Discussions at very early stage
Linklaters is in negotiations to open an office in Dublin, which could see it become the first of the magic circle firms to have a base in the Republic of Ireland.
Linklaters registered a business in Dublin last month under ‘Linklaters & Co’, according to records filed at the Companies Registration Office in Ireland earlier this year. It is also listed as a firm on the Law Society of Ireland’s website.
A spokesperson for Linklaters told Legal Cheek the negotiations are at a very early stage.
It follows a recent swathe of law firms that have opened offices in the country as they look to strategise their post-Brexit position. Hogan Lovells and Ashurst this month announced plans to open offices in Ireland, with Dentons launching in Dublin last year.
Other international firms that opened Dublin offices in the aftermath of the Brexit referendum include Dechert, DLA Piper, Fieldfisher and Pinsent Masons.
Out of the remaining magic circle members only Allen & Overy has an office in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Several hundreds of its lawyers have also registered in Ireland in the wake of the Brexit vote.
With the Law Society of Ireland stating last year that UK lawyers must have a physical presence in the country if they wish to qualify there, it’s likely we’ll see a raft of other firms follow suit so they can preserve their EU practice rights.