Bryan Cave hires into UK class action team

US law firm Bryan Cave has begun ramping up its London class action practice with the hire of Olswang senior associate Irina Tymczyszyn.

As reported on www.the lawyer.com (23 August), the firm claims to be the biggest US outfit in relation to running class actions on a day-to-day basis. London managing partner Anthony Fiducia said the firm's UK offering is anticipated to grow by 70 per cent in the coming year to 50 fee-earners.

Tymczyszyn, who takes up her position today (3 September), will continue to practise as a senior associate in the firm's commercial litigation team.

The litigation group holds 40 per cent of the local office's capabilities, giving the firm a good base for class action work.

Bryan Cave, which launched in the UK 25 years ago, also claimed that it was the first class action firm in the UK, stating it was "here first", before Cohen Milstein Hausfeld & Toll.