London law firm Eversheds Sutherland has entered into a relationship with a newly-formed Russian firm made up of its former employees.

The news comes a few weeks after the company took a moral stance against Putin, vowing to exit the Russian market and sever ties with the country after it began to invade Ukraine in February. It had around 50 lawyers and support staff across two offices in Moscow and St Petersburg.

Eversheds Sutherland says its all of its Russian lawyers had transferred to its newly launched relationship firm, Birch Legal, and this will continue to service Eversheds’ ‘international clients’.

Birch Legal told customers that it was only the company’s name that had changed and on its website claims it will act as Eversheds’ ‘exclusive partner’ in the Russian market.

In a statement, Birch Legal said: “We wish the circumstances leading to the creation of Birch Legal were different, nonetheless we wish our friends and former colleagues in Russia well for their new endeavour.”