Independent French firm Stehlin & Associes has announced a new international strategy after declining to mergerwith UK firm Osborne Clarke earlier this year.The firm formally announced the end of its partnership with the osborne Clarke Alliance,  a pan European Alliance of law firms, which came to an end in in April this year and said it would be developping its own international network.

In a similar move to Belgium firm De Wolf & Partners and Dutch outfit Ploum Lodder Princen, Stehlin has chosen to remain independent to pursue a variety of  projects .In a press release, the firm cites the decision of Osborne Clarke to change the terms of the partnership as the main reason for leaving the alliance, which was founded in 1987 and that the three departing firms have decided to maintain a close relationship.
 

.International partners

Marc Pierre Stehlin, Managing Partner, commented: ‘The market has changed significantly over the last years and we strongly believe in the model of a strong local independent firm as ours which delivers real added value to its clients in cooperation with a network of international partner firms that resemble us.’

The firm also announced the arrival of Bignon Lebray Chinese office head Bruno Lefébure, who will manage Stehlin’s Shanghai office, which is run in cooperation with De Wolf.