Lovells

Infobox Law Firm
firm_name = Lovells
firm_
headquarters = London
num_offices = 26
num_attorneys = 1,460
num_employees = about 3,200
practice_areas = General Practice
revenue = £479 million (2008)
date_founded = 1899
founders = John Lovell, Reginal White, Charles King
company_type = Limited liability partnership
homepage = [http://www.lovells.com www.lovells.com]

Lovells is a London-based international law firm with over 300 partners and around 3,200 employees operating from 26 offices in Europe, Asia and the United States. It is one of the largest international legal business practices in the world.

History

The firm traces its history in the UK back to 1899, when John Lovell set up on his own account at Snow Hill, between St Paul's and Smithfield. He was later joined by Reginald White, a clerk in his previous firm, to whom he gave articles. In 1924, they were joined by Charles King, forming Lovell, White & King. Soon after formation, the firm moved to Thavies Inn at Holborn Circus and later to Serjeant's Inn, Fleet Street, before moving to 21 Holborn Viaduct in October 1977.

There have been a number of mergers along the way to establish the international firm that Lovells is today. In 1966, Lovell, White & King merged with Haslewoods, a firm with a much longer history. Haslewoods diverse clients ranged from the Treasury Solicitor to Lord Nelson in his divorce from his first wife. In 1988, Lovell, White & King, which by then had a large international commercial practice, merged with Durrant Piesse, known, in particular, for its banking and financial services expertise, forming Lovell White Durrant, which, in 2000, shortened its name to Lovells.

Today

Lovells advises many of the world’s largest corporations, financial institutions and governmental organisations. It regularly acts on complex, multi-jurisdictional transactions, as well as large commercial disputes.

Following five years of rapid growth, culminating in the opening of the firm's Madrid office in 2004, Lovells now has a strong presence in every major European jurisdiction. In the United States, the firm’s New York and Chicago offices have flourished thanks to its market-leading expertise in insurance and reinsurance and the development of its banking, capital markets and restructuring practices. In Asia, with the emergence of China as a global business player, the firm has newer branches in Beijing and Shanghai, along with long-established offices in Hong Kong, Tokyo and Singapore. In 2007, Lovells opened an office in Dubai, offering legal services to corporations, financial institutions and individuals in the Middle East. It also announced the launch of a network comprising Lovells and nine Chinese domestic law firms called the Sino-Global Legal Alliance. A 10th Chinese firm joined in May 2008.

The firm's client list includes Alstom, Ford Motor Company, Gas Natural, Morgan Stanley, SABMiller, Softbank and Sony.

See also

*List of largest European law firms
*List of largest UK law firms

External links

* [http://www.lovells.com Lovells Homepage]
* [http://graduates.lovells.com Lovells Graduate Careers]
* [http://www.thelawyer.com/uk100/2006/law/5_lovells.html thelawyer.com - Lovells Profile]
* [http://www.sinogloballaw.com Sino-Global Legal Alliance]