Continuing its international expansion strategy, leading New York-based law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison is preparing to establish a new office in Brussels, Belgium, focusing primarily on antitrust work. This move was disclosed by two undisclosed sources familiar with the matter, in line with the most recent trends of the ongoing globalization of the legal industry. This will be the firm’s inaugural base on the European mainland. Read more for the detailed report.
The decision to expand arrives on the heels of the notable growth of the firm’s London office over the past year. Over the past four years, many US-led law firms have followed a similar course, establishing or strengthening their presence in Brussels, the antitrust hub of Europe. From this base, the firms have been able to offer their clients expert advice on the complex and changing landscape of European competition law.
Prior to this development, various renowned law firms such as Reed Smith, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, Kirkland & Ellis, Curtis Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson, Weil Gotshal Manges, and Davis Polk & Wardwell have all ventured into Brussels. Many of these firms have strategically recruited lawyers from British rivals to inaugurate their new offices with a competent team in place. For instance, Davis Polk and Simpson Thacher both launched their Brussels offices with hires from Allen & Overy, a historic British law firm.
This aggressive geographic expansion of law firms highlights the increasing significance of European trade laws, especially those related to competition, making Brussels an attractive location for big law firms. Additionally, Paul Weiss’s expansion in London has been significantly bolstered by new hires from elite US rivals and UK firms, including the recruitment of private equity star Neel Sachdev from Kirkland & Ellis.
Conclusively, this move by Paul Weiss signifies the rapidly growing influence of EU competition laws in the global context and the need for firms to provide expert on-the-ground advice from a strategic location.