One of Bermuda's top lawyers is to team up with the accounting firm Ernst & Young to offer a `one-stop-shop' service for international business.

The deal will be the first of its kind in Bermuda, and will allow both legal and accounting advice to be offered to clients at the same time.

The new practice, called Hollis and Co., is being set up by Wendell Hollis and, according to Ernst & Young, will bring more business to Bermuda.

Jan Spiering, managing partner of Ernst & Young Bermuda, said: "One of our goals at Ernst & Young is to leverage our international ties to bring additional business to Bermuda.

"We see greater opportunities for promoting new business through this new partnership. Many of our clients already benefit from our legal services offered internationally and want to have the same services in Bermuda. They see value in a one-stop-shop.'' Mr. Hollis is to leave Mello, Hollis, Jones and Martin, where he was a founding partner, and set up the new company in February.

Yesterday, after the announcement was made, he said he was leaving the firm with mixed emotions.

He said he was extremely proud of the position that the firm had created for itself in the Bermuda and international marketplace, but it was time to move on.

Mr. Hollis said: "I am very excited to have this new opportunity at this stage in my career to make what I consider to be a very dynamic move into an emerging area of professional practice which will enable Hollis & Co to service its clients in an unprecedented way.'' Mr. Hollis added that although his new business was a partnership with Ernst & Young, his company would be a separate entity.

He said the practice would be a multi-disciplinary practice and enable him to provide a focused and specialised service for clients.

Mr. Spiering added: "With this new alliance our full range of services will include accounting, auditing, legal, actuarial, tax, corporate recovery and insolvency, fund administration, and a consulting service for business information systems.'' Mr. Hollis said that the globalisation of business meant that professional services also had to work in a world market. He added: "An alliance of this kind makes good sense - it's a natural fit'' He said: "One unique opportunity this will bring is the ability to arrange for young Bermudian attorneys to receive training and experience in other member Ernst & Young law firms abroad.'' Lawyer to set up new firm Mr. Hollis singled out e-commerce and telecommunications as particularly promising new areas of development for their business.

Andrew Martin, one of the partners at Mello, Hollis, Jones & Martin, said the partners were proud of Mr. Hollis' long association with the firm, but added that his new venture enabled him to embark on a new path with fresh challenges.

Wendell Hollis: `I am very excited to have this new opportunity at this state in my career' BUSINESS BUC