FFW raids Dubarry to go it alone in Paris

Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW) has completed the dismantling of its European Legal Alliance, taking seven partners from former ally Dubarry Le Douarin Veil to set up its own Paris office.

It is the final step in FFW's European expansion, which this year saw the firm lure a total of seven partners away from former alliance firms Buse Heberer Fromm in Germany and Verhaegen Walravens in Brussels.

Dubarry will cease to exist, while the new FFW office will set up in its premises. Partner Mario Celaya becomes FFW Paris managing partner and gains a seat on the firm's European board. The office will house 20 lawyers, with seven partners and 13 associates.

Mark Abell, international development partner at FFW, said: "We've got ambitious plans. We had to go through all the regulatory hoops and that's why it's taken the time it has."

Five Dubarry partners decided against joining FFW.

Abell said: "The part of the business that we wanted to take on board happens to be the part that we have now. But we do have plans to grow the office."