Ashurst identifies six key US referral firms in renewed Stateside push

Ashurst has drawn up a list of US firms to use as preferred referral partners in a bid to deliver a more structured approach in the region.

The firm has identified Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, Davis Polk & Wardwell, Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison, Ropes & Gray, Schulte Roth & Zabel and Quinn Emanuel Urquhart Oliver & Hedges as its main referral firms, although the relationships are understood not to be exclusive.

Ashurst has formerly used a pool of US firms for a range of referral work, but in the wake of this year's acquisition of a 32-lawyer finance practice from McKee Nelson, the firm decided to put together a more structured referral network.

The co-heads of the US liaison office - London-based litigation partner Ed Sparrow and Madrid corporate partner Jesus Almoguera - will take charge of maintaining the relationships with referral firms.

Ashurst decided to retain the liaison office after the addition of the McKee team, with Sparrow and Almoguera appointed to replace the outgoing Duncan Stiles. There are no full-time fee earners in the office, while the two co-heads split their time between New York and their current locations.

The McKee deal saw Ashurst bring across 11 partners, one consultant and around 20 other lawyers in New York and Washington DC, securing the UK top 20 firm's first major entry into the US market.

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