TLT has unveiled a strategic alliance with Belgian firm GSJ, making it the second practice to join an international alliance launched by the UK firm last year.

The deal will see the two firms collaborating on work, sharing know how and working to provide consistent service delivery across their teams. Antwerp-based GSJ positions itself as a full-service law firm and boasts 18 partners and 58 lawyers.

The two parties cited significant compatible expertise across real estate, financial services, retail and the public sector adding that Belgium’s status as a hub for European business would be ‘of increasing importance given Brexit’.

GSJ joins Holla in the alliance, the Dutch firm having signed up as its first member in July. All three firms will collaborate and TLT has pledged to continue adding firms across Europe, the US and in India.

“Timing will depend on finding the right partner from a cultural, expertise and ambition perspective so that we can work effectively together and deliver the service our clients expect,” said a spokesperson.  

TLT’s managing partner, John Wood, added: “Despite the challenges of the pandemic our ambitions for the future remain unchecked, and a critical part of that is developing further how we respond to client need for support internationally.”

Bart Goossens, managing partner of GSJ, added that his firm had collaborated with Holla for many years and that the formal alliance would allow the firm to support “internationally focused clients better than ever before".

In its last financial year, TLT, which has has around 130 partners working across offices in Bristol, London, Manchester, Belfast, Edinburgh and Glasgow, as well as a ship finance team in Priaeus, grew its revenue by 13% to £98.8m.

For its part GSJ reports growing its turnover by 11% in 2020.

In November, TLT unveiled the hiring of a 22-strong financial services disputes, investigations, mortgage enforcement and lending services group from Dentons, which will be based in its London office.