Norton Rose's former Dutch suitor Houthoff Buruma has voted this week to remain independent as it installs a new management team.

The 70-partner Amsterdam-based firm voted by 67-to-three in favour of the firm remaining independent and continuing to handle referrals from a wide range of local and foreign practices.

The move comes after a difficult summer for Houthoff, whose partners were unsure whether to strip down the firm for an Anglo-Saxon merger or risk remaining independent.

In the spring the firm's management entered into merger talks with Norton Rose, but failed to gain partner support because of heavy restructuring plans called for by the City firm.

Restructuring would have led to the firm raising billing rates and spinning off some practices in order to integrate the practice into a City firm's partnership.

However, City TMT specialist Bird & Bird has already made inroads into Houthoff. This week it secured its first Dutch hire, Amsterdam corporate partner Harry Rek.

The firm is expected to take at least two more partners from Houthoff to open a Hague office, its fourth base on the Continent.

The new management of the Dutch firm will be comprised of two managing partners and one chairman of the management board, who will also be chairman of the firm.

The chairman is Bas Le Poole, who is based in Amsterdam and will take on the role of handling public relations for the firm.

The two new managing partners are Marry de Gaay Fortman in Amsterdam and Michiel Wesseling in Rotterdam.

They replace Arent van Wassenaer, who resigned from his post in September after a disagreement over international strategy.

Le Poole takes the chairmanship from Jan Mark Dingemans, who stood down this week from his post.

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