Minters closes in NY and San Diego

The firm currently has one partner based in the New York office and one partner and six other fee-earners in its San Diego office.

The move is in part prompted by the upcoming retirement of New York banking and finance partner Ambrose Dunne. In light of that, and the fact that the West Coast team had been more successful, the decision was made not to keep the New York office operating.

"It's more logical for an Australian firm to be based on the West Coast," commented London managing partner Michael Whalley.

Whalley said the new San Francisco office was due to open imminently.

Employment partner Darren Gardner, who established the firm's West Coast presence back in 2000, will continue to manage the US operation.

The practice is mainly employment-based, with the larger proportion of the group's work coming from US clients wanting HR advice for interests in the Asia-Pacific region.