Eversheds has launched alliance networks in Latin America and Asia Pacific, in an effort to formalise its relationships with firms across both regions.

The Asia Pacific Alliance (EAPA) and Latin America Alliance (ELAA) both build on the firm's African referral network, which launched last October and has since grown from 15 to 37 member firms.

The Asia Pacific alliance will initially feature 20 firms with offices in 41 jurisdictions, including Australia, Malaysia and Thailand.

The Latin America alliance, which is being led by corporate partner Keith Froud, has launched with 19 firms in 13 countries, including Brazil, Argentina and Chile.

The alliances include both new firms and firms Eversheds has worked with for a number of years.

Both initiatives are built around non-exclusive ties in an effort to co-ordinate best practice and legal knowledge. The firm's African network is primarily designed to allow participating law firms to access training, secondment and knowledge sharing programmes while promoting commercial opportunities.

The firm's international ambitions are now firmly in the spotlight, as news emerged last week that partners voted to back a US merger over the summer. This came at the same time as the integration of Finnish firm Juridia Bützow into its international network.

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