National US firm Foley & Lardner had a solid 2005, with average profit per equity partner rising by 13.4 per cent to £464,000 ($845,000) and turnover up by 12.5 per cent to £335.4m ($610.5m).

The turnover rise was helped after the firm acquired the Boston office of New York firm Epstein Becker & Green at the start of 2005, picking up 38 lawyers.

Foley now has 913 lawyers across its offices, which are predominantly in the US. The firm has just two international outposts, Brussels and Tokyo. Both are small - Brussels with six partners, and Tokyo with four - but they provide Foley's clients with an entry into both Europe and Asia.

In addition, Foley is gradually boosting its US offices with international expertise, including hiring individuals such as senior counsel Kenneth Duck from Detroit firm Butzel Long to add a dash of Chinese knowledge to the US.

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