Schoenherr has opened a liaison office in London, in a move it says makes it the first law firm focused on Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) to have an on-the-ground presence in the city.
The firm said the new office, opened on Wednesday (1 October), would support its role as a bridge for cross-border business with CEE and is not intended to practise English law. Located in the City, it will be led by arbitration partner Sebastian Lukic.
“A key pillar for the firm is internationalisation and London has long been a gateway to international business, including for Schoenherr’s home markets in CEE,” Lukic told GLP. “The city’s becoming increasingly important to us, especially as US law firms build their practices there, and the new office will provide a more streamlined and personal communication channel with key referral partners, as well as with financial institutions and investors.”
Lukic will initially be the sole lawyer based in the office full time, with colleagues working in London on a ‘fly-in, fly-out’ basis as needed to serve clients. Previously based in Vienna, he has been with Schoenherr since 2016 and made partner at the firm earlier this year.
“We intend for the London team to be flexible and nimble as dictated by client need,” Lukic said. “We’ll look at how demand develops when considering how to grow the office’s full-time team.”
The office is expected to work closely with Schoenherr’s network across 15 CEE countries and will offer cross-practice expertise. It will focus on a mix of new and established industries, Lukic said, including those growing rapidly in CEE like energy and infrastructure, defence, and sports and entertainment.
Lukic added: “With over 100 million consumers and billions in investment, the CEE region offers tremendous business opportunities. Within Europe, this is where much of the growth will occur.”
Schoenherr’s London launch makes it a first mover among CEE-focused firms, which include its main rivals Wolf Theiss and Kinstellar, the firm formed through the spin off of Linklaters’ CEE offices back in 2008.
Schoenherr’s managing partner, Alexander Popp, said of the launch: “Being closer to some of our most important partners is the logical next step. Our presence sends a clear message: we are more connected than ever to our international business partners and clients, and we want to strengthen the ties between London-based firms and CEE.”
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