Two local law firms - Marshall Aicardi and Diel & Myers - have announced they will merge early in the new year.

The merger will result in at least one job cut, a support staff position. Two attorneys are also leaving the firms of their own accord.

Diel & Myers senior partner Mark Diel said: "The financial efficiencies and strengthened human resources resulting from this merger will enable our new firm to serve existing and new clients more efficiently, with expanded services and enhanced, diversified expertise."

Mr. Diel added that the combined resources of the two firms would allow increased legal services in the areas of litigation, corporate and commercial, trusts and estate planning, real estate and family law. The merger is expected to take place by February, 2002.

The combined team of attorneys for Marshall, Diel & Myers will include Timothy Marshall, Mark Diel, Luciano Aicardi, Ronald Myers, Georgia Marshall, Coles Diel QC, Douglas Pullen, Kim Wilson, Carolyn Hiron, Jacqueline McLellan, Mark Kimberley and Loren Wilson.

The joint venture will also include 15 support staff.

The move will see the office of Diel & Myers relocate to the Marshall Aicardi offices in Sophia House, Church Street.

Less than a year ago - in November, 2000 - with the addition of Luciano Aicardi and Georgia Marshall as legal partners at Marshall and Company, the company became Marshall Aicardi. Aicardi will now be dropped from the merged firm's name. Mr. Diel attributed that move to a desire for a short, and manageable company name.

The merger follows recent mergers and name changes of a number of local law firms, including Wakefield Quin from Hector, Dwyer & Pettingill.

Mr. Diel said however that he did not see mergers as a current trend, but as an ongoing means for companies to match larger firms, not in size, but in quality of services.

Mr. Diel said at least one company, in recent years, has divided into two entities - Mello, Jones & Martin and Hollis & Co.