Whether or not the talks of combining Hogan Lovells and Shearman & Sterling will pan out, one thing is certain for the larger of the two firms: Hogan Lovells wants to expand its share of the U.S. legal market through one means or another.

Coming off a year when revenue and profits aren’t expected to rise by the same degree as an exceptional 2021, Hogan Lovells CEO Miguel Zaldivar said the firm’s focus is to grow its presence in U.S. markets with the most global potential. Zaldivar pointed to New York, California and Texas as sites of investments this year through organic promotions and strategic lateral additions.