CUATRECASAS approves the opening of offices in Shanghai and Casablanca

Xavier Melero and Luis Perez de Ayala are appointed equity partners

The Cuatrecasas Partners Assembly decided, in its meeting held on Friday, December 15, to open new offices in China and Morocco. The new offices, lo-cated in Shanghai and Casablanca, will begin to operate in the first quarter of 2007 and will form part of the firm's network of international offices.

18 December 2006. After setting up an office in London last June, Cuatrecasas reinforces its international expansion strategy by opening new offices in Shanghai and Casablanca. With these two new openings, the firm extends its network of international offices and reinforces its vocation to accompany its clients in their international expansion in the leading business centres worldwide.

The Casablanca office will be located in the heart of Morocco's financial capital, beside the Twin Centre. Initially, three lawyers will work there, who will centre their legal advice on corporate, tax and labour issues but will also offer solutions to their clients on all areas of business law. The new office will come into opera-tion in the early months of 2007.

The Cuatrecasas partners also ratified the proposal to appoint Xavier Melero, a criminal lawyer, and Luis Perez de Ayala, a specialist in administrative and regu-latory law, as equity partners. Mr. Melero, a renowned criminal lawyer, joined the firm with his entire legal team after his firm was taken over by Cuatrecasas on June 1. Mr. Prez de Ayala, counsel for the state, was secretary of the Board of Directors of Enags until he joined Cuatrecasas last November.

Finally, the Partners Assembly approved the revenue, expense and investment budgets for 2007.

Cuatrecasas: three generations united by law
Cuatrecasas, one of the leading law firms on the Iberian Peninsula, has a team of over 800 lawyers. Founded in 1917, its legal practice covers all areas of business law. By combining corporate law and litigation with a powerful tax, financial and labour practice, it offers its clients comprehensive legal advice that emphasises a personal approach and achieving results. Cuatrecasas offers advice through its network of offices located in the main cities of Spain and Portugal, as well as in Brussels, London, New York, Paris and Sao Paulo.

-Best Managed Firm Award Europe 2006 by the Managing Partners Forum
-Best Spanish Law Firm of the Year 2005 by the International Law Office
-Iberian Law Firm of the Year 2004 by the British publication Chambers

Contact details:
Gabinete de Comunicacion (Press Office)
Tel: +34 91 524 73 50
Email: comunicacion@cuatrecasas.com
Web: www.cuatrecasas.com