Deal watch: Westfield GC exits for something ‘very different’ as takeover completes while DLA lands Poundworld administration role

Deal watch: Westfield GC exits for something ‘very different’ as takeover completes while DLA lands Poundworld administration role

Retail’s high street struggles are keeping advisers in the sector busy, as multiple firms took roles on the £18.5bn takeover of Westfield Corporation and DLA Piper took the lead on the administration of discount retailer Poundworld. A host of firms across the globe advised as French property company, Unibail-Rodamco, completed its acquisition of shopping centre operator …

‘We can’t grumble’: Osborne Clarke looks to capitalise on double-digit growth streak

‘We can’t grumble’: Osborne Clarke looks to capitalise on double-digit growth streak

Osborne Clarke (OC)’s leadership duo had two reasons to party in Brussels overnight: it has been five years since the firm opened an office there, and the latest financial results confirmed a five-year average of double-digit revenue growth. OC posted double-digit growth in both global and UK revenue for the 2017/18 financial year, up 14% to …

‘Very selective’: DLA goes to Freshfields for rare City corporate hire in wake of London losses

‘Very selective’: DLA goes to Freshfields for rare City corporate hire in wake of London losses

It has been something of a one-way street out of DLA Piper’s London office recently but the global giant believes it has filled a gap in its corporate practice with the hire of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer veteran Martin Nelson-Jones. Nelson-Jones had been partner at Freshfields since 2001 and was previously the firm’s co-head of global infrastructure and …

Bidding opens on UK government’s reshaped £320m public sector legal panel

Bidding opens on UK government’s reshaped £320m public sector legal panel

The UK government’s bid to trim legal costs for the public sector has taken another step after firms were invited to pitch for a multitude of spots on the Crown Commercial Service’s (CCS) new £320m panel. Procurement agency CCS announced last October it planned to set up a £650m ‘legal services marketplace’ through which central government, …

Taylor Wessing finalises leadership overhaul as litigation chief succeeds veteran managing partner Eyles

Taylor Wessing finalises leadership overhaul as litigation chief succeeds veteran managing partner Eyles

Taylor Wessing has completed its management reshuffle with the election of the law firm’s litigation co-head Shane Gleghorn (pictured) to managing partner. Gleghorn succeeds veteran managing partner Tim Eyles, who announced in December he would be stepping down days before the 1,000-lawyer firm elected Dominic FitzPatrick as its new senior partner, replacing Adam Marks after six …

‘We continue to look’: Listed Gateley eyes more opportunities after first legal acquisition

‘We continue to look’: Listed Gateley eyes more opportunities after first legal acquisition

The boss of AIM-listed law firm Gateley is confident investors would support further acquisitions after its third in three years, citing a return to the capital markets as an option, for the right opportunity. Earlier this week, Gateley announced it was making its first legal acquisition since its landmark £30m listing in 2015, entering an agreement …

The wheat from the chaff – Hustling start-ups meet City law

The wheat from the chaff – Hustling start-ups meet City law

In a quiet east London street off the bustling Brick Lane, a few doors from a sign tagged ‘Vegan Hair Salon’ is a co-working space. You meet Gaz, the office’s bulldog, and work among Star Wars figurines, gaming consoles and an electric drum kit. It has blackboard walls and is suspiciously empty on a Friday …

McDermott’s mass lawyer swoop casts shadow over DLA financial renaissance

McDermott’s mass lawyer swoop casts shadow over DLA financial renaissance

It has been a bumpy few months for DLA Piper. Just as the dust was settling following McDermott Will & Emery (MWE)’s 20-partner blitz on its US offices, the Chicago-based firm hired another three partners from DLA in London. What a way to take some of the gloss off a turnaround in global turnover to …

KPMG: Still not a law firm, still not being taken lightly

KPMG: Still not a law firm, still not being taken lightly

KPMG’s global head of legal Jürg Birri (pictured) does not know how much it will cost to reach its target of doubling its legal services arm to 3,000 lawyers in the next three years. He floats $50m and $100m, but for him it is beside the point. It is the appetite he is seeing from …

Novartis GC Ehrat steps down over ‘error’ in Trump lawyer agreement

Novartis GC Ehrat steps down over ‘error’ in Trump lawyer agreement

Veteran group general counsel of Swiss healthcare giant Novartis, Felix Ehrat, is standing down after admitting ‘an error’ relating to the company’s former agreement with US President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer. Ehrat (pictured) will retire from Novartis in June, the company said on Wednesday (16 May). Ehrat, who has been GC and a member of …