Legal Business Awards 2010

It takes a lot to render an entire market of lawyers speechless, but Berwin Leighton Paisner’s spectacular Moscow launch last January did just that. With much of the market fighting for survival amid the most testing economic conditions since the 1998 Russian financial crisis, BLP pulled off the largest law firm merger the country had ever seen. Its sensational raid on leading domestic firm Pepeliaev, Goltsblat & Partners saw it recruit nine partners – including renowned managing partner Andrey Goltsblat – and a further 60 associates.

The move gifted BLP with a ready-made Russian practice – around 90% of the team’s clients followed them to Goltsblat BLP – that looks set to boost firmwide turnover by 10% in its first year.

Not only that, but the new office was up and running within one month of signing the deal, as the firm quickly integrated its Russian practice with minimum fuss. The practice wasted no time in pulling major mandates, including work for Mars on the $23bn acquisition of Wrigley and support of its post-acquisition integration/restructuring.

It is without a doubt one of the most ambitious new office moves of any international firm in recent years, successfully creating a never-before-seen Anglo-Russian operation that is already one of the largest in Moscow.

HIGHLY COMMENDED

BIRD & BIRD, MADRID

Javier Fernández-Samaniego

Eversheds’ French practice is celebrating its strongest-ever financial year, with turnover up 37%. The firm has transformed the fortunes of its Paris office in the past three years, turning it from a small regional practice into a flagship international hub.

EVERSHEDS, PARIS

Michael Brown

2008 was an outstanding year for this hyper-profitable office, with strong financial performance coupling with healthy recruitment levels and a raft of impressive instructions. It is Herbert Smith’s largest presence outside London, with over 100 lawyers, and has an enviable client base. Highlights include advising EDF on the French aspects of its offer to acquire British Energy, and winning a major tax case for Papillon before the ECJ.

LATHAM & WATKINS, DOHA

Bryant Edwards

The Doha office has been a notably strong performer for Latham during the economic downturn, attracting a stream of premium mandates in the past year. These include the biggest emerging markets bond offering in history, and the largest public merger ever announced in Qatar. The firm raised eyebrows by launching three Middle East offices simultaneously in 2008 but the Doha office’s client list and standing in the market have put any scepticism to bed.

MAPLES AND CALDER, DUBLIN

Andrew Doyle

Since its high-profile launch in 2006, Maples’ Dublin office has been a thorn in the side of Ireland’s legal aristocracy. The firm went from strength to strength in 2009, adding more lateral hires and continuing to punch above its weight on big-ticket transactional work, as well as advising major funds. This office is a testimony to Maples’ dedication to being a leading onshore player, in addition to its renowned offshore expertise.

ROSCHIER, STOCKHOLM

Axel Calissendorff

A relative newcomer to the Swedish market, Finnish firm Roschier defied critics, who believed it would struggle to gain traction in such a conservative market and could even lose out as referrals from its Scandinavian neighbours dried up. However, by hiring some of the strongest players and progressively winning market share, the critics were silenced.

VIEIRA DE ALMEIDA & ASSOCIADOS, LISBON

João Vieira de Almeida

With rapid growth over the past ten years, VdA has positioned itself well to lead the pack in a transformed legal market. Despite the stream of new entrants and pressure from Iberian alliance firms, VdA’s financials and credentials show that the firm remains at the top of its game. Alliances in strategically important jurisdictions, such as Mozambique and Brazil, underline its ambitions.

Award sponsored by the International Bar Association