No matter where your business interests lie, we are able to draw on well established, trusted relationships with independent firms to provide you with legal advice in the relevant jurisdiction. We call our trusted foreign advisers our "better friends".
Many of our clients do business throughout the world and we often work with our UK based clients on their international ventures. Our strategy is designed to ensure that when our clients require foreign legal advice, we are able to recommend firms which can meet the same standards that we set ourselves and work with us as a team to deliver a seamless service. We play a pivotal role in co-ordinating the service our clients receive, where appropriate, acting as project manager to ensure consistency in all elements of the service.
We are not part of an alliance of law firms and our relationships with overseas firms are not exclusive. Our clients' international requirements are diverse. We find that the flexibility of our approach enables us to provide the best solution for our clients so that they receive timely, cost effective, quality advice. It also means that we are able to work with a client's existing foreign legal adviser.
We recognise the importance of our relationships with our better friends. We are prepared to devote the time and energy required to building and maintaining these relationships which are key to our own business and that of our clients. We keep in regular contact with our better friends through visits, secondments and training events. For example, our regular secondment programme with Thompson Hine in the USA has significantly enhanced the relationship between the two firms.
Our international strategy is led by our International Committee. Chaired by Chris Seaton, the committee includes lawyers from across the firm. We also have sub-committees each focussing on particular jurisdictions which include lawyers with relevant linguistic skills where appropriate.
If you require more information, please contact any member of our International Committee, details given above.
Read more about our international experience and our global coverage.
"I have pleasure in providing the following testimonial for Burges Salmon and their better friend law firm in the USA, Thompson Hine:
On cross-border transactions my preference had always been to instruct a law firm with offices in the relevant jurisdictions - because I want a seamless service both for advice and billing, with a single point of contact. Burges Salmon does not have overseas offices. However, as I discovered when working with Burges Salmon in a recent trans-Atlantic transaction, it is able to provide that seamless service through the excellent relationships it has built with other overseas law firms. It was clear that Burges Salmon and Thompson Hine are used to working together. It felt as though I was working with one firm in one office rather than two different firms in two different countries/time zones. I would have no hesitation in dealing with any transactions in the same way again."
- Paul Oschatz, Legal Director & Company Secretary, Unit 4 Agresso N.V. Sliedrecht, The Netherlands