Speechly Bircham and Charles Russell are set to merge after partners voted overwhelmingly in favour of a tie up today, creating a UK top 25 law firm with revenues topping £135m.

A ballot took place at both partnerships, with the 75% approval threshold reached to create a combined outfit which will operate under the name Charles Russell Speechlys LLP from 1 November 2014.

The firm will be headquarted in London and will have 170 partners and 500 total lawyers. Charles Russell senior partner Christopher Page will act as senior partner at the newly merged firm, while Speechly managing partner James Carter will assume the position of managing partner.

The firm registered the Charles Russell Speechlys name in a certificate of incorporation with Companies House in February, after announcing in that they were in talks over a possible combination.

The combined firm will be structured around four key divisions: business services, litigation and dispute resolution, private client and real estate and construction.

Originally, the merger was due to be finalised by the financial year end on 30 April.

Speechly had previously been in talks with Withers over a potential tie-up last year, before it fell through at a partner vote at both firms last May

Charles Russell has finally delivered a UK merger after placing a tie up at the centre of a three-year strategic plan drawn up in 2010.