Dibb Lupton Alsop is poised to announce alliances in Barcelona and Paris.

The firm is understood to have struck deals with law firms in both cities – but was unable to reveal their identity as Legal Week went to press.

The firms will be the second and third practices to sign up to a European alliance being put together by Dibbs. In June, the firm signed up 18-lawyer Brussels firm Price & Partners.

As Legal Week has previously reported, Dibbs has been looking to build a European alliance for well over a year, but the search for suitable partners has proved frustrating.

In June, arch rival Hammond Suddards gave up its search for individual alliance partners and signed up to the global network Commercial Law Affiliates (CLA).

Dibbs had also contemplated the group, but told Legal Week that the association was too loose for its purposes. However, CLA countered that Dibbs was not its first choice.

Dibbs' next priority will be to sign up an Italian firm to join the alliance.

Eversheds is also planning to become a major force in Europe.