Municipio de Mariana & Ors v BHP Group

Municipio de Mariana & Ors v BHP Group

Described by one London disputes head as ‘the biggest class action ever’, Municipio de Mariana & Ors v BHP Group sees a claimant class of more than 700,000 bringing claims for damages in excess of £36bn arising from the 2015 collapse of Brazil’s Fundão Dam. On 5 November 2015 the dam suffered a catastrophic failure. …

Mastercard proceedings

Mastercard proceedings

Complex claims are being brought against Mastercard and Visa in an ongoing decade-long saga involving over 1,800 corporate claimants across the hospitality, arts, financial services, and leisure sectors. With three different strands of cases – Merricks v Mastercard, collective cards, and umbrella proceedings – lawyers involved are finding themselves in court almost weekly. The first …

Russian aircraft claims

Russian aircraft claims

In line with the trend towards mega-trials, the Commercial Court in October is due to hear the highly publicised Russian aircraft insurance claims, with aircraft lessors bringing multiple proceedings across a range of jurisdictions. The losses arise from the detention of hundreds of commercial aircraft in Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine and the …

‘Credibility in both US and English law is non-negotiable’ – A&O Shearman readies for launch

‘Credibility in both US and English law is non-negotiable’ – A&O Shearman readies for launch

As the latest edition of Legal Business went to press in late April, Allen & Overy (A&O) and Shearman & Sterling were working to a deadline of their own – the 1 May go-live date for their mega-merger. The headline figures are undeniable – A&O Shearman will come into existence with 4,000 lawyers in 48 …

A&O high yield head retires ahead of Shearman tie-up as firm makes first combined partner promos

A&O high yield head retires ahead of Shearman tie-up as firm makes first combined partner promos

Prominent high-yield partner Kevin Muzilla has retired from Allen & Overy, in the latest departure from the practice ahead of next month’s A&O Shearman mega-merger. Ranked in the Legal 500 Hall of Fame for London high-yield, Muzilla joined A&O from Milbank as a partner in 2009, and has since headed up the firm’s leveraged finance …

Shearman’s McKimm steps aside ahead of A&O tie-up as US firms continue to snap up top London talent

Shearman’s McKimm steps aside ahead of A&O tie-up as US firms continue to snap up top London talent

With just a month to go until the A&O Shearman tie-up goes live, Shearman has announced that Europe managing partner and EMEA finance team leader Ward McKimm is retiring, marking one of the highest-profile pre-merger exits to date. ‘Shearman & Sterling and Ward McKimm jointly confirm that, after a nearly 30-year career as a leading …

On the horns of a trilemma

On the horns of a trilemma

For close to two years now, energy sector commentators have spoken of a ‘trilemma’: a struggle to balance the three competing imperatives of energy transition, security, and affordability. Of these three, energy transition arguably looms largest. For John Dewar, project, energy and infrastructure finance partner at Milbank and Legal 500 Hall of Famer for power: …

Energy perspectives: Clare Burgess

Energy perspectives: Clare Burgess

What made you decide to become a lawyer and why did you choose to go into infrastructure transactions? I chose to study law with thoughts of becoming a barrister. While at university I was introduced to City law firms through the milk rounds and was drawn to the emphasis on working as a team, opportunities …