DLA Piper is strengthening its Nordic presence, with the firm merging with Finnish firm Peltonen LMR and integrating more closely with its Swedish member firm DLA Nordic.

The merger will see Peltonen rebranded as DLA Piper, with the Swedish arm also taking on the same name from today

DLA has been in a relationship with DLA Nordic  since 2006, but will now integrate systems and processes more closely. The deal will still stop short of full financial integration. 

The merger in Finland gives DLA three offices across the Nordic region in Stockholm, Oslo and Helsinki and more than 200 lawyers.

DLA Piper co-chief executive Simon Levine said: "Together, the Nordic countries rank as a G20 economic entity and the region is home to some major international corporates. Many of our existing clients do business in the Nordic region and we believe they will benefit from our enhanced presence there."

The Nordic region will become part of DLA Piper's EMEA practice which is led by co-managing directors Juan Picon and Barbara van Husse.

Picon said: "We are excited at the prospect of being able to offer the market a true pan-Nordic capability," adding, "we believe that the market will respond positively to what we are doing."

In 2015 DLA Piper opened offices in Canada, following a merger with local firm Davis and Morocco with a hire from Clifford Chance. It also struck an association agreement with Colombian firm Martinez Neira Abogados, opened in Casablanca and announced plans to open its first office in South Africa some time this quarter.