Eric Fisher, a former bankruptcy partner at Dickstein Shapiro, said Monday he has left to join Binder & Schwartz because a smaller firm platform was consistent with his practice of representing clients adverse to banks and other financial institutions.

Dickstein Shapiro has been in merger talks with several large law firms, ALM publications have reported. However, the firm's merger talks with Bryan Cave have halted, The National Law Journal reported in late December.

In an interview, Fisher, 45, said he was aware that Dickstein could merge with a large firm, which influenced his decision to leave voluntarily. He declined to comment on any specific merger talks.