Brindleyplace law firm opens overseas offices

Jan 27 2009 by Tom Scotney, Birmingham Post

Beachcroft – one of the largest commercial law firms in the UK – is going international, with the opening of a new office in Dublin, a joint venture in India and a network of affiliations in Europe.

The firm, which has a Birmingham office in Brindleyplace, said it had made the move in response to clients’ increasing requirements for legal advice and services across international boundaries.

The firm’s new Dublin operation will initially specialise in professional indemnity and personal injury, developing wider insurance and possibly health opportunities in the year ahead.

The firm has set up an Irish partnership to implement the structure and regulatory framework of the office in Dublin, which is expected to open in early March, and has already recruited a partner, Katie da Gama from Matheson Ormsby Prentice.

This move follows the recent establishment of ‘best friend’ relationships with a number of law firms in key countries in continental Europe.

Beachcroft is also entering into a joint venture arrangement with the leading Indian business law firm Khaitan Jayakar Sud & Vohra, which has offices in New Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata.

This move is made against the background of an anticipated liberalisation of the Indian legal market in the coming years.

Martin Cannon, regional senior partner of Beachcroft’s Birmingham office, said: “Increasing numbers of client companies have offices and strategic partnerships overseas. These exciting new developments will help us to deliver a competitive, cross-border service focused on key European jurisdictions and key emerging markets.

“Our international capability will be founded primarily on close relationships with independent, ‘best friend’ partner law firms. Rather than looking to compete with existing global firms in major transactional matters, our objective is to carve out a niche in day-to-day specialist functions with a concentration on our key client sectors.”