White & Case: We will not compete for clients in Romania

American law firm White & Case, one of the largest law firms worldwide, plans to open an office on the Romanian market at the beginning of next year, after it tested the market for over a year, the firm’s representatives told ZF. White & Case has already hired 10 lawyers in Romania. The firm’s representatives say they will not compete for clients in Romania, but will rely on established clients from foreign markets for their local operations. “Currently, we are looking for a location to accommodate our office in Romania, but it is very difficult to find what we are looking for. Rent is very high compared, for instance, with Prague,” said Michael Smrek, a partner with the Prague office of the law firm. Representatives also said they had three available locations to choose from. According to information on the market, White & Case has held talks with several local law firms for a potential partnership, which could provide a client base, however the talks have not been finalised.