Swedish lawyers have long been prominent in international arbitration. Kaj Hobér, who leads the practice at Mannheimer Swartling, thinks it is down to languages and the country's unusual mix of civil and common law. "We are a civil law code," he says, "but the procedure has always included, for example, oral testimony and cross-examination". He notes that French-Canadians have the same advantage "and they're also quite prominent". Another springboard is the lack of commercial litigation. In Sweden, the arbitration department is the commercial disputes department.

The practice is the second-largest component in the 400-plus lawyer firm. Some years it can generate €15 million in fees. It takes instructions in international commercial arbitration, domestic commercial arbitration and treaty arbitration and has a niche in the Energy Charter Treaty, and East-West disputes. The practice keeps four partners occupied nearly full time, with a further six approaching that. Sure enough, it is one of the best-performing firms from a civil law tradition in the GAR 30.

The firm would like to be seen as more than a regional player. "Our rivals in London and New York like to paint us that way, and it's not accurate," says Hobér. "We are a 420-lawyer firm. We're quite big enough to handle the type of cases that take place in Vienna, London, Moscow, you name it. And we do. Some people don't believe that you can be a global player without an office in London. But you can. We are proof." Hobér adds: "Until recently, I hadn't personally had a Swedish client in 10 years."

One of the changes recently has been the passing of the baton between generations. Some senior partners have become consultants, and three associates have become partners. Mannheimer Swartling also poached the future star from another firm (Olle Flygt of Vinge). In the same period, one elder stateman left - Claes Lundblad (to Roschier). However, factoring all these changes in, the practice has achieved a small net growth. Names to know are:

• Robin Oldenstam - "young and really, really good". Oldenstam is a member of GAR's editorial board. One source calls him "one of the most impressive lawyers I've ever seen";
• Olle Flygt, Fredrik Andersson and Jakob Ragnwaldh. Hobér says these three lawyers are all developing broad-based international practices in his mould. Andersson works from the Gothenburg office;
• Tore Wiwen-Nilsson - with Hobér, the group's elder statesman;
• Richard Chlup - a senior associate at the Moscow office; and
• Kaj Hobér - "a star" and "the top man in Sweden". Hobér is vice chair of the board at the SCC's Arbitration Institute, and on the GAR editorial board. He divides his work between advocacy and sitting as arbitrator. Most years, he's lead counsel on between five and seven cases at any one time. When asked how he manages to fit in 23 appointments along with the rest of his practice, he says: "I've always done it, even before I joined the firm. It's very good for your development as an advocate. Plus I have a good team to carry the load."

The firm has offices in Moscow and St Petersburg. It plans to open in Shanghai and Hong Kong shortly.