Over the past several years, law firm mergers have become the new normal in the legal industry. It seems that, at one point or another, nearly every midsize or large law firm has either merged with another firm, or was at least rumored to be in talks with other firms regarding a possible merger.

While the reason for the increased merger activity may vary from firm to firm, all law firms are confronted with similar issues when actually effecting the merger. Rather than face unexpected and unnecessary risks later, many law firms will review the potential logistical issues created by a merger in addition to the business considerations.

Below are five common issues that arise during law firm mergers and that may warrant special attention.