Wilmer to Merge with Hale & Dorr

I think this a pretty surprising development:

Wilmer Cutler Pickering and Boston's Hale and Dorr are nearing a partnership vote on merging, according to a source close to the discussions.

If approved, the merger would instantly create a 1,000-lawyer behemoth that would rank as one of the 10 largest firms in the country. The combined firm would have offices throughout Europe, as well as a New York presence of about 90 lawyers. In Washington, D.C., Wilmer has 350 lawyers to Hale and Dorr's 70.

I interviewed with and seriously considered going to both of these firms. The idea of them as a merged firm makes them much less attractive to me. The thing I most liked about Hale in DC was the small office. That obviously goes right out the window (and I'm sure some of the people in that office are pretty pissed right now). And one of Wilmer's big advantages was that it is a homegrown DC firm, and that's where the power (ostensibly) would always remain. Not like the two-headed goliath this proposed merger would create.

UPDATE: It's official.