Legal Business

Comings and goings – Hogan Lovells financial disputes partner to depart

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Litigation Hogan Lovells
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Hogan Lovells is set to lose financial disputes and legacy Lovells partner Luci Angus from its ranks in four weeks’ time.

Having been made up to partner in 2007 prior to Lovells merger with Washington DC-based Hogan & Hartson, Angus is experienced in disputes involving banks and other financial institutions and completed a secondment at Barclays during her time at the firm. Her experience also includes previously advising an investment bank in relation to allegations of mis-selling in connection with a $2bn collateralised debt obligation.

Angus is expected to take time off for personal reasons when she leaves Hogan Lovells, and is not said to be joining another firm at present.

She is one of a number of legacy Lovells contentious partners to exit the firm since the merger went live in 2010, while other legacy dispute partners to depart include duo Graham Huntley and Helen Brannigan in March 2012, who set up their own litigation boutique Signature Litigation, and partner Lawson Caisley, who quit for Allen & Overy that same month.

Michael Davison, global co-head of the litigation, arbitration & employment at Hogan Lovells, said: ‘Luci has enjoyed a successful career with the firm, advising some of the world’s largest banks, investment banks and other financial services institutions on a plethora of complex litigation matters. On behalf of all partners and everyone in Hogan Lovells we would like to express our deep appreciation and thanks for the commitment Luci has shown to the firm and wish her all the best for whatever new challenges she decides to take on.’

Hogan Lovells is acknowledged to have wrestled with some cultural issues and struggled for growth since the 2010 union, which forged a top 15 global law firm. However, the ambitious firm has remained in investment mode across its global network. Hogan Lovells in recent months has recruited notable partners such as Norton Rose Fulbright competition partner Mark Jones, Field Fisher Waterhouse’s head of data protection Eduardo Ustaran and as well as SJ Berwin corporate partner Ed Harris.

The LB100 firm also announced this month that it is to combine with 120-lawyer South African firm Routledge Modise, which is set to rebrand under the Hogan Lovells name as early as 2014.

sarah.downey@legalease.co.uk

For more on the post-merger challenges facing Hogan Lovells, see our analysis, The daily grind – toil and tension as Hogan Lovells gets past the honeymoon period.

Legal Business

Merger watch: Hogan Lovells to tie-up with South Africa’s Routledge Modise

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Legal mergers Hogan Lovells
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Hogan Lovells is to combine with South African law firm Routledge Modise, with the union set to go live on 1 December.

The Johannesburg office will comprise 120 lawyers, including 40 partners, and will focus on corporate, commercial, litigation, mining and employment work, while Routledge Modise is expected to rebrand and relaunch as Hogan Lovells in early 2014.

The top 10 LB100 firm informed its partners of the move today (19 November) and said in a statement that a physical presence in Africa has become increasingly important as the majority of its top 200 clients have operations on the continent.It also noted that South Africa is regarded as the ‘gateway into sub-Saharan Africa more generally, with many companies basing their regional headquarters there, particularly in Johannesburg.’

Hogan Lovells global co-CEO David Harris, said: ‘Africa is an extremely important market for our clients and to us as a firm. A significant number of our clients have an interest or a presence on the continent and with Africa’s substantial natural resources, expanding economies and growing consumer base, the level of interest will continue to increase rapidly.

‘We already have a very active and successful Africa practice which currently has over 40 lawyers based in the US, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. This combination will significantly expand our Africa capabilities and will be beneficial to a large number of our key clients.

‘Routledge Modise is an excellent fit with Hogan Lovells – they are recognised for having high quality partners, a cohesive partnership ethos, ambition, and an international outlook, and we look forward to our future together as one firm worldwide.’

Routledge Modise was formerly an ally of Eversheds but that alliance came to an end in October last year.

Chairman of Routledge Modise, Lavery Modise, added: ‘Both firms have proven track records. This is a merger of expertise and knowledge to ensure we continue to offer our clients the very best legal services.’

sarah.downey@legalease.co.uk

Legal Business

NRF loses second competition veteran as Mark Jones joins Hogan Lovells

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Strategic recruitment Hogan LovellsNorton Rose Fulbright
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Hogan Lovells has confirmed its latest lateral hire is Norton Rose Fulbright longstanding antitrust partner Mark Jones, who is to join the antitrust, competition and economic regulation (ACER) practice at the transatlantic firm in the New Year.

Jones is experienced in various aspects of competition law including behavioural and market investigations, merger control and compliance and utilities regulation, across the energy, infrastructure, insurance, and retail sectors.

