The seven-partner Paris-based finance team led by Watson Farley & Williams partner David Syed is finally expected to resign this week as both sides struggle to reach a deal on the Paris hand-over.

It was announced in November that Syed’s team would be breaking away from the firm. Since then the firm has been in negotiations with US firm Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe where the team has been poised to go for six months.