In a drive to focus on complex and innovative work for major clients in the firm’s key strategic sectors, Simmons & Simmons announces that it is to merge its Dutch activities into a single Amsterdam office from 2010. This move is part of the firm’s international strategy to concentrate legal resources in major financial and corporate centres.

Dutch clients within the financial institutions, energy & infrastructure, life sciences, and technology, media & communications sectors are increasingly concentrating their main activities in Amsterdam.

The office will consist of around 100 fee earners, concentrated in the practice areas of corporate, financial markets and dispute resolution, based on the legal needs of the target market.

Jean-Pierre van Leeuwe, member of the Dutch executive committee says:

"Clients need us to be at the heart of Dutch corporate and finance work, Amsterdam. This move will allow us to strengthen our ties with our core clients."

Mark Dawkins, managing partner of Simmons & Simmons says:

"The new office will become an even stronger part of the firm’s international network. The concentration of our resources in Amsterdam will help to boost our cross-border work."