diff --git a/rust/lance-arrow/src/lib.rs b/rust/lance-arrow/src/lib.rs
index 29314b166e1..43d8fd2a5cd 100644
--- a/rust/lance-arrow/src/lib.rs
+++ b/rust/lance-arrow/src/lib.rs
@@ -27,7 +27,9 @@ pub mod schema;
 pub use schema::*;
 pub mod bfloat16;
 pub mod floats;
+use crate::list::ListArrayExt;
 pub use floats::*;
+
 pub mod cast;
 pub mod json;
 pub mod list;
@@ -1308,8 +1310,8 @@ fn merge_with_schema(
                             .unwrap();
                         let merged_values = merge_list_child_values(
                             child_field.as_ref(),
-                            left_list.values().clone(),
-                            right_list.values().clone(),
+                            left_list.trimmed_values(),
+                            right_list.trimmed_values(),
                         );
                         let merged_validity =
                             merge_struct_validity(left_list.nulls(), right_list.nulls());
@@ -1333,8 +1335,8 @@ fn merge_with_schema(
                             .unwrap();
                         let merged_values = merge_list_child_values(
                             child_field.as_ref(),
-                            left_list.values().clone(),
-                            right_list.values().clone(),
+                            left_list.trimmed_values(),
+                            right_list.trimmed_values(),
                         );
                         let merged_validity =
                             merge_struct_validity(left_list.nulls(), right_list.nulls());
@@ -2050,4 +2052,179 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(count.is_null(0));
         assert!(count.is_null(1));
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_merge_struct_lists() {
+        test_merge_struct_lists_generic::<i32>();
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_merge_struct_large_lists() {
+        test_merge_struct_lists_generic::<i64>();
+    }
+
+    fn test_merge_struct_lists_generic<O: OffsetSizeTrait>() {
+        // left_list setup
+        let left_company_id = Arc::new(Int32Array::from(vec![
+            Some(1),
+            Some(2),
+            Some(3),
+            Some(4),
+            Some(5),
+            Some(6),
+            Some(7),
+            Some(8),
+            Some(9),
+            Some(10),
+            Some(11),
+            Some(12),
+            Some(13),
+            Some(14),
+            Some(15),
+            Some(16),
+            Some(17),
+            Some(18),
+            Some(19),
+            Some(20),
+        ]));
+        let left_count = Arc::new(Int32Array::from(vec![
+            Some(10),
+            Some(20),
+            Some(30),
+            Some(40),
+            Some(50),
+            Some(60),
+            Some(70),
+            Some(80),
+            Some(90),
+            Some(100),
+            Some(110),
+            Some(120),
+            Some(130),
+            Some(140),
+            Some(150),
+            Some(160),
+            Some(170),
+            Some(180),
+            Some(190),
+            Some(200),
+        ]));
+        let left_struct = Arc::new(StructArray::new(
+            Fields::from(vec![
+                Field::new("company_id", DataType::Int32, true),
+                Field::new("count", DataType::Int32, true),
+            ]),
+            vec![left_company_id, left_count],
+            None,
+        ));
+
+        let left_list = Arc::new(GenericListArray::<O>::new(
+            Arc::new(Field::new(
+                "item",
+                DataType::Struct(left_struct.fields().clone()),
+                true,
+            )),
+            OffsetBuffer::from_lengths([3, 1]),
+            left_struct.clone(),
+            None,
+        ));
+
+        let left_list_struct = Arc::new(StructArray::new(
+            Fields::from(vec![Field::new(
+                "companies",
+                if O::IS_LARGE {
+                    DataType::LargeList(Arc::new(Field::new(
+                        "item",
+                        DataType::Struct(left_struct.fields().clone()),
+                        true,
+                    )))
+                } else {
+                    DataType::List(Arc::new(Field::new(
+                        "item",
+                        DataType::Struct(left_struct.fields().clone()),
+                        true,
+                    )))
+                },
+                true,
+            )]),
+            vec![left_list as ArrayRef],
+            None,
+        ));
+
+        // right_list setup
+        let right_company_name = Arc::new(StringArray::from(vec![
+            "Google",
+            "Microsoft",
+            "Apple",
+            "Facebook",
+        ]));
+        let right_struct = Arc::new(StructArray::new(
+            Fields::from(vec![Field::new("company_name", DataType::Utf8, true)]),
+            vec![right_company_name],
+            None,
+        ));
+        let right_list = Arc::new(GenericListArray::<O>::new(
+            Arc::new(Field::new(
+                "item",
+                DataType::Struct(right_struct.fields().clone()),
+                true,
+            )),
+            OffsetBuffer::from_lengths([3, 1]),
+            right_struct.clone(),
+            None,
+        ));
+
+        let right_list_struct = Arc::new(StructArray::new(
+            Fields::from(vec![Field::new(
+                "companies",
+                if O::IS_LARGE {
+                    DataType::LargeList(Arc::new(Field::new(
+                        "item",
+                        DataType::Struct(right_struct.fields().clone()),
+                        true,
+                    )))
+                } else {
+                    DataType::List(Arc::new(Field::new(
+                        "item",
+                        DataType::Struct(right_struct.fields().clone()),
+                        true,
+                    )))
+                },
+                true,
+            )]),
+            vec![right_list as ArrayRef],
+            None,
+        ));
+
+        // prepare schema
+        let target_fields = Fields::from(vec![Field::new(
+            "companies",
+            if O::IS_LARGE {
+                DataType::LargeList(Arc::new(Field::new(
+                    "item",
+                    DataType::Struct(Fields::from(vec![
+                        Field::new("company_id", DataType::Int32, true),
+                        Field::new("company_name", DataType::Utf8, true),
+                        Field::new("count", DataType::Int32, true),
+                    ])),
+                    true,
+                )))
+            } else {
+                DataType::List(Arc::new(Field::new(
+                    "item",
+                    DataType::Struct(Fields::from(vec![
+                        Field::new("company_id", DataType::Int32, true),
+                        Field::new("company_name", DataType::Utf8, true),
+                        Field::new("count", DataType::Int32, true),
+                    ])),
+                    true,
+                )))
+            },
+            true,
+        )]);
+
+        // merge left_list and right_list
+        let merged_array = merge_with_schema(&left_list_struct, &right_list_struct, &target_fields);
+        assert_eq!(merged_array.len(), 2);
+    }
 }