Blusource Legal, the legal division of recruitment and HR specialist, The Blusource Group, was the ‘third party’ in the merger between Nottingham law firm Berryman and West Midlands-based Shakespeare Putsman.

The merger, which was announced last week, creates a £30m firm with 440 lawyers and staff across the East and West Midlands.

Philip White, who heads up Blusource Legal, says: “We’re acting as facilitator for a number of firms of varying sizes all waking up to the fact that the legal landscape will look very different post 2012. Merger is just one option with team strengthening and consolidation emerging as priorities for forward-thinking firms. Many are adding strategic headhunting from partner level down to their brief, in what is an increasingly competitive and complex marketplace.”