Law-firm mergers and acquisitions increased 33 percent during the first quarter, according to a report released Tuesday by legal management consultancy Altman Weil Inc.

Data compiled by Altman Weil showed that 24 law-firm mergers were reported during the three months that ended March 31. That's up by one-third from the 18 mergers reported in the first quarter of 2008.

"Well-capitalized firms with clear strategic goals are continuing to look for tasty morsels to acquire" said Altman Weil principal Tom Clay, who advises law firms on mergers and acquisitions. "There's no reason to think that will change."

But there is reason to think, Clay said, that the level of merger activity among law firms will level off.

"The bulk of these deals (reported in the first quarter) were in the works in 2008," Clay said. "As law firms got a look at how 2009 was shaping up, the activity definitely slowed down, but it didn't stop."