Speculation that the dozen lawyers who resigned from Taylor Wessing's Paris office last week would move to Nixon Peabody has been confirmed.

The 12 non-equity partners at the heart of the dispute between Taylor Wessing's French arm and the US firm handed in their resignation in the wake of failed merger talks between the two firms.

The lawyers resigned last week, with details of the impending departures contained within a motion filed this week by Taylor Wessing's legal team. in a statement issued to the press, Nixon Peabody has now confirmed that the partners will be moving to the firm.

The firm said: "Nixon Peabody's relationship with this talented group in Paris furthers its global initiative to build substantial capabilities to serve our clients outside the US. The firm is expanding its London and Shanghai offices and is building strong capabilities in key EU markets and in the rest of the world.".

The defections will leave Taylor Wessing's Paris office with 45 fee earners, of which just eight are partners, including managing partner Christian Valsamidis.

As first reported by The Am Law Daily two weeks ago, Taylor Wessing's 55-lawyer Paris outpost sued Nixon Peabody, claiming the US firm violated a 2007 agreement not to recruit Taylor Wessing lawyers if merger talks between the two firms fell apart. Those talks ended in November.

Nixon then filed a request for a preliminary injunction in a New York trial court in Monroe County (the firm has an office in Rochester) claiming the end of the merger talks voided prior agreements relating to recruitment between the firms. Nixon has asked a judge to block Taylor Wessing's lawsuit so the firm can finalise hiring the lawyers and proceed with plans to open in Paris.

However, the latest motion opposes Nixon's request for the preliminary injunction and also states that Taylor Wessing is attempting to stop the partner moves by asking the Paris Bar Association to step in. It argues that, under French law, the partners must keep working for Taylor Wessing for at least three months before defecting.

Other documents filed in the matter provide additional insight into why the merger talks fell apart. In his declaration, Amsallem says the merger collapsed when "it became clear Nixon was not prepared to provide us with the sort of financial terms we were seeking."

Court disputes between the two firms are ongoing.

The Am Law Daily is the website of The American Lawyer, Legal Week's US sister title.