Leading Swiss independent Pestalozzi Lachenal Patry has split in half, with two offices breaking off from the firm to set up a new network.

Pestalozzi's Geneva and Brussels arms have separated from the Zurich office, a move understood to be due to differences of opinion regarding firm strategy.

Partners Bernard Lachenal and Alain Le Fort will now head up the new outfit, which will be known as Lachenal & Le Fort.

Lachenal said: "There were various personal reasons for our split. Essentially we had different ideas about the firm's strategy and business model from some of the partners, so we decided to split. We wanted to adopt a very different philosophy that allows our young and talented lawyers to progress through the firm and become equity partners after a certain period of time."

Following the split, Pestalozzi has launched a new Geneva office led by partners Sebastien Roy and Christophe Emonet. Counsel Jean Paltry will also work from the Geneva base. Pestalozzi now has 25 partners.

Lachenal & Le Fort has also set up an office in Lausanne through a tie-up with local firm Besse Law, which is headed by partner Francois Besse. The deal means Lachenal now has a total of 12 partners.

In a statement, Pestalozzi said it would now focus its operations in Geneva on commercial litigation and arbitration, general corporate and M&A, banking and tax.

Pestalozzi Lachenal Patry was formed in 2001 following a merger between Pestalozzi Gmuer & Patry and Geneva-based Lachenal Brechbuhl Cottier Roguet.

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