Offshore firm Forbes Hare is launching a London office with the hire of former Walkers partner Catherine Ross.

Ross joins Forbes Hare as a partner in October to kick start London operations for the British Virgin Islands (BVI) headquartered firm. Forbes Hare also has an office in the Cayman Islands and the London office will advise on the laws of both jurisdictions.

Ross specialises in corporate and finance work, with a particular focus on hedge funds, and spent seven years at Walkers. She will be joined in due course by more recruits and relocations from other Forbes Hare offices. Managing partner William Hare is also expected to spend time in London.

“Most of the offshore firms have a London presence and a lot of Forbes Hare’s clients are based in London, or are more easily accessible from London,” Ross said, explaining the launch.

With six partners and a total of 19 lawyers, Forbes Hare was the 21st-largest offshore law firm in 2011, according to The Lawyer’s annual offshore survey (20 February 2012). The firm said it had grown turnover by 27 per cent between 2010 and 2011, although it did not provide figures.

In a statement Hare said: “The majority of our lawyers will continue to practise in the BVI and Cayman Islands, but we believe that a London office will usefully augment the services we can offer.”

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