Brown Rudnick seeks out West Coast talent for US expansion

Boston-headquartered firm Brown Rudnick Berlack Israels is actively looking to recruit in California in a bid to launch the firm's first West Coast presence.

The East Coast-focused firm is understood to be actively seeking both partner and associate level hires within Los Angeles in order to expand across the US. Brown Rudnick currently has offices in Boston, Hartford, New York, Providence and Washington DC, all of which are situated on the East Coast.

A spokesman revealed that the firm, which does considerable work for alternative investment interests, wants to establish a West Coast base in order to economically service the developing Far East market.

The firm has alliances with several firms throughout Asia and believes a California base would further those relationships without the need for an Asian outpost of its own. The firm's only international offices are in London and Dublin.

The West Coast push comes as the firm seeks to bolster its New York office following its move to new premises on the top floors of Times Square Tower.

Earlier this year the firm appointed Grant McCrea from Dewey Ballantine to head the office's newly created international litigation and arbitration group. Two further litigation partners have also since been appointed to the office from Heller Horowitz & Feit.