US firm Nixon Peabody has announced the launch of its first London office via an alliance with emerging markets boutique Trinity.

The office, which is based in the City, will open with six lawyers including three US partners and the three UK-qualified partners, who set up Trinity in February 2006.

Nixon Peabody chairman, Harry Trueheart, commented: “More and more of our US-based investor clients are investing in the European markets. We’re also seeing more finance clients start operations in London.”

Trueheart and finance partner Mats Carlton will be based in the UK part-time to help establish the UK operation.

The London managing partner will be New York partner Stavros Adamidis. The Trinity partners are Paul Biggs, Patrick Leece and Simon Norris, who left Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft to set up the boutique.

The Lawyer first reported that Nixon Peabody senior management had visited London to explore the possibility of a transatlantic merger in 2005 (15 August, 2005).