A&O takes on four more solicitors in Prague office

UK firm Allen & Overy is to double its Czech law capacity with the recruitment of four lawyers in its Prague office.

According London-based partner Alison Beardsley, the appointments are designed to increase the ratio of lawyers to partners in Prague, because of an increase in work across the board in banking and finance.

Beardsley, who is responsible for the London end of the Prague practice, said: "We aim to take on young local lawyers at an early stage and develop them into Allen & Overy lawyers."

The most senior appointment is senior Czech advocat Jir' Spousta, who has worked with Czech National Bank and local firm Balcar & Polansky. He specialises in cross-border transactions for both international and domestic clients.

He will be joined next month by Dana Stumpova, a former civil court judge and two Czech lawyers from US firm White & Case and local practice Stoklasek & Toulova & Zeman.

The increase in demand for banking and finance work has also led to the transfer of capital markets solicitor Carol Leman from Allen & Overy's London office.