Clyde & Co completes merger and rebrands casualty claims platform

Law firm Clyde & Co’s merger with UK and Ireland law firm BLM has gone live.

BLM’s teams have become part of Clyde & Co’s global insurance practice, with the majority joining its casualty insurance practice.

Other sizable groups have joined Clyde & Co’s professional liability, healthcare and business advisory teams.

The newly expanded casualty practice, which has more than 800 legal professionals working across casualty business lines, has relaunched and rebranded its online casualty innovation platform as Clyde & Co Newton.

Originally launched in November last year, Clyde & Co Newton is one of the first visible outputs from the merged firm and promises to offer casualty clients “innovative, technology-based solutions”.

Clyde & Co Newton combines casualty insurance legal expertise with claims automation and artificial intelligence, “factors that are central” to combined the firm’s strategy for delivering the lowest overall indemnity spend for casualty clients.

The platform has the ability to ‘read’ 99% of all documents required for claims evaluation and can automatically produce valuations for 89% of employers’ liability and public liability claims, according to Clyde & Co.

Chris Murray, partner at Clyde & Co, commented: “The merger is our response to insurers’ changing needs. By combining our businesses, we have created a new foundation for casualty claims built on scale, expertise and an innovative vision for the use of technology.”

“Becoming the largest player in UK casualty gives us the largest data set in the sector and the ability to invest in the technology that fully unlocks its potential and Clyde & Co Newton is our banner for this technology and innovation.”

Matthew Harrington, a partner at Clyde & Co and BLM’s former senior partner, said: “The merger has created the biggest casualty practice in the UK and will allow clients to benefit from our expert teams across the UK and Ireland, while benefitting from Clyde & Co’s unparalleled international presence too.”

“Size matters as clients are increasingly looking for end-to-end support from trusted suppliers across business lines and geographies as they seek partners to support their growth and drive to improve margins in what is an ever-competitive sector. We are delighted that our clients will now be able to benefit from all the merged firm as to offer.”

Image: Clyde & Co

Mark Dugdale