Law firm history is littered with tales of failed alliances and DLA Piper just added another to the list. After months of negotiations between the pair (and denials of problems on the part of both firms) its long-standing alliance with South Africa's Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr will formally draw to a close at the end of this month.

Instead DLA is going it alone in South Africa, here we ask local partners what they think the international firm will have to do to succeed.

The end of DLA's formal relationship (though the two firms will continue to refer work to each other) leaves Linklaters as the most prominent international player with an alliance with a South African firm through its tie-up with Webber Wentzel. One of the brokers of this deal, managing partner Simon Davies, is set to leave Linklaters at the end of this year and last week the firm finalised the six-strong list of contenders to replace him.

Whoever is picked by the firm's partnership board they will no doubt share many of the key traits for a successful career identified by some of the M&A partners interviewed by Legal Week recently.

Fresh from advising long-time client Pearson on its sale of both the FT and its stake in The Economist, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer partner Oliver Lazenby discusses the importance of personal relationships, alongside his career highs. Meanwhile Clifford Chance partner Patrick Sarch has his say on the key skills for keeping clients happy and Linklaters' Tracey Lochhead discusses the continued importance of rainmakers to global firms.

Other highlights last week saw Shearman & Sterling's European managing partner Nicholas Buckworth offer his opinion on what makes a team click and we also looked at when pulling the plug on an international office is the right move to make.

Finally, don't forget to enter the British Legal Awards – the 4 September deadline is getting closer!