Legal heavyweight Berwin Leighton Paisner to open in Manchester

LONDON-based international law firm Berwin Leighton Paisner is to open an office in Manchester.

The firm, one of the biggest in the City and with offices in China, Brussels, France, Germany, Honk Kong, Russia, Singapore and the UAE, has chosen Manchester as its first regional base outside the capital.

The new office will open in early summer, the firm said, and is part of a new service model it has devised over the last few months in consultation with clients.

Details on the size of the new office, or its location, are scant.

BLP said in a statement: “Manchester is the largest legal market outside London and provides access to a large pool of high quality legal staff. Manchester has also over last decade emerged as one of Europe’s leading shared service hubs resulting in a highly developed industry infrastructure. Having a legal services delivery team in Manchester will support BLP in delivering integrated services to clients.”

Managing partner, Neville Eisenberg said: “This is an important step forward in offering our clients a unique model which directly addresses their requirements for high quality and efficient legal services. We have been working on this model in consultation with clients for the last 18 months and I believe it draws on the best of the firm’s reputation for, and experience in, developing innovative client solutions.

“While parts of the model are already being deployed with clients, the fully integrated service model will be launched when we open Manchester in a few months’ time.”

Tim Newns, chief executive of MIDAS, Manchester’s inward investment agency said: “The addition of such a prestigious international law firm is a testament to Manchester’s buoyant professional services sector and we know that they will thrive here.”

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