Wragges has always punched above its weight for a regional firm. With an affable leader in Quentin Poole and a strong name in the Midlands, it has a history of pulling in both respected partner names and a decent client list.

When it merged with London-based Lawrence Graham at the end of 2013 the logic of bringing that brand to the London market – where it was struggling to build the size and profile it needed organically – was clear. But while the value of a decent number of lawyers in a smart More London office was not to be overlooked, the deal was very much a stepping stone to bigger things. In an interview with Legal Week shortly after the Lawrence Graham merger was announced, Poole revealed that Canada and Germany were already among the target areas for expansion, with the senior partner looking to follow the path laid by firms such as Norton Rose Fulbright and Dentons.

So perhaps we shouldn't be surprised by this week's announcement that Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co is to tie up with mid-tier Canadian firm Gowlings. Structured in a similar way to the CMS network, with common branding but little combined leadership and no combined profits, Gowling WLG will have 1,400 lawyers and 18 offices across Canada, the Middle East, Europe and Asia.

Interestingly, the respected Wragges brand will disappear, replaced by the less well-recognised – in Europe at least – Gowlings moniker. Gowlings itself has been on the merger trail in London for some time, and has been linked to several firms in recent years, but to date had built little profile in the UK.

While the combination sees Wragges follow a handful of UK-based firms including Dentons, DLA Piper and legacy Norton Rose into the Canadian market, it clearly does not complete the global picture it is aiming for. The UK firm's chief executive, David Fennell, still has further expansion in Asia-Pacific and Europe in his sights, but has ruled out the US – a tricky region for Canadian firms given the referral links they have there.

The key question for any firm with global aspirations is whether its geographic spread matches the needs of its current and desired client list. When this latest combination goes live in January, Wragges will have certainly evolved from its Midlands beginnings, but its ambitious roots remain.