Law firm Blake Lapthorn Tarlo Lyons is undergoing another name change.

The practice, based at Seacourt Tower, Botley, will now be known simply as Blake Lapthorn having undergone a series of name changes reflecting acquisitions over the last five years.

Senior partner Jonathan Lloyd-Jones said: "The choice of name was always going to be challenging as it did not exactly run off the tongue.

"We felt the strongest name in the market is Blake Lapthorn and one with which our customers are most familiar."

The firm adopted its extended title after merging with London-based Tarlo Lyons in December 2006.

Previously it had been known as Blake Lapthorn Linnell after Oxford practice Linnells merged with Blake Lapthorn in 2004.

The company now employs 148 people at the Oxford office.

removing Linnells, the original Oxford-based company, from the name.

THE merger of an Oxfordshire law firm with another major practice has been rubber stamped.

Blake Lapthorn Linnell, based at Seacourt Tower, Botley, has merged with White & Bowker which has offices in Hampshire.

It is the second major link up for Blake Lapthorn Linnell in two years after the old Oxford-based Linnells practice joined forces with Blake Lapthorn.

Now the newly combined firm is one of the largest in the south east with almost 630 staff including about 90 partners and more than 200 other lawyers. It employs 145 people in Oxford.