Withers is set to launch an office in Zurich in response to increasing client demand in the region.

The Zurich office – which will be the firm's ninth base around the world – will launch in April this year, with Geneva tax partner Judith Ingham relocating to the city to head up the new operation.

Ingham will be joined by Geneva US tax and trust partner Jay Rubinstein, with City corporate partner Olga Boltenko also set to join the outfit in the summer.

The office will be the firm's second base in Switzerland alongside Withers' Geneva office, which opened in 2005.

Ingham said: "The Swiss market has withstood the downturn well, and since opening our office in Geneva in 2005 we have seen a good and consistent flow of work. We have found that we are constantly being asked to help clients in Zurich, and while we can access the Zurich market from our Geneva office, we thought that rather than expanding our operations in Geneva it would make more sense to open a new base.

"The two regions are quite different and by having a presence in both we can tailor our practice offerings to the needs of our clients in each."

Withers' Geneva head Justine Markovitz will take up the role of head of Swiss operations when the office opens in the spring.

The Zurich office will initially offer services in cross-border personal and corporate tax planning, US tax compliance and regulatory advice, structuring and succession planning, fiduciary and trust advice and associated corporate and litigation advice.

Withers entered into a tie-up with financial services advisory firm BeA-asia in September last year, gifting the firm a base in Shanghai.