Lewis Silkin to open Cardiff base with Welsh government backing

The new office, which is set to open on Monday 19 November, will initially focus on employment law issues.

London-based employment partner Lucy Lewis is due to relocate to Cardiff to manage the new office. It is understood that no other lawyers will be relocating and that the firm will be recruiting around 10 staff in the lcoal market by the end of 2013.

Investment in the new office and its expansion will be supported by a £160,000 business finance grant from the Welsh government.

Commenting on the new office opening, managing partner Ian Jeffery said: “The opening of our third office in Cardiff will ensure the continued delivery of exceptional service and hands-on support in response to ever-changing client needs.”

In terms of the choice of Cardiff as a location, he added: “After careful consideration, Cardiff was chosen due to the excellent legal talent available within the local market and a strong cultural fit with our firm. We’re confident that our Cardiff office will be a seamless extension of our existing footprint within the UK, and greatly look forward to its progressive growth over the next few years.”

Welsh business minister Edwina Hart, who hosted a ‘Legal Wales’ launch earlier this year at The Law Society’s Chancery Lane offices, added: “At the ‘Legal Wales’ launch in London I encouraged firms working in the legal profession to seriously consider Wales as the business location of choice for future expansion and investment. It is therefore excellent news that Lewis Silkin has done just that and chosen Cardiff for its expansion. They will, I am sure, benefit from the range of opportunities that Wales can offer law firms, including the fact that Cardiff has the UK’s only Enterprise Zone dedicated to financial and professional services.”

Mike Fenwick, director of grants at Welsh accounting firm Broomfield & Alexander, who helped Lewis Silkin secure the government funding, added: “Attracting a top 100 UK law firm to the capital is excellent news for Cardiff and for Wales, and we wish Lewis Silkin every success with the new venture.”

The news follows last month’s announcment that Bristol-set Queen Square Chambers is set to launch a new base in Cardiff (2 October 2012).