Sweden's Cederquist targets mass growth with new business plan

Swedish firm Cederquist has hired the managing partner of Vinge’s Brussels office to kick off a major expansion push.

Cederquist has plans to substantially expand its capacity in Sweden to rival market-leaders such as Vinge and Mannheimer Swartling.

The firm’s managing partner Jens Tillqvist told The Lawyer: “We have a new business plan. Today we are 65 lawyers and the plan is to grow to about 100 within three years.”

A rare lateral move among Swedish firms, Olle Rislund will join Cederquist in October as a partner in the firm’s EU law and antitrust department in Stockholm. Rislund will also add to Cederquist’s M&A department.

Tillquist said that the growth will be built on the back of the M&A practice, and follows the demand for advice on corporate transactions.

Tillqvist ruled out a merger to speed up the firm’s expansion and said the Cederquist will refuse any alliances or networks, preferring to stay independent.

At the end of October 2005, Cederqusit lost partners Lars Johansson and Ola Ahman to start up firm Roschier. Johansson was the head of the EU department and Ahman specialised in corporate matters.