Patton Boggs is pressing forward on a restructuring strategy, announcing within days last week the closure of the firm’s Newark office and a possible merger with Squire Sanders.

The potential merger, announced on Feb. 26 by both firms, would combine 1,700 lawyers into 45 offices. The new firm would rank among the top 10 firms nationwide based on the most recent NLJ 350 headcount numbers, and boost Patton Boggs’ numbers after years of bloodletting.