Ashurst strengthens legal services innovation capability with launch of third Ashurst Advance global delivery centre in Krakow

Global law firm Ashurst expands its 'NewLaw' offering with the launch of a third Ashurst Advance global delivery centre ('GDC') in Krakow, Poland, as part of its continued commitment to delivering top-tier legal services innovation for clients.

Building on the success and growth of the firm's Glasgow and Brisbane centres, the Krakow GDC will see an expansion of the firm's Ashurst Advance offering, with the introduction of a European-based delivery team to provide enhanced capability and scalability for clients.

"There has been a significant change in what clients expect from their legal advisers over recent years, further fuelled by the macroeconomic environment and increased globalisation," Paul Jenkins, Global CEO, commented. "The drive to provide more for less, combined with the emergence and increased adoption of legal tech, has led to an increased demand for legal services innovation and forward-thinking solutions."

Paul added that the establishment of a third GDC responds to clients' evolving needs and reflects the firm's continued commitment to outpacing change and to driving transformation across the business. "The addition of a GDC in Krakow to our successful and highly flexible delivery model demonstrates our commitment to anticipating and meeting the needs of our clients as they navigate today’s complex business landscape."

The Krakow GDC will form a fully integrated part of the global Ashurst Advance team, working seamlessly with the firm's legal and risk consulting experts, to deliver tailored and cost-effective legal services and solutions to clients globally. The multilingual Krakow team will provide support across a vast number of service lines including managed services, M&A and banking due diligence, disputes and investigations support, contract management, repapering and regulatory change programmes.

Global Co-Head of Ashurst Advance, Hilary Goodier, said: "We are excited to expand our global footprint with the launch of our third GDC. Having a global platform operating seamlessly across Glasgow, Brisbane and now Krakow, will allow the firm to provide innovative services and solutions to our clients wherever they are located. Through this new GDC we will also broaden our European language capabilities, ensuring our team is well-equipped to continue to meet the diverse needs of our clients across the Continent and beyond."

Ashurst has partnered with Elevate, a leading law company, to build and operate the Krakow GDC.

"Collaboration is core to legal services innovation, and we are delighted to be partnering with Elevate on this project. Opening a new global delivery centre requires the mobilisation of a highly skilled and experienced, scalable team, and Elevate's strategic advice and execution has allowed us to do just that," said Chris Georgiou, Global Co-Head of Ashurst Advance. Chris added that the partnership also enabled the firm to accelerate the launch of the centre. "Elevate's experience and professionalism means we can open in Krakow ahead of schedule and with excellent day one capability, bringing immediate value to our clients."

Originally established in Glasgow in 2013 with a team of seven, Ashurst Advance has grown exponentially, both in terms of headcount and client demand, to a multi-disciplinary team of 200 people today across the UK, Australia, Asia, the Middle East and now Continental Europe. Now one of the fastest growing parts of the firm, the team offers the full suite of NewLaw services, including Digital, Advanced Delivery, Legal Managed Services, Legal Operations and Flexible Resourcing, to provide clients with innovative and integrated solutions to their most critical business challenges.