One week after confirming they were in discussions about merging thier law firms - Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe and Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld - all bets are off the table. 

The combined firm would have had more than 1,800 lawyers - over 380 in Manhattan, alone;  annual revenue reportedly topped $1.5 billion.  Orrick was founded in San Francisco, while Akin Gump was in Dallas.  There were several interesting prospects for the financial services industry, had the 2 firms merged.  If we recall correctly, among other practices, one's big in private placements, the other in hedge funds.  Further, analysts noted that the 2 firms' practices fit quite well, with little overlap in terms of offices and strong practice areas.

NYT Dealbook described the deal collapse as not particularly surprising - given how delicate merger discussions between big law firms tend to be.  As The American Lawyer has pointed out, Orrick is something of a poster-child for aborted merger talks, with its unsuccessful deal with what was then Dewey Ballantine in 2007 standing out as the most notable example.  [NYT Dealbookm 10/4]