Global firms are scrambling to cherrypick offices and teams from Coudert Brothers after the global firm bowed out of the legal game.

 After a year of departures, office closures and speculation, the firm released a statement last month informing the world: "After exploring various options, the partners of Coudert have authorised the firm to enter into combinations of offices and practice groups with other firms."

This means that in Australia the future of the firm's lawyers and two offices, headed by the recently appointed Australian managing partner Michelle Harpur, is up in the air.

A spokesperson for the firm told ALB: "At present there is nothing more to add beyond Coudert Brothers' statement regarding the transitioning of the firm. The Sydney partners are continuing to consider a number of opportunities and as soon as there is something concrete to add we will be in touch."

However, at press time partners Harpur, Peter Calov and Justin Adam had agreed to join Corrs Chambers Westgarth.

Meanwhile, in the rest of the world, Baker & McKenzie has reportedly made an offer for Coudert's offices in New York, Washington DC, Moscow and Almaty.

A little closer to home, an ALB source has confirmed that the Bangkok office has already received an offer from a rival firm with an official announcement expected soon.

The two Bangkok partners - including Stephen Bennett - have already left to join Hunton & Williams. The ever-acquisitive DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary had its eye on the firm's China practice. However, DLA Piper has been beaten to the line by Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe, which will be taking the majority of the firm's offices in Hong Kong and Mainland China.

The irony of Orrick's acquisition is that the US firm was one of the firms to badly maul Coudert earlier this year when it raided its London and Moscow offices.

The defection of those partners was the final nail in the coffin for the 153-yearold firm. ALB