Brussels firm Lawfort – once the largest law firm by headcount in Belgium – has gone into liquidation.

Lawfort, which once had more than 125 lawyers across offices in Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent and Liege, began winding down the business last month, with all its remaining lawyers leaving for new firms.

Managing partner Marc Vandemeulebroeke has rejoined PwC, while corporate partner Marie Evrard last week switched to the Brussels arm of Field Fisher Waterhouse.

Lawfort was formerly a member of the Landwell legal network operated by PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC) but was said by local partners to have seen much of its work dry up after severing ties with the accountancy giant in 2002.

News of the firm's dissolution comes after a turbulent two years, during which Lawfort sustained numerous partner departures while unsuccessfully looking for an international merger partner. The firm is understood to have approached UK national giant Eversheds last year.

Other independent European firms to go into meltdown in recent times include Spanish practice Mullerat, which announced its dissolution in May 2006.