Norton Rose Fulbright announced Monday that the global law firm is “winding down” its operations in Russia “as quickly as we can.”
Formerly known as Houston-based Fulbright & Jaworski, Norton Rose Fulbright said it is closing its Moscow office “in compliance with its professional obligations” and that the “well-being of our staff in the region is a priority.”
“Norton Rose Fulbright stands unequivocally with the people of Ukraine who are suffering as a result of the increasingly brutal invasion by Russia,” Norton Rose Fulbright said in a written statement.
Three law firms with deep Texas roots – Akin Gump, Baker Botts and Norton Rose Fulbright – have active operations in Russia. Combined, the three corporate law firms have about 50 lawyers and an additional 100 staffers employed in Moscow.
“We are not accepting any further instructions from businesses, entities or individuals connected with the current Russian regime, irrespective of whether they are sanctioned or not,” Norton Rose Fulbright said in its statement.
“In addition, we continue to review exiting from existing work for them where our professional obligations as lawyers allow,” the law firm stated. “Where we cannot exit from current matters, we will donate the profits from that work to appropriate humanitarian and charitable causes.”
Norton Rose Fulbright found itself in an apparent internal dispute last week when Bloomberg published an internal memo reportedly from the global firm’s leadership that instructed its staff to “refrain from providing any commentary” regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
A few hours later, the chair of Norton Rose Fulbright’s Canada operations wrote on LinkedIn that he and his colleagues “stand with the people of Ukraine” and that no other position is remotely acceptable and is completely disavowed.” Norton Rose Fulbright later told Bloomberg that the original memo was not meant to prohibit its lawyers from speaking out in favor of Ukraine.
Norton Rose Fulbright, in the written statement, said it is “working with our charitable partners in every region to raise funds to help the people of Ukraine, as well as providing pro bono support to those Ukrainians and others who are being forced to relocate.”