McDermott Will & Emery and CMS Hasche Sigle have won the lead roles in advising Telefónica Deutschland’s €3.62bn rights offering to help finance the acquisition of E-Plus Group from KPN.
Mishcon and Orrick act as BSGR launches $5bn arbitration against Guinea
Mishcon de Reya has been instructed by BSGR, a Guernsey-registered mining group controlled by Israeli billionaire Beny Steinmetz, in a $5bn lawsuit against Guinea after the West African country withdrew a concession to mine one of world’s largest deposits of iron ore due to allegations of widespread bribery.
Uría Menéndez takes stake in two allies as elite Latam duo agree groundbreaking tie-up
Iberian leader Uría Menéndez has elevated its offering in Latin America and acquired a 30% stake in the merger of its best friend firms and national heavyweights, Philippi and Prietocarrizosa, in a union the firm says is a ‘major milestone’ in its international strategy to consolidate its commitment in the region.
Jones Day hires Paul Hastings’ Neil Hamilton as it builds its London capital markets practice
Within a week of hiring high-yield partner Jonathan Bloom from Ropes & Gray, Jones Day has expanded its securitisation capability in London with former Clifford Chance (CC) partner Neil Hamilton joining the firm.
‘We need to be in London to enable us to meet our clients’ global needs’: Another US litigation boutique launches in London
Financial services boutique BuckleySandler is set to launch its first international office as it expands its global financial crimes practice.
Hogan Lovells loses Asia restructuring head Neil McDonald in Hong Kong
Top ten global firm Kirkland & Ellis continues to build its Asia offering hiring Hogan Lovells head of restructuring in Asia, partner Neil McDonald, in Hong Kong.
PwC Legal makes City corporate push with McDermott partner hire
PwC Legal has hired McDermott Will & Emery City-based corporate partner Mark Crofskey in a bid to boost its UK legal arm’s M&A team. Expected to join the accountancy giant next month, Crofskey will work in PwC Legal’s M&A practice alongside corporate partner Alistair Hogarth in leading a team.
Comment: Women in law – A belated bandwagon, but still welcome
Rarely, even in the conservative game of law, has so necessary a measure been so long avoided until the status quo became so laughably, farcically untenable. The move is for major law firms to start articulating public benchmarks for their proportion of female partners – corporate speak for the series of concrete targets announced this year to stem the huge outflow of talented women from the profession.
Guest post: The Children Act – a look at Ian McEwan’s take on law and the justice system
Fiona Maye is sixty – and a judge in the Family Division of the High Court. Her husband’s about to leave her for a younger woman, she fears, as a case comes before her that will test both her values, and her judgement. A seventeen year old is refusing desperately needed treatment that would save his life, because his religion – his parents have brought him up to be a Jehovah’s Witness – doesn’t allow blood transfusions. The hospital wants her to order the treatment be carried out in spite of his, and his parents’, opposition. What follows will test both the law and the judge herself.
Davis Polk and Cleary advise on RBS float of Citizens as Alibaba US IPO generates $15.8m in legal fees
US firms Davis Polk & Wardwell and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton are advising on Royal Bank of Scotland’s sale of its US subsidiary Citizens Financial Group.