The top 20 firm had operated an exclusive referral relationship with Kramer Levin, including mentioning the
However earlier this year, by mutual agreement, the firms agreed that the status of the relationship was of a non-exclusive ‘preferred firm’, of which BLP has around 100 globally.
A BLP spokesman said: “We still have a very good relationship with Kramer Levin, but in addition to working with them we have done work in other places and areas where they do not have offices or expertise.”
Howard Morris, chief executive of Denton Wilde Sapte, said: “Most investment flows from west to east and we have always done well as a result of not having a sole US referral partner.”
A senior partner at a rival firm commented: “If the relationship was not generating the referral business desired, that is a good business reason for scrapping it – the
Another head of a rival firm added: “I suspect BLP is looking to move up the food chain in the
BLP has been reviewing its international referral relationships and now operates with a select number of preferred firms – around two in each country – across mainland
The firm had a non-exclusive ‘best friends’ relationship with Beiten Burkhardt in
Elsewhere, the firm’s exclusive alliance with
BLP is also known to have links with Lefevre Pelletier & Associes and DePardieu Brocas Maffei & Associes in
One visitor to Legal Week’s Wiki wrote: “Kramer Levin – the US ally – never refers anything to us and neither does Beiten [Burkhardt] in Germany.”
Editors' blog: US alliance exposed BLP’s image problem