Van Anken Knüppe Damstra, the Rotterdam-based firm with a strategic alliance with big five firm Deloitte & Touche, is to merge with Eindhoven-based Prinsen van der Putt. The merger will take place on January 1 1999. The move is a further step in the ambitious plans for legal services of the Dutch practice of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu. "Within two years we expect to be one of the four biggest legal practices in the Netherlands," says a spokesperson for Deloitte & Touche. There are negotiations with other law firms under way, and the spokesperson says: "We expect further announcements in the next few months".
The attractions for Prinsen van der Putt are clear, says chairman Adrian van Beurden. "The economies of scale with Deloitte & Touche, Van Anken Knüppe Damstra and others gives us opportunities to grow, to increase the specialisms we offer and to build links with tax lawyers and management consultants and so on." His partner Vincent Wibaut says: "In our opinion this is the best way to maintain the quality of our services. We will need to invest not just money but also in people."
The big five service firms have faced disputes with the Dutch Bar Association over their activities in the legal field. In particular, Ernst & Young and Price Waterhouse have fought court cases over the restrictions on links between accountancy firms and law firms. Van Beurden says: "The structure that we will have is agreed with the Bar Association. There are still fights now to maintain the borders between professions but within five years the barriers will come down." The spokesperson for Deloitte & Touche says: "Our intention is that when we have the opportunity, we will go for a full merger. But for now we have an alliance."