City solicitors open up in Piraeus and Milan

Two international law firms have announced plans to open new offices in Europe.

Stephenson Harwood intends to open an office in Piraeus, Greece, and Freshfields one in Milan, Italy.

Stephensons' office, when it opens in October, will be headed by newly-appointed Greek-speaking shipping partner Nigel Bowen-Morris.

Bowen-Morris comes from the Piraeus office of Watson, Farley & Williams where he has been for eight years. He is currently recruiting an assistant solicitor and a paralegal.

Stephensons' office will focus on the shipping and corporate and commercial sectors, and will advise on project finance and infrastructure development.

Freshfields aims to open its first Italian office in Milan by December.

It will be headed by Yves De Mahenge, a partner in the Paris office who speaks Italian and had already been conducting business in Italy.

The office will be staffed by a mixture of Italian and English lawyers. Freshfields already has six offices in Europe.