Bristol-headquartered national law firm TLT has completed its second post-Brexit strategic European alliance as it continues with its strategy of strengthening its international offer for clients.
The link with Belgian law firm GSJ advocaten follows a TLT’s formal strategic alliance with Netherlands law firm Holla last June. 
TLT said it and GSJ had significant expertise in common across a number of sectors, including real estate, financial services, retail and the public sector which will enable cross border support for clients operating in the UK and Belgium.
The firms also said that Belgium’s status as a central hub for European business and its significant position at the heart of the EU would be of increasing importance for clients following Brexit.
TLT sees developing an alliance of firms in key European countries, as well as in the US and India, as central to its growth strategy.
These formal tie-ups will lead to closer collaboration and knowledge sharing across the alliance firms and across the full range of legal services.
TLT head of international Chris Owen, pictured, said: “TLT and GSJ have significant crossovers and a shared focus on key sectors such as financial services, retail, and real estate. 
“Given Belgium’s role as a critical commercial jurisdiction at the heart of the EU political infrastructure, it is of growing strategic importance to many clients operating across the EU and around the world.
“Alongside Holla in the Netherlands, this will ensure that all three firms can support clients’ growing international needs on a seamless basis and will be well-placed to support on their complex, cross-jurisdictional needs.”
TLT managing partner John Wood added: “Despite the challenges of the pandemic our ambitions for the future remain unchecked, and a critical part of that is developing further how we respond to client need for support internationally.
“This new strategic partnership with GSJ, alongside our alliance with Holla, is an important step in building our European offering and we will continue to progress with similar strategic partnerships across Europe, India and the US in the months ahead.”
GSJ managing partner Bart Goossens said the firms had forged the alliance to support clients focused on and operating in the Belgian and UK markets. 
“To that end, the alliance between GSJ and TLT represents a significant opportunity for both of our firms in terms of client service, knowledge sharing and innovation, among other areas,” he said.
“Working alongside both TLT and Holla in the Netherlands, a firm we have known well and collaborated with for many years, we will be able to support internationally focused clients better than ever before.”
For Holla Advocaten managing partner Robert Gebel, the move was in parallel with his firm’s recent growth as it successfully shifted to focus on medium-sized and large businesses and the public sector.
“The number of legal matters we work on that have international aspects has therefore grown significantly,” he said.
“The strategic alliance with TLT has accelerated this process. Now GSJ advocaten is joining the alliance, we can further increase and strengthen our position in the international market. The strategic alliance with TLT and GSJ will allow us to offer clients with cross-border legal issues an even higher quality of service. “
TLT, Bristol’s third largest law firm, employs more than 120 partners and around 1,200 people.
It has been one of the UK’s fastest-growing law firms over the last five years, opening offices in Manchester as well as Belfast, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Alongside the development of key international alliances, the firm continues its largely organic UK growth strategy, achieving a 13% rise in turnover in the last financial year (2019/20) to £98.8m.
Founded in 1985 and located in Antwerp, GSJ is a leading full-service law firm in the Belgium’s domestic market. It achieved an 11% rise in turnover last year.
Its team of 18 partners and 58 lawyers specialise in sectors such as banking and insurance, real estate, retail, industry, public sector, education and health care.
