SJs: thinking beyond Europe

SJ Berwin is reaching a key point in its international development. Having nearly a decade ago trail-blazed by relaunching itself as a European player, the question is where the firm goes now that its long Continental campaign is largely finished.

That means that the two key elements in the equation that Berwins needs to consider are the US and the key emerging markets. The US has always provided a dilemma for the firm, as its entrepreneurial and individualistic style has long drawn comparisons with the US legal model. For some this meant the firm was a natural candidate for a US tie-up. For its part, SJs has always denied that an American deal is the end game, though it seems apparent that some partners support such a move.

Instead, as illustrated by a story this week, the firm has elected to focus on closer referral links with a handful of US practices. That includes the Boston-based Goodwin Procter, a respected firm that shares SJs’ focus on private equity. Current indications are that the firm is focusing on three or four firms in total, with New York’s Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison and West Coast leader Cooley Godward Kronish cited as other relationships.

In some cases this involves secondments and joint pitches, though so far all links fall short of exclusive tie-ups. It remains less clear where this will lead since Berwins describes its US strategy as ‘ongoing’ and there are current discussions about deepening links. In particular, Goodwin Procter seems eager to take the relationship forward.

Obviously, this is a tricky balance for SJ Berwin, whose pan-European coverage makes it a handy partner for any decent US mid-tier looking for a referral firm across the pond. Pitch it too narrow and it risks losing valuable business but go too wide and you risk building nothing.

Yet the bottom line is that while the US can wait, SJs will soon want to settle its emerging market strategy. The focus right now appears to be more on Central & Eastern Europe/Russia rather than a follow-the-herd move into the Middle East. India and Asia also beckon.

The European push has served the firm well but it is now coming to the end of its natural life. A broader canvas awaits.