amsterdamWith last week's announcement of Herbert Smith's formal alliance with Stibbe and De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek's renewed merger talks with Linklaters, the top end of the turbulent Dutch market looks virtually wrapped up.

Nauta Dutilh is now the only premier Dutch firm that is not exclusively tied to an Anglo-Saxon firm, but it is an increasingly loyal 'best friend' to Slaughter and May.

The only other sizeable independent Dutch firm is Houthoff Buruma, which has been beset this year by strategic rows and the predatory attentions of international firms, most notably City tech specialist Bird & Bird which this November hired three Houthoff partners for its Dutch launch.
And, as always, where the UK firms trail-blaze, the US firms are not far behind.