His departure coincides with that of leading partner Michael Grenfell who, it emerged last Thursday (14 November), is to join the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) as a senior sectoral director, having specialised in competition for 25 years and headed NRF’s competition group between 2002-2011.

Hogan Lovells co-head of the ACER practice and competition heavyweight Suyong Kim said: ‘Mark’s extensive experience and success in high profile competition and regulatory investigations speaks for itself.

‘He is extremely well-regarded in the market and many of the Hogan Lovells team already know him from working alongside him on competition investigations and appeals. Mark’s recruitment reflects our continuing investment in our global team, which combines first-rate client service and legal skills with in-depth industry knowledge.’

Mark Jones added: ‘After twenty great years at Norton Rose Fulbright I am very much looking forward to joining the hugely impressive Hogan Lovells team.’

Hogan Lovells has made a number of high profile lateral hires in recent months, including Field Fisher Waterhouse’s (FFW) head of data protection Eduardo Ustaran, as well as SJ Berwin corporate partner Ed Harris.

Meanwhile Norton Rose, in a statement said: ‘Norton Rose Fulbright’s competition team has expanded globally in recent years and now has over 120 leading competition lawyers internationally including over 20 in London.’ Martin Coleman, global practice leader of antitrust, competition and regulatory, added: ‘After 20 years at the firm, we can understand that Mark is leaving for a fresh challenge. He has been a great colleague personally and we would like to thank him for his contribution to the firm.’

sarah.downey@legalease.co.uk

Legal Business

Field Fisher loses construction head to Fladgate weeks after loss of privacy head to Hogan Lovells

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Strategic recruitment FieldfisherFladgateHogan Lovells
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Just weeks after Field Fisher Waterhouse lost its head of privacy Eduardo Ustaran to Hogan Lovells, the 350-lawyer UK top 40 firm has seen head of construction Alan Woolston move to West End firm Fladgate.

Woolston, who specialises in construction and engineering law, takes associate Chris Farrell with him and his arrival brings the number of partners in Fladgate’s construction and projects team to eight.

The hire comes as Fladgate pursues a strategy to build up its construction and projects team, having brought in Rosenblatt’s former head of projects, contracts and infrastructure Cathy Ley in June this year.

Meanwhile, Woolston’s departure from Field Fisher comes after Ustaran – a senior equity partner who built and led the firm’s first-tier privacy and information law group – in October joined 2527-lawyer Hogan Lovells’ global privacy and information practice to manage its European capability.

Ustaran was notably held to a 19-month notice period but it is understood that the same draconian restrictions will not apply to Woolston, who has been at the firm for five years was not an equity partner.

It’s been a turbulent time for 150-partner Field Fisher, following unsuccessful merger discussions with both Laurence Graham in June 2012 and Osborne Clarke in January this year.

The 358-lawyer firm unveiled a 3% drop in revenue this year to £95m alongside an 8% drop in profit per equity partner to £398,000. In contrast, the past financial year saw Fladgate’s PEP rise by 2% to £406,000.

Woolston said of his appointment: ‘Fladgate has an ambitious plan for its future development. This, combined with its established construction and projects team, international focus and expertise in complementary areas, provides an exciting opportunity for me to develop my practice and to build the relationships for the benefit of my clients.’

francesca.fanshawe@legalease.co.uk

Legal Business

Hogan Lovells’ ambitious capital expansion draws in second HSF partner

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Strategic recruitment Herbert Smith FreehillsHogan Lovells
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As Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) continues to lose London partners so Hogan Lovells is in the midst of aggressively bulking up in the capital and today (5 November) announced internally that HSF environmental partner Louise Moore will re-join the firm.

Moore – who focuses on M&A and private equity and has advised high profile clients including Energy Capital Partners, Chevron, BP and EDF – will re-join the transatlantic firm’s London office in early 2014, having trained with legacy Lovells and become an environmental partner before moving to HSF in 2007.

Commenting on Moore’s arrival, Andrew Skipper, global co-head of Hogan Lovells’ corporate practice said: ‘Louise has a strong global reputation for environmental work and we are delighted to have her back. Her skills and experience in the field speak for themselves and she is a great fit with our practice, complementing perfectly our corporate, disputes and energy and infrastructure teams.’

Moore added: ‘Hogan Lovells offers an exceptional international platform to really develop an unparalleled global environmental team which is integrated with its market-leading transactional and disputes practices.’

Hogan Lovells has made a number of significant hires into its London office this year, and is expected to make more. This is its second raid on HSF’s London office in under six months, after it hired tax litigation partner Rupert Shiers as head of direct tax disputes in June, and more recently brought on Field Fisher Waterhouse’s privacy and information group head Eduardo Ustaran. Ustaran