Quinn sees London revenue and profit drop by around 30% as Weil Gotshal’s 2013 numbers decline

Expansive US litigation boutique Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan has posted conflicting global and London results for 2013, with overall turnover up by 14% to $972.7m while the firm’s City office has posted its first ever decline in revenue and profit since launching in 2008, both down by around 30%.

A&O bolsters corporate practice as PE star follows Lloyd from Ashurst

He was singled out as one of Ashurst’s rainmakers of the future but private equity specialist Karan Dinamani has become the second high-profile corporate exit to Allen & Overy (A&O) in six months.

Dinamani (pictured) joins Ashurst’s former global head of corporate, commercial and competition Stephen Lloyd, who resigned within weeks of the firm fully integrating with Australian partner Blake Dawson and post-merger management elections. Lloyd joined A&O as co-head of its private equity practice in November.

LB100 firms review partnership model as HMRC’s LLP changes loom

The impact of HM Revenue & Customs’ decision to overhaul the way salaried partners are taxed is being felt across the City as a number of leading firms confirm they are reviewing their arrangements, although some of the largest Legal Business 100 firms have come out to categorically deny the changes will have any effect at all.

Orrick duo join DLA Piper to bolster financial regulatory team

DLA Piper has bolstered its London financial regulatory capability with the appointment of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe duo Tony Katz and Sam Millar.

Prior to joining the litigation team at Orrick in October 2011, both Katz and Millar, who join DLA today (5 March), worked at financial derivatives trading company Liquid Capital Group, where Katz held the position of group head of compliance and legal adviser, and Millar was general counsel.

Bar news: Blackstone bolsters commercial litigation capability with hire of Brick Court’s Alan Maclean QC

Leading set Blackstone Chambers has taken further steps to bolster its commercial litigation and arbitration capability with the hire of heavyweight Brick Court Chambers commercial litigator Alan Maclean QC.

Having officially started yesterday (4 February), Maclean (pictured) is acknowledged by the Legal 500 as ‘a force to be reckoned with in the courtroom’ and a ‘streetwise trial advocate.’

Former Dewey & LeBoeuf partner secures summary dismissal against Barclays in battle over capital loan

As the fallout from the demise of Dewey & LeBoeuf continues, the High Court has just dismissed an application made by Barclays for a summary judgment over liability for a capital loan made against a former partner of the now-defunct US firm.

The ruling, published on 28 February, dealt with Barclays contention that former Dewey partner Charles Landgraf was liable for the repayment of a loan totalling $486,000 paid into the firm’s account to cover his capital contribution, plus interest.

Freshfields lifer Julian Long takes over from Rawlinson as London managing partner

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has named current London corporate head and Freshfields lifer Julian Long as its new London managing partner, taking over from incumbent Mark Rawlinson, who is returning to client work.

Long, an M&A partner, has earned his stripes having been at Freshfields for his entire career, making partner in 1995 and being promoted to head of London corporate in June 2011. His former roles include sector group leader for the consumer, health and retail group.

Eyes on the prize: RFU to commence first law firm panel overhaul in six years

The Rugby Football Union (RFU)’s legal spend may be overshadowed by the majority of City clients but the prestige of advising a major sporting body means sports practices in the City are likely to be lining up when it launches its first panel review in over six years.

The review, which will be led by recently-promoted head of legal Angus Bujalski, will take place soon after the RFU has completed the hire of an additional commercial lawyer to its team. Bujalski took over as head of legal in November after previous incumbent Polly Handford left for sports boutique Couchmans.

Comment: Ambition and culture – the key tests CC’s deal team must pass

First, the case for the defence. Given that private equity partners gossip like fishwives, you can be somewhat sceptical over the received wisdom that the latest in a line of significant departures from Clifford Chance (CC)’s buyout team represents a terminal decline.

The firm retains a sizeable roster of partners, with 11 covering private equity in the City, including seasoned players such as David Pearson and Jonny Myers, not to mention practice head Oliver Felsenstein, one of Germany’s most respected PE men (CC should, however, avoid mentioning Matthew Layton in this camp – good as he is, it’s embarrassing to invoke your new chief executive as a deal runner).