Providing a "seamless" service for clients is the aim behind the new North South Legal alliance, an association between Dublin-based solicitor McCann FitzGerald and Belfast-based firm L'Estrange & Brett.

While each form will retain its independence, they will combine their resources by creating teams compromising members from each firm to advise and assist clients whose business activities involve both jurisdictions. The association is targeting the areas of mergers and acquisitions, cross-border financial transactions, infrastructural projects, public private partnerships in the Republic/Northern Ireland, as well as business with interests in both jurisdictions.

By using the team approach clients will get an integrated service which takes account of the differences between each jurisdiction while dealing with members of the firm who saw familiar with their business operations according to the association.

McCann FitzGerald partner Mr Ronan Moloney said a key objective of the association was to deliver legal service in "an integrated and co-ordinated way" in each of the legal jurisdictions of the Republic and Northern Ireland. L'Estrange a & Brett said the association will build on the skills of each firm.