Altheimers marches into London

thefirst stage in its plan to expand into western Europe.Louis Goldman, chairman of

Altheimers' international practice group, saysthe London office will have at least 25

lawyers by the end of this year andbetween 75 and 100 lawyers within three

years.Altheimers has poached Watson Farley & Williams corporate partner NickTowle and

Eversheds commercial property lawyer Andrew Astachnowicz who jointhe firm as

partners.Nabarro Nathanson property partner Andrew Bond will also be joining thefirm,

though neither Altheimers nor Bond would comment.The London office, based in

Bishopsgate, is headed by Robert Bata,previously in charge of the firm's Prague

office.The Chicago-based firm has opened in London to support its easternEuropean

network of offices in Warsaw, Prague, Kiev, Bratislava, Bucharestand Istanbul.Goldman