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HWL Ebsworth Lawyers, Australia's largest domestic firm by headcount, will merge with  Western Australian independent boutique firm Bellanhouse Lawyers later this year.

Established in 2013, Bellanhouse is a boutique corporate firm specialising in capital markets and mergers and acquisitions. HWL Ebsworth, which currently has 263 partners, is a commercial law firm that operates throughout Australia.

"To continue our rapid progression, it became apparent that we needed to be able to offer our clients a broader range of expertise and the benefits of a national platform," Bellanhouse managing partner Bryn Hardcastle said in a statement. "Having considered a number of options, it became evident very quickly that combining our operations with HWL Ebsworth would allow us to be part of a full-service commercial law firm without requiring us to change the way in which we service our clients."

Bellanhouse's five partners – Bryn Hardcastle, Shaun Hardcastle, Michael Boyce, Dave Filov and Deanna Carpenter, along with its legal team – will join HWL Ebsworth's Perth office on November 4. The firm has nine other lawyers, according to its website.

Juan Martinez, HWL Ebsworth managing partner, said the merger demonstrates the firm's eagerness to pursue opportunities to enhance its offerings.

"I have been tremendously impressed by the quality and commitment of the Bellanhouse team. At every stage of our discussions, it has been clear that their dedication to their clients and their desire to join a firm that shares their approach to doing business was a crucial element of their decision-making process," he said.

HWL Ebsworth first entered the Western Australian market in July 2013, following a merger with Downings Legal. The Perth office now has 19 partners and 59 non-partner legal staff members, covering areas such as corporate and commercial, property, planning and environment, construction and infrastructure, workplace relations and safety, litigation, banking and finance, and insurance.