Lorra law and culture

Legal work in Liverpool is set to boom as a result of the city winning its bid to become Europe's Capital of Culture for 2008, lawyers in the city said this week.

Liverpool law firms which sponsored the bid included DWF, Brabners Chaffe Street, DLA and Lees Lloyd Whitley.

Mark O'Connor, a partner with DWF - which acted as adviser to the bid company - said: 'A series of commercial and building projects will now start up to be ready in five years' time.'

He said the combination of winning the bid and remaining an 'objective one region' - an area in receipt of a special regeneration budget from the European Union - would work together to boost construction and other projects.

Law firms would be heavily involved, he said.

Ian Hodgkinson, head of corporate law at Liverpool-based Mace & Jones, said: 'I am positive the next five years will see the business confidence and growth escalate, accompanied by higher levels of activity in the mergers and acquisition market.

These factors have a cumulative effect.'

The bid is forecast to bring Liverpool 14,000 new jobs, 2 billion in new investment and 1.7 million extra visitors spending an estimated 200 million.

Jeremy Fleming