Berman shuts US practice to join Dibbs in New York

Dibb Lupton Alsop has recruited UK lawyer Keith Berman of Bermans in New York, formerly the US office of Bermans in Liverpool, as a consultant for its New York office.

Berman's consultancy position will see him working as a general commercial litigator for Dibbs. According to Dibbs partner Andrew Chappell, he will bring his own practice to an end and concentrate solely on Dibbs work.

The move brings Dibbs' New York presence up to five lawyers, including Berman, two partners, an associate and another fee earner. Its New York office was formerly run by Alsop Wilkinson and became part of Dibbs after the two firms merged.

The move will not affect the main Bermans firm in the UK because Keith Berman split his New York office from the parent firm in 1980 for tax reasons. Berman was the founder of the Liverpool-based firm.

Ian Munford, joint managing partner at Bermans in the UK, said the two firms had continued to refer work to each other after the split. But he added: "Over the past few years referrals from us in the UK began to dry up so he has had to look for other sources of revenue."