U.K. law firm Ashurst and U.S. firm Perkins Coie have announced a merger to form one of the largest 20 global law firms by revenue. The new entity, named Ashurst Perkins Coie, will employ around 3,000 lawyers across 23 countries. Paul Jenkins, global chief executive of Ashurst, will be global co-CEO of the merged firm with Perkins Coie’s managing partner Bill Malley. Jenkins said: “Our ambition for many years has been to grow in the U.S. with the right partner: a firm with deep, trusted expertise that complements our own. We have now found that partner – Perkins Coie is an ambitious, forward-thinking law firm meeting its clients at the forefront of technological change.” The combined firm “will leverage the power of AI to transform the practice of law and help clients harness it effectively to accelerate their growth,” a press release said.