Field Fisher Waterhouse has signalled plans to become a pan-European practice after unveiling a series of moves that will end its alliance on the Continent. The firm is in advanced merger talks with Paris outfit Dubarry and is to launch new offices in Germany and Belgium.

The European push will give Field Fisher its first offices outside the UK, with its European Legal Alliance, set up in 2002, dissolving at the end of this month. The firm announced the moves internally late last week, with the new offices officially launching in April.

If the talks with Dubarry are successful, the combined firm will operate from Dubarry's existing Paris office. The full-service French firm, which is best known for its litigation practice, recently lost former name partner Pierre-Francois Veil, who quit to join his brother's firm, Veil Jourde, along with three associates.