Dundas & Wilson is set to vacate its Aberdeen and London premises as the Scottish firm prepares to merge with CMS Cameron McKenna (CMS UK).

Dundas' Aberdeen and London partners will move into CMS UK's offices over next weekend, immediately after the tie-up goes live on 1 May.

CMS UK already has offices in Aberdeen and Edinburgh, established 20 and 15 years ago respectively. The merger has also given the firm a base in Glasgow, where Dundas runs a paralegal-led legal services unit which aims to cut client costs by taking on routine work.

It was previously reported that Dundas' Aberdeen and London offices would take on the CMS banner from the go-live date, while the combined firm in London will eventually move into CMS UK' new headquarters at Cannon Place. The leases at both firms' London bases come to an end this year.

Dundas' remaining Edinburgh and Glasgow offices will take on the CMS banner but will retain the Dundas name for a transitional period of six to 12 months.

The Scots firms's City office has witnessed several departures in recent years. These include a trio of partners who left last February, including banking partner John Pike and real estate partner Nick Padget, who left to join Osborne Clarke, and technology partner Paul Graham, who joined Field Fisher Waterhouse.

It emerged in the same month that banking and finance partner Michael Wrigley and corporate duo Julian Mathews and Simon Sale also left the London office.

The firm confirmed that all of Dundas' partners – around 60 – are joining CMS' partner ranks but did not specify how many will join its full equity tier.

The news comes as the firms have jointly placed up to 60 support staff roles at risk in the run-up to the merger, with the consultation set to affect up to 40 jobs at Dundas & Wilson and a combined 20 business services roles at CMS UK and its third party suppliers Integreon, Initial and Xerox.