Chambers 13 King's Bench Walk (13 KBW) will close next month, with the bulk of tenants moving to fellow City set 42 Bedford Row.

The merger will take effect on 12 May, with 27 of 13 KBW's 49 tenants moving to the new set, which will continue to be known as 42 Bedford Row. The combined set – which is led by Frank Feehan QC – will constitute 109 barristers and 2 QCs.

It will specialise in clinical negligence, property, employment, personal injury and commercial law.

A further 19 barristers, who specialise in crime, will move to leading Birmingham set Cornwall Street Chambers. Of the remaining tenants, one is retiring, while the rest are not moving across to the new set.

In a statement 42 Bedford Row said that the merger will create a set with the resources to enable it to adapt to the rapidly changing business and regulatory environment affecting the legal profession.

Last year 4-5 Gray's Inn Square merged with public law specialist Atlas Chambers, operating under the 4-5 Gray's Inn Square banner.

In 2011 a trio of northern-based chambers – St Johns Buildings, Paradise Chambers and India Buildings Chambers – merged creating one of the UK's largest sets with 250 barristers, including 12 QCs and 70 support staff.