Landwell recruits global head and seven new partners

Alan Morris, an accountant, served as Simmons' financial director and then spent three years as managing director until he was replaced by a managing partner - David Dickinson - in April last year.

In his specially created new role, he is charged with ensuring that the firm's 20 international practices are properly integrated. He will also encourage lawyers to work alongside other PWC specialists to offer multi-disciplined solutions.

PwC last year mounted a concerted expansion campaign, acquiring practices in Germany, Spain, Australia and South Africa. The law firms affixed to Coopers and Price Waterhouse before their merger in 1998 were also integrated.

Landwell chairman Gerard Nicolay said: "Alan's experience and technical knowledge will be immensely valuable to us as we continue with our push to become a top provider of global legal services."

Morris' appointment comes as Landwell announce the recruitment of seven partners to Landwell worldwide.

In the UK, Wilde Sapte partner Amanda Benham joins the real estate practice and Simon Walker joins the corporate departnment from O'Melveny & Myers. Landwell has signed up three partners in Australia, including the former managing partner of Allens Arthur Robinson's Adelaide office, Mark Bielecki, who joins the litigation practice.

Landwell has also brought on board two partners for its practices in Belgium and Denmark.

The news of Morris' appointment comes hot on the heels of the Andersen Legal announcement that it has hired former Clifford Chance managing partner Tony Williams as managing partner worldwide and senior partner of its UK operations, Dundas & Wilson and Garretts