Spanish giant Garrigues is set to continue its international expansion after announcing it is to launch in London in the fourth quarter of this year.

The office, which will only practise Spanish law, will be headed up by corporate partner Josie Maria Gil-Robles Casanueva and corporate associate Guillermo Munoz Alonso.

Gil-Robles Casanueva was previously based in the firm's Madrid headquarters and will lead a team of between six and eight lawyers who will be parachuted in from the firm's other domestic offices. The team will initially focus on corporate and finance work.

The move follows the firm's announcement this month that it plans to beef up its Latin American presence by tightening its relationship with its nine South American allies.

Over the coming months the firms will be integrating their recruitment and training programmes, IT and human resources departments, while some of the firms will discuss the possibility of sharing costs and profits.