Following a somewhat uneven 2014, Olswang has hired an intellectual property partner duo from US firm Winston & Strawn in a bid to boost its City IP offering, while its corporate head Carpanini steps down after eight years.
In-house: Mercedes Benz appoints Nabarro and Shoosmiths to UK legal panel as WLG loses out
Nabarro and Shoosmiths have secured a joint appointment to the legal panel of Mercedes-Benz UK following a competitive tender process, while Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co has failed to win a place.
Bouncing back: Quinn Emanuel City revenues jump by a third
Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan has become the first US firm to release its London office figures for 2014, boasting a 33% increase in revenues and 44% for profits and rebounding from the sharp drop in turnover experienced in 2013.
Significant hires: Jones Day bolsters disputes team with Dutch Supreme Court Justice
The Netherlands’ Supreme Court Justice Coen Drion has become the nation’s first Justice to leave the Dutch court to join an international firm, joining US firm Jones Day.
Relying on friends: HSF gives up local law licence as it teams up with Singapore outfit
Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) has entered into a best friend agreement with Singapore law firm Prolegis after giving up its Qualifying Foreign Law Practice in the city-state.
Showing its teeth: Law Society invokes Magna Carta as it launches legal action against court fees’ ‘flat tax’
The Law Society is challenging the government’s decision to increase certain court fees by over 600% and has issued a pre-action protocol letter for judicial review saying the move would be tantamount to ‘selling justice’.
Revolving Doors: Management hires for K&L Gates and Eversheds plus a high-profile GC appointment
Last week’s laterals saw a focus on hiring management with K&L Gates bringing in a new finance head in Sydney, Eversheds hiring in London for a head of strategy for Hungary, and, in the US, General Motors (GM) appointing a new general counsel (GC).
Dealwatch: Linklaters, HSF and Travers Smith win key roles as Man Group acquisition targets Japan
Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) won its first M&A mandate for Man Group, as the hedge fund acquired the investment management business of Mayfair-based NewSmith, with Linklaters and Travers Smith also picking up key roles.
Damned statistics: BLP found massaging trainee retention figures
Berwin Leighton Paisner has been caught manipulating its trainee retention figures for this spring’s intake, with its actual figure dropping from 70% to 61%.
US financials round up: White & Case revenues increase, K&L figures are flat, while Cadwalader partner profits drop
US financial results for 2014 continue to stream in with White & Case becoming the latest firm to reveal an increase in revenue while both K&L Gates and Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft bucked the positive trend having turned in lacklustre performances.