Hammonds opens global public law dept in Brussels

National law firm Hammond Suddards Edge has set up a public international law practice to work alongside its European law team in Brussels.

The team, which will also work closely with the dispute resolution team, will advise sovereign governments, international organisations and companies involved in international trade and investment.

Its launch coincides with the appointment of two new members.

Public law lawyer Edward Helgeson joins as associate counsel. He has recently been involved in two major inter-state disputes before the International Court of Justice. He also has experience before the Iran/US Claims Tribunal and in International Chamber of Commerce arbitration proceedings.

He is joined by Edward Borovikov, an international trade expert who was the Russian minister for the European Union before joining Hammonds in 1999.

Hammonds lead partner for the international law group Adam Aldred says that the firm is handling an increasing amount of work for governments and international organisations.

"Many of our clients are involved in larger international activities and need more than European law advice. We either had to build an international law group or get left behind," he says.

The group is currently advising a number of Eastern European countries on areas of law which affect their ability to trade across Europe.