Freshfields to Close European Office, Lay Off 10

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is set shutter its office in Bratislava, Slovakia, closing its only Central and Eastern European office outside Vienna and Moscow.

The UK firm will shut its Bratislava office at the end of the financial year. It currently employs four senior lawyers, two associates and four non-legal staff members.

The firm will not offer the Bratislava lawyers a position in the nearby Vienna office.

Freshfields previously had offices in Prague and Budapest, but cut ties with the offices in 2002 and 2007 respectively.

The firm’s decision to close Bratislava comes after Magic Circle rival Linklaters last year decided to close four continental offices.