Ince & Co France has changed its name to 'Stream', in a move to distance itself from the 'Ince' brand.

The firm has updated its website to reflect the new name.

According to a person with knowledge of the situation, the rebrand follows a protracted search for a merger partner by the former Ince branch, which has been on the lookout for a tie-up since it declined to participate in the pre-pack takeover by Gordon Dadds late last year.  

An insider said the firm had this year engaged in talks with a number of asset finance-geared law firms, including two U.S. firms, and earlier this year Legal Week reported that the firm was in talks with major Paris firm Gide Loyrette Noel.

However, two people with knowledge of the situation said the talks with Gide were all but over, with one person saying the engagement was "dead in the water".

In May, a partner at the firm said the rebrand would only occur if merger talks took longer than expected, as the branch did not want to change its name ahead of a tie-up, only to have to again rebrand if talks were to prove successful.

However, an insider at the France branch claims the rebrand "was always a priority".

The split between London's Ince and the former France branch has been acrimonious, with the firms facing off over capital payment matters, and currently embroiled in a dispute over client data.

The rebrand follows Ince's own name change, dropping the 'Gordon Dadds' label earlier this summer.