Eversheds Sutherland has expanded its presence in Russia through a merger with a Moscow-based law firm.

Specialising in arbitration and intellectual property, Russian firm Tilling Peters gives Eversheds nine new lawyers, including two partners.

The team will join Eversheds' two-partner Moscow base.

Tilling Peters is led by founding partners Ekaterina Tilling, an intellectual property specialist, and litigation and arbitration partner Oxana Peters.

Among other things, Tilling serves as an arbitrator at the Russian Arbitration Centre of the Institute of Modern Arbitration, while Peters – who was managing partner at the local firm – represents clients in international commercial arbitrations.

Eversheds moved into Russia in 2017 via the acquisition of Nordic firm Hannes Snellman's entire operation in the country, which comprised bases in Moscow and St Petersburg.

With the new hires, Eversheds now has six partners and 24 additional fee-earners working across the two offices in Moscow and St Petersberg.

Eversheds Russia managing partner Victoria Goldman said in a statement: "We are working to expand our practice groups and to strengthen our position on the Russian market, and this collaboration is another step in our firm's growth strategy.

"It is crucially important to provide our clients with the highest-possible quality of legal support, including in relation to IP issues, which are becoming ever more relevant, and dispute resolution, which has always been relevant."

The merger is the latest step in Eversheds' growing commitment to continental Europe, through which it also launched in Prague and Bratislava via local mergers in December.

This year, the firm announced it had grown its global revenue by 10%, hitting $1.2 billion (£900 million) two years after its transatlantic tie-up.

Today (June 17), Eversheds also announced it has created a new role of European managing partner, with real estate partner Helen Thomas assuming the mantle. In her new role, Thomas will oversee the firm's offices in France, Germany, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.