JacMac and McKenzie Moncrieff to merge

Jackson McDonald and McKenzie Moncrieff have announced they will merge to create a 32-partner law firm with more than 120 professional staff, cementing it as the second largest firm in WA.

Jackson McDonald chairman of partners Graham Goerke said the merger was a natural fit.

"McKenzie Moncrieff has established a solid reputation for their expertise in the corporate advisory area and mergers and acquisitions in the mining and other sectors, which are major growth areas for our clients. They also have a high profile in complex corporate transactions and reconstructions," Mr Goerke said.

"They will bring valuable additional capacity to Jackson McDonald through and beyond the current mining and energy boom."

McKenzie Moncrieff was established by Rob McKenzie and Will Moncrieff in 2006 as a boutique legal practice specialising in corporate and commercial law.

Mr McKenzie said the firm was approached by a number of international and national law firms before deciding on the Jackson McDonald merger.

"For us, Jackson McDonald is the right partner, with the right culture, at the right time," Mr Mckenzie said.

"As a boutique law firm with a top-tier client portfolio, we also recognised the opportunities for our clients in joining forces with a full-service, large law firm, particularly at the onset of a new phase of major growth in Western Australia, and against a backdrop of increasing regulatory complexity and change."

With a team of 14 lawyers, Mr McKenzie said the firm needed to expand to keep pace with market opportunities.

"Size has been a limiting factor in our ability to grow with the current market opportunities. It makes sense to offer our clients a bigger team, with a broader range of skills, but with the same personal service from top lawyers.

The firms will operate under the Jackson McDonald banner from September 1 and will now have the same number of partners as Perth's largest firm, Freehills.