Outer Temple opens in New York

On 30 Novermber 2009, Outer Temple Chambers opened an annexe in New York offering tailored legal services covering arbitration and mediation, and advisory and expert witness work on UK law and procedure in US litigation.

The result of many months of investigation and numerous meetings with lawyers in the US, this move was part of a wider strategy that saw Outer Temple open an office in Abu Dhabi in 2007 and create a network of contacts in the Middle East. The New York office will build on work which is already coming in to Chambers, will help cement existing relationships with lawyers in the US and will provide a further base for developing an international profile.

The new annexe provides Outer Temple with its own presence and identity. Based on the 10th floor of Battery Park Plaza in New York's Wall Street district, the offices have been completely refurbished in a modern style and have panoramic views of the harbour. They provide a convenient base for US clients and facilities for arbitration hearings, mediations and settlement meetings.

In early strategic discussions, Chambers had identified the areas of work in which we have both expertise and US connections. These included banking and financial services; fraud including Foreign and Corrupt Practices Act/POCA cross; cartels; employment; professional discipline and regulation especially in the FSA/Securities & Exchange Commission cross; product liability/ personal injury and cross jurisdictional professional negligence.

Commenting on the opening, Richard Lissack QC, head of strategic development, said "Two years ago we opened an annex in Abu Dhabi and we have reaped the benefits of having a base from which to operate and a network of contacts who have given us access to work across the Middle East. This initiative gives us the same opportunities in the US. It couldn't have come at a better time given the imminent deregulation of legal services in the UK and the promotion of direct professional access".