City firm Lovells will launch its long-awaited Spanish practice this autumn after hiring the head of corporate in Madrid of top Spanish firm Cuatrecasas.

Jos Maria Bala, who will join as managing partner of the new office, said: 'We will not sacrifice quality for speed in building up our team.'

The focus of the office will be transactional expertise in corporate and finance, although it will also advise on other areas of business law such as competition, dispute resolution, employment and real estate.

Meanwhile, City firm Linklaters has announced the end of its alliance with Italian firm Gianni Origoni Grippo & Partners.

In a statement the firms said: '[We] have jointly concluded the association is unlikely to lead to merger and so have decided it is in both firms' interests now to end the formal association.'

Philip Hoult