Leading Spanish firm Cuatrecasas has announced plans to use English as the primary language for all its internal communications.
Emilio Cuatrecasas, senior partner, said that within three months the firm's internal mail would be in English to make its employees more familiar with the use of the language. He then plans to extend the policy to the firm's computers and archives.
The move comes at a time when the top three firm is expanding aggressively both in Spain and abroad. It has just agreed to buy the 17-lawyer joint venture Barcelona and Madrid offices of Benelux giant Loeff Claeys Verbeke and leading French firm Gide Loyrette Nouel.
While Loeff will work closely with Cuatrecasas, Gide is strengthening its ties with ex-Alliance of European Lawyers firm Uria & Menendez.
Earlier this month, Legal Week reported that Cuatrecasas had signed an alliance with leading firms in Portugal, Brazil and Argentina, bringing together 650 lawyers in 17 offices over six jurisdictions.