Taylor Wessing eyes Italy, Spain, Netherlands moves” />A number of partners in individual working parties are due to report at the end of March on the viability of expansion in several major European jurisdictions. However, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands are the favourites for at least one new office. A decision is likely to be taken in April as to whether Taylor Wessing will pursue expansion in one or more countries.
The move was discussed at the firm’s partnership retreat in Frankfurt on 4 and 5 March. As first revealed on www.thelawyer.com (9 March), the meeting also saw the launch of Taylor Wessing’s new strategy. UK managing partner Mike Frawley said this was the first time that the entire partnership had been asked to vote on the firm’s strategy. It is understood that the result was 95 per cent in favour.
The new strategy, which is largely a confirmation of its existing one, sees the firm focus on the three core practice areas of corporate and commercial, IP and real estate, as well as employment, tax structuring, finance and dispute resolution. Industry sector targets are media and entertainment, life sciences and healthcare, finance, real estate, technology and IT and hospitality.
The strategy also includes a commitment to what Frawley described as “core values”. The strategy document refers to these as “esteams”, which stands for excellence, service, teamwork, enjoyment, accountability, mutual respect and stewardship.
The firm has also formed a new executive committee consisting of the UK, French (Arnaud de Senilhes) and German (Wolfgang Reh-mann) managing partners, as well as international integration partner Gary Moss. This streamlined board will deal with the day-to-day affairs of the firm in those three countries.
