Ashurst considers opening Luxembourg office

London-headquartered law firm Ashurst is considering setting up a new office in Luxembourg.

The international firm, which was founded in London in 1822, is currently "reviewing its options" to establish a foothold in the Grand Duchy.

"Luxembourg has become a key financial centre over the last 20 years," an Ashurst spokeswoman said. "With Brexit only enhancing its status as financial institutions look for alternative hubs in order to safeguard market access. Like many firms, we regularly review our options, but we have made no firm decisions as yet."

Ashurst already has a four-strong team of lawyers working on its Luxembourg desk, which is run out of its London office, led by partner Isabelle Lentz.

Lentz focuses on Luxembourg corporate law, specialised investment funds, investment companies, mergers and acquisition and banking law.

The law firm also has eight offices dotted across Europe, located in Munich, Madrid, Milan, Frankfurt, Brussels, Paris, Glasgow, as well as London. Globally, it has 25 offices in 15 countries.

Rival corporate law firm Eversheds Sutherland announced in September it had opened an office in Luxembourg initially focused on investment fund and corporate work.

(By Hannah Brenton, hannah.brenton@wort.lu, +352 4993 728)