DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary today announced it will be known as DLA Piper, effective 4 September 2006. The change comes 20 months after the historic merger between law firms DLA, Piper Rudnick and Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich, and reflects the name already being utilised by the organisation's lawyers and clients.

Adopting the business name DLA Piper is a natural progression as the shortened name was always a goal associated with the 2005 merger. The longer name enabled the organisation to harness the goodwill established by each legacy firm during the initial integration period. FolloDLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary shortens namewing this transition and after more than a year of serving clients as a merged entity the shortened name reflects how the organisation is already being referred to in the market. The new logo marks the evolution of the three firms under a common brand.

"Our strategy is to establish a strong global brand that reflects the growing portfolio of recurring, high-level work we are performing today for major institutional clients across multiple geographies," said Nigel Knowles, Joint Chief Executive Officer of DLA Piper. "We believe our platform, combined with quality and range of our expertise, provides a clear point of differentiation in the market."

All DLA Piper offices adopt the new name as from 4 September.