Salans has closed its deal to take on the bulk of disintegrating Altheimer & Gray's remaining international network, handing the firm 57 new lawyers, 13 new partners and five new offices.

The closure of the deal comes after two months of negotiations in the wake of Altheimers surprise decision that it was to dissolve earlier this year.

It gives the Anglo-French Salans five additional international offices in Prague, Bratislava, Bucharest, Istanbul and Shanghai to add to its existing 14 bases across Europe, Asia and the US.

Joining Salans is Louis Goldman, former chairman of Altheimers, who joins Salans' global board, and former London head Robert Bata.

Goldman said: "We are delighted to join Salans, having already worked closely with a number of their offices for many years. As the business and financial world continues to globalise, we are well positioned to meet their worldwide legal needs as one of only a handful of truly international law firms."

Salans now has 131 partners and over 450 lawyers.

Roger Abrahams, Salans global managing partner added : "The new offices enhance our dimension as a global law firm and our ability to serve our clients around the world."

The deal leaves US firm Chadbourne & Parke favourite to take Altheimers' Kiev office with the Chicago firm's Warsaw and Paris offices also outside of the deal.

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