Ince off to Hamburg

London shipping and insurance specialists Ince & Co is opening an office in Hamburg to launch an assault on the market in northern Europe.

The first UK shipping specialist to set up there, the firm will now have six offices worldwide.

Senior partner Peter Rogan said: 'We felt we needed an office in Germany as it has Europe's largest economy and an insurance market becoming ever more aggressive.

Hamburg was chosen due to the size of its shipping industry and because it is the gateway to the Baltic - where we have many large international clients.'Partner Jonathan Lux is to relocate to head up the move and he will be joined in Hamburg by partners Detlef Zschoche and Axel Salander, formerly of local firm Dabelstein & Passehl.Mr Rogan said the mix in the new office was important, balancing 'expert capability in how to practise German law' with 'a senior partner from Ince's who knows the firm's ethos'.He continued: 'We felt to complete the global picture we needed to expand to north Europe as we already have a presence in southern Europe and south-east Asia.'Andrew Towler