Bishops installs resident partner in Lithuanian office

A Leading Scottish law firm, Bishop and Robertson Chalmers, has boosted its Lithuanian presence, with Edinburgh partner Rodger Murray becoming a resident of the country.

Murray, jointly responsible for opening the Vilnius office two years ago, had been spending a week each month in Lithuania but said a recent business "upsurge" for the office, including last month's appointment by the European Commission and Lithuanian government to help modernise Lithuanian commercial law, prompted his move.

Murray, who will head the four-lawyer practice, said the office needed a "full-time" western lawyer with European legal expertise to deal with the additional work.

He said: "This move reflects the rapid growth of the market for our unique service in Vilnius as no other law firm locally provides the in-built combination of advising on European as well as Lithuanian law.

"Our involvement as lead contractor in the modernisation of Lithuanian basic commercial law will be of value to all people doing business in Lithuania."

Bishops is the only UK firm with a Lithuanian office, although Paisner & Co's US associate, Chicago firm McDer mott Will & Emery, has a Vilnius office, and Cameron McKenna has an association with Lithuania's Foresta Law Firm Business Law Group.