International law firm Simmons & Simmons has opened its Bristol office – its first outside of the capital and a further boost to Bristol’s reputation as a thriving legal centre.
The firm has taken 7,813 sq ft of space on the fifth floor of the recently-completed One Linear Park in Temple Quay – close to Bristol’s ‘big two’ firms Burges Salmon and Osborne Clarke and on the fringes of the city’s new Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone.
Bristol Business News revealed Simmons & Simmons’ plans to open a Bristol office in April. At the time the firm, which has offices across Europe, the Middle East and Asia, said it planned to have around 15 lawyers, including three partners, in Bristol by the time it opened.
It has relocated some lawyers from London but has also been on a recruiting drive across Bristol, taking on a number of lawyers from city firms. Bristol law firms have been watching the move with interest – especially as a number have opened London offices or merged with firms in the capital in recent years to win work from major competitors.
The office deal was brokered by property agents Lambert Smith Hampton and Alder King on behalf of the building’s joint administrator PwC. DTZ represented Simmons & Simmons.
Lambert Smith Hampton Bristol office agency director Peter Musgrove said: "This is not only a major transaction for Linear Park and the Temple Quay Quarter but for Bristol as a whole. Investment in the city from a firm such as Simmons & Simmons shows great confidence in the region.
"The move is further evidence of a trend in law firms investing in the region and has confirmed Bristol’s status as a centre of excellence for the legal profession.
“Simmons & Simmons can now serve the region from the central hub while maintaining strong links to London and its international offices."
Simon Price of Alder King added: "Linear Park is in a great position to continue to attract high quality tenants such as Simmons & Simmons. The letting is the latest in a long success story for Bristol's Enterprise Zone."
