Eversheds pulls out of Bristol and eyes new base in CardiffEversheds is to abandon its Bristol office and consolidate its westcountry practice in Cardiff.All 61 Bristol staff - including 35 lawyers, of whom ten are partners - will be offered the opportunity to transfer from Bristol to Cardiff, where 550 staff are situated.Managing partner David Ansbro said the majority of work carried out by Eversheds in Bristol is not dependent on the firm's presence in the city.The move will fuel recent speculation that Eversheds will move its four-site Cardiff practice into the city's largest speculative office project, the flagship Bute Square development.

A spokeswoman said: 'We are looking at property options, but we haven't made any final decisions yet.'Eversheds announced last week that the firm's Cardiff managing partner David Vokes is to head a new practice group, consolidating volume conveyancing, mortgaging, recoveries and claims management services.

Bryan Hughes replaces him.It is hoped that the Bristol closure will be completed by the beginning of May.Jeremy Fleming