of services that we are able to provide to the international construction and infrastructure industry, in particular adding further critical mass to our dispute resolution expertise in London and Paris and expanding our overall projects and corporate capability."

Shadbolt's Jenkins said: "We are very excited at the prospect of joining a rapidly expanding global firm with such an outstanding reputation. Clydes will provide our clients with further strength in our key practice areas, as well as access to an international network to which we can contribute our great depth of expertise and our business in Africa and relationships in Eastern Europe."

Of Shadbolt's 10 remaining partners, three have joined Guildford firm Stevens & Bolton – managing partner Helen Boddy, employment partner Kate Matthews and construction partner Tom Pemberton.

Meanwhile, construction partner Peter Sheridan and Jonathan Gold have launched an independent construction practice called Sheridan Gold, based in Reigate, Surrey.