Richards Butler keeps up its Brazil search

FIVE months on, Richards Butler is still looking for lawyers to help set up a Brazilian office.

The Lawyer revealed back in March that the firm was looking to beef up its presence in Sao Paulo by sending up to three lawyers to the city this year to join partner Stephen O'Sullivan.

But David Boutcher, who liaises with O'Sullivan from the London office, said: "We are seeing some people this week, but it is proving quite difficult to get the right sort of person.

"We need someone who speaks fluent Portuguese, who is qualified as an English lawyer and who wants to live in Sao Paulo."

O'Sullivan, who is married to a Brazilian, has lived in Sao Paulo for two-and-a-half years.

He works from the office of Sao Paulo firm Mattos Filho, Veiga Filho, Marrey Jr,

Moherdaui e Quiroga-Advogados, although there is no formal association with the practice.

The extra lawyers would allow Richards Butler to set up its own office. It has several clients looking at investing in Brazil and South American banks are interested in listing on the London Stock Exchange.