Weil Gotshals severs links with Nabarros

UK NEWCOMER Weil, Gotshal & Manges has cut ties with its London associates Nabarro Nathanson.

But both firms maintain the split was amicable, claiming there will be limited competition between the two.

Nabarro's senior partner David Bramson said the practice, which first established links with the New York firm five years ago, would not enter into another exclusivity contract with a US firm following the opening of Weil Gotshal's London office next year.

Instead it would provide and receive referral work from a range of specialist firms.

"The association was the idea of my predecessor Jeffrey Greenwood," said Bramson. "At the time there was comment about it possibly leading to a partnership, but very early on we saw that that wasn't likely to happen.

"We're two very different firms, we have different areas of expertise, and we just didn't see it developing into a full partnership."

Bramson said there would be little competition between the practices, with Weil Gotshal aiming to capture the banking and capital markets portfolio - a minor practice area for Nabarros.

"I don't think we are going to be the main competition for them," he said.

"I think they will be competing with the firms from which their partners have come and from which they have brought clients."