Tite & Lewis open for businessThe City law firm of Tite & Lewis was resurrected this week when it opened its doors as the correspondent law firm of Big Five accountants Ernst & Young.The firm was originally set up in 1997 in association with Big Five firm Coopers & Lybrand.

Following Coopers' merger with Price Waterhouse, it became Arnheim Tite & Lewis through its own merger with Price Waterhouse's associated law firm, Arnheim & Co.Also this week, Arnheim Tite & Lewis was renamed Landwell as part of a global branding exercise for PricewaterhouseCoopers' legal network.Tite & Lewis is headed by Mark Lewis, chairman, and Christopher Tite, the managing partner, who quit Landwell in February.

They have one other partner, property lawyer Louise Gowman.

All three were previously at City law firm Stephenson Harwood.

In total, 35 staff have left Landwell to join the new firm, including 17 lawyers.

Mr Tite told the Gazette this week that the plan is to have 70 lawyers by this time next year.

He said the firm is already strong in certain areas, such as e-commerce.Landwell currently has 70 lawyers; it was up to around 100 last year, but has lost lawyers to Tite & Lewis and also to KLegal, the firm set up by six Arnheim Tite & Lewis partners in association with accountants KPMG.

A spokeswoman said Landwell was now embarking on a 'massive recruitment drive'.It is understood that Tite & Lewis has agreed to give Landwell some time to establish its new identity before the new firm begins promoting itself.

Mr Tite said it is 'fascinating' to have the chance to put into practice the lessons he and Mr Lewis have learned from their first start-up.

However, the basic model for the firm would be the same as before: 'A City and international law firm alongside Ernst & Young with a strong emphasis on international practice.'Chris Arnheim, who before the Tite and Lewis departures had assumed a more strategic role at Landwell, is its senior partner.

There is no managing partner.Neil Rose