Harold Brubaker reports for Philly.com:

Ballard Spahr LLP and Saul Ewing LLP announced separate mergers on Tuesday that will expand the Philadelphia firms’ geographic reach and service offerings.

Saul Ewing said it had merged with Arnstein & Lehr LLP, which has its biggest office in Chicago, effective Friday and had changed its name to Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr. Barry F. Levin, of Saul Ewing’s Baltimore office, will be the managing partner of the combined firm, which will have 408 attorneys and 409 staff in 15 offices.

Ballard’s deal, expected to be completed Jan. 1, is with Lindquist & Vennum, a Minneapolis firm with specialties in mergers and acquisitions and finance. The combined firm will be called Ballard Spahr. It will have more than 650 lawyers in 15 offices nationwide, Ballard said.