Hogan Lovells is opening its first business services centre in the US, over two years since it launched its first global low cost centre in Johannesburg.

The decision to open a centre in the US comes after a strategic review of how the firm provides business services support.

The office will be based in Louisville, Kentucky and will help to provide US time zone support to Hogan Lovells offices in the region.

The firm said Louisville was well placed in terms of time zones, adding that it also offers cost savings compared to Washington DC.

The Louisville centre is expected to open by the summer and is due to house approximately 50 employees in its first year.

When Johannesburg opened, Hogan Lovells expected the base to house 20 employees in total. The firm also opened a low-cost legal centre in Birmingham in 2014 as an extension of the London office.