After posting disappointing figures in its first merger year, all eyes were again on Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) last week, following the announcement of its latest tie-up: a strategic alliance with New York firm Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel.
The arrangement – which falls short of being exclusive, but will guarantee greater referral traffic between the two firms – is being touted by both management teams as the first step towards a joint collaboration to establish a European network.
This unusual approach to global expansion will certainly be monitored closely by the market, not least because of the potentially damaging effect it could have upon BLP’s existing referral network in the US.
