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International Approach

Our clients are conducting business in an ever increasing number of jurisdictions and across and increasingly varied range of practice areas. We are committed to supporting them in these efforts and to provide them with highest quality legal advice where ever their business takes them and whatever their business need.

This client need, coupled with the requirement for English legal advice on transactions throughout the world, is driving the development of BLP’s international strategy.

Our international approach is to work with some of the finest law firms throughout the world. These “preferred firms” are entirely independent of BLP but they are firms with whom we have built strong personal knowledge and professional relationships.

We are also, however, aware that in some jurisdictions there are benefits in having a physical presence or alternative strategy. We have, therefore, set up and continue to develop offices in Brussels, Paris and Singapore. These offices provide expert legal advice, enhance BLP’s profile in their region and help build relationships with local counsel.

International Benefits

• Quality and breadth of advice - the firms we work with are some of the finest in the market. They are often the market leaders in their jurisdictions, not just in one practice area but across the legal spectrum.
  
  
• Flexibility of choice - our relationships with preferred firms are non-exclusive and we often have two preferred firms in any one jurisdiction. This provides flexibility of choice over the firm to use and enables us to work easily with our clients preferred advisers.
  
  
• Trusting Relationships  - BLP pro-actively develops relationships with the preferred firms outside of a transaction. Secondments and exchanges, conferences and meetings, training and workshops are all used to build the personal knowledge and trust necessary to provide clients excellent international service.
  
  
• Effortless Experience - clients have told us they want “one bum to kick” - to us this means providing an effortless international experience. This includes project managing the international advice, providing a single point of contact and single fee quote is required. If, however, clients wish to deal directly with the local law firm we can facilitate that as well.
  
  
• Problem solving - despite everyone’s best of intentions, we are aware that problems do sometimes occur. Our personal knowledge of the lawyers at these firms from Managing Partner down means that any such problems can typically be rectified quickly.

Strategy in operation

• International investment - Last year we invested over £12m in costs and lawyer time on building relationships, developing the offices and delivering international work. This on going investment is critical to providing clients with a robust a wide reaching service.
  
  
• Central International Team - the development and implementation of the international strategy is lead and co-ordinated by a dedicated team of eight people, who between them cover seven different nationalities and speak ten different languages.
  
  
• Jurisdiction Partners - over three quarters of our partners are actively involved in our international strategy. They take responsibility for different countries and build the links with firms in those jurisdictions. We have also established regional focus groups to develop and co-ordinate our business development activities in those regions.
  
  
• Global coverage - To date we have preferred firm relationships with over 100 leading independent firms in over 65 countries around the world. We have also identified recommended firms in a further 40 countries ensuring we can provide a truly global service.
  Our international service to clients is further benefited by a physical presence in Brussels, Paris and Singapore, providing on the ground advice and local expertise in some key international hubs.

Strategy in action

Around 25% of our business these days is international - be it representing UK clients abroad, project managing complex international transactions or advising international clients doing business in the UK.

International Contacts

If you have any questions about our international strategy and how our approach might help you, please contact John Taylor (john.taylor@blplaw.com) or Quentin Vaile (quentin.vaile@blplaw.com).