For most law firms, the last thing they want after a combination is rivalry between the merging firms. But Ballard Spahr is encouraging it, in the name of professional sports and charity.

Fresh off its acquisition of Minneapolis-based Lindquist & Vennum, Ballard Spahr launched a fundraising competition between offices in conjunction with the Jan. 21 NFC Championship game, in which the Philadelphia Eagles and the Minnesota Vikings will face off for a chance to play in Super Bowl LII. The Minneapolis and Philadelphia offices are competing to see which office can raise more money for the Boys and Girls Club of America.

The firm's marketing department came up with the idea. As of Thursday the two offices had raised an estimated $6,300, but they expected to have over $10,000 in donations by the end of the week.

“They came up with it about 30 seconds after the Vikings' win,” says Ballard Spahr chairman Mark Stewart.

The fundraiser allows the Philadelphia lawyers and their new Minneapolis counterparts to bond over friendly rivalry while supporting their favored teams and charity. Over the past week, staff have been emailing each other pictures while dressed in their team's colors, trading some well-mannered trash talk, and voting on the outcome of Sunday's game.

They've also taken a vote on who will emerge as the NFC Champion and it's a close call: 149 voted for the Vikings and 168 for the Eagles.

Pete Michaud, the Minneapolis office managing partner, said, “It's a fun way to bond over something not entirely related to work” and that the lawyers and staff now have a stronger connection to Philadelphia and each other.

The Boys and Girls Club of America has chapters in both Minneapolis and Philadelphia, so both cities will benefit from the fundraiser. The Vikings and Eagles organizations also support the charity.