Cindy Arces, Managing Partner

Cindy Arces

In December 2018, MNKS announced that it has joined the international PwC network, as an independent law firm, registered with the Luxembourg Bar and subject to the Luxembourg lawyers’ ethic rules. The firm changes its name to become "PwC Legal".

What do you see as the main points that differentiate pwc legal from your competitors?

By joining PwC, our objective was to continue to provide comprehensive and consistent quality service to our clients looking for a multi-territorial expertise and an interdisciplinary approach.

Our adhesion to the network means that not only will we continue to serve our local and international clientele through our extensive expertise in business law, including funds, banking capital markets, M&A, employment, IP tech etc. It also means that we are now stronger in our offering thanks to PwC’s in-depth and time-tested industry knowledge, be it in real estate, hedge funds or private equity.

This membership will help create synergies that will benefit our customers by giving them access to a wider range of professional services, at the same time providing them with the assurance of recognised standards of quality, ethics and independence.

With qualities coming from being part of an international network and those that have made MNKS’ reputation in the market, PwC Legal considers itself more than ever to be "a different law firm in Luxembourg".

Which practices do you see growing in the next 12 months?

What are the drivers behind?

While maintaining our high standards of quality and market shares in our traditional core practices (Corporate, Employment and Litigation), we made specific investments to structure and significantly reinforce some of them.

We will continue, more than ever, to focus our service offering on a limited number of practices while aiming to build in 2019 a solid Investment Fund practice led by newly hired Mathieu Scodellaro to serve this critical market in Luxembourg.

We are confident about the future when it comes to our fast-growing practices (M&A, IP Tech) and we will continue to develop a team of recognised experts led by newly promoted partners, Jean-Philippe Smeets and Audrey Rustichelli.

We are going through considerable changes from an economic and regulatory point of view. In addition to this, Brexit has also led to major uncertainties. These changes are clear sources of business opportunities and we could expect an increase in cross-border transactions and legal issues across multiple jurisdictions.

In this evolving environment, we believe that Luxembourg is well positioned in Europe to benefit from the various developments and that PwC Legal has the right set of skills to serve demanding clients.

What's the main change you've made in the firm that will benefit clients?

Without a doubt, our adhesion to the PwC network has been a massive change, this year. Thanks to our close relationships with PwC offices around the world, we can offer an indisputable set of services to a global clientele. PwC's global legal services network of firms is the largest in the world by geographic coverage and it’s a clear advantage and source of value-added to tie-up with a firm that offers support in all services necessary to improve business performance.

Is technology changing the way you interact with your clients, and the services you can provide them?

Of course, it is. The extensive use of advanced digital tools is a constant goal. To support our business and delivering best-in class legal services, we clearly need the most up-to-date legal database, the most powerful management system etc. We will need to offer our clients shared tools and platforms to make our collaboration more efficient and more secure. While “digital society” is gaining speed, we will build trust in this new environment for the full benefit of our clients.

Are clients looking for stability and strategic direction from their law firms - where do you see the firm in three years' time?

Our firm, as part of an international network, can offer clients a wide range of services in addition to a broad geographic reach. We will grow, we will recruit young talents and we will work hard to strengthen our solid position in the marketplace. Our aim is to help our clients to make best-informed decisions in an increasingly complex world.

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