Eversheds bolsters presence in Russia with new alliance

Eversheds has strengthened its presence in Russia, adding a new ‘best friend’ alliance with Capital Legal Services (CLS), a four-partner practice with offices in St Petersburg and Moscow.

The firm’s head of international, Stephen Hopkins (pictured), said the new link with CLS is non-exclusive and “one of a number of agreements” Eversheds has with Russian firms, including Monastyrsky Zyuba Stepanov & Partners.

The new alliance comes after managing partner Lee Ranson said last year that Eversheds is “looking very hard at the Russian market”. Ranson, who followed Prime Minister David Cameron on a trade delegation to the country, said: “We have a lot of activity in the region and a lot of clients are asking us to do something there.”

Hopkins also confirmed Eversheds has secured ties with several firms in Turkey as well as an alliance with a Finnish practice.

The Russian, Turkish and Finnish best friends have not yet been invited to join Eversheds International, the global network of Eversheds-branded offices that remain outside of the firm’s main limited liability partnership.

Hopkins commented: “We are always looking for the right opportunities to expand our operations in jurisdictions.

“All clients want is a consistent service across jurisdictions. Clients are focused on the quality of our services rather than how we are structured internally.”

Eversheds is currently in the process of drawing up its three-year strategic plan, which is due to be unveiled in May. The strategy should throw light on the firm’s overseas priorities, 
with Brazil and Asia likely to be in the spotlight 
as BRIC economies continue to boom.

The firm announced a formal tie-up with Romanian practice Lina & Guia late last year, rebranding as Eversheds Lina & Guia as of 1 October.

By Rose Orlik