NCTM has added a Brussels office as the fast-growing Italian independent completes its third merger in the past two months.

The firm has opened its second office outside of Italy with a tie-up with Brussels-based boutique O'Connor and Company. The office will be headed up by the boutique's founding partner Bernard O'Connor, who joins NCTM's equity partnership.

The boutique focuses on EU and competition, administrative law and procurement, litigation and disputes, international trade and World Trade Organisation law.

O'Connor commented: "The firm particularly excels in working with clients with cross-border trading problems, and by joining up with NCTM's strong antitrust practice we only further enforce our mutual market value."

He added: "We have chosen to team up with NCTM because of its transparent and democratic management structure and its comprehensive range of clients and legal skills".

NCTM has recently completed mergers with Italian firm Janni Fauda & Associati and Italian real estate boutique DS&P. The independent firm opened its first international office in September last year when it launched a London office headed up by corporate partner Anthony Perotto.

NCTM senior partner Paolo Montironi said: "The opening of our London office in 2008 was the first step in our strategy of strengthening our position in key foreign business hubs in order to better support our Italian clients."

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