Reed Smith is hiring lawyers from five rival firms for its Brussels office launch, the firm has announced.

An eight-lawyer team, including five partners, one counsel and two associates, is joining the new office as part of the firm's global corporate group.

The new recruits include competition partners Christian Filippitsch, Geert Goeteyn and Isabelle Rahman, who join from Norton Rose Fulbright, Shearman & Sterling and Sheppard Mullin respectively.

Also joining are trade partner Yves Melin from Steptoe & Johnson and regulation partner Wim Vandenberghe, who joins from Deloitte Legal.

A spokesperson for the firm said that Rahman will act as the firm's regional managing partner.

In addition, two associates and a counsel join from Steptoe & Johnson and Norton Rose Fulbright.

Melin told Law.com affiliate Legal Week that the firm was currently based in a co-working space on Rue Belliard, but that it intends to move into a new office in the European Quarter by April 1.

In January, Law.com reported the firm's intentions to open up in Brussels — its first new European base since 2015.

"The opening of our Brussels office is led by client demand," Tamara Box, Reed Smith's Europe and Middle East managing partner, said in a statement. "While we have had a very strong presence in continental Europe for many years, the rapidly changing political and economic environment across Europe demanded that we establish an on-the-ground presence in the EU capital."

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