Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld has finalised a deal to take on the bulk of the remaining junior lawyers in Bingham McCutchen's London office this week, as a vote on Bingham's potential merger with Morgan Lewis & Bockius draws nearer. 

Sixteen of Bingham's 18 associates have moved over to Akin, with Sam Brodie, Sophie Donnithorne-Tait, William Swan and Hugo Webb promoted to counsel roles.

The five remaining counsels or of counsels at Bingham have also all moved over, joining former Bingham of counsel Mark Mansell, who was promoted to partner when 27 other senior Bingham lawyers in London, Frankfurt and Hong Kong joined Akin last month.

As part of the move, Akin has assumed Bingham's lease at 41 Lothbury, though it is not yet known when the office will integrate with Akin's existing City base.

Away from London, other Bingham lawyers to move over to Akin include Frankfurt-based counsel Stefan Gehrlein, and Hong Kong counsel Elaine Lee.

Separately, Legal Week has learned that Morgan Lewis is this week holding its annual partners conference in the US amid late-stage merger talks with Bingham.

Despite the conference, two separate sources said a vote on the tie-up is not scheduled to happen this week, as discussions continue over which Bingham partners plan to remain at the merged firm.

Leaders of both Bingham and Morgan Lewis confirmed to their partnerships last month that a deal had been reached to merge, subject to a partner vote.

"Our leaders want to do it, Bingham's leaders want to do it, so the momentum is there," said a Morgan Lewis partner. "I don't have a sense of timing of a vote exactly, but this will be done by the end of the year.

"Everyone is planning that this deal is going to happen, but then again if a few of Bingham's people leave or don't agree to move over, it might fall through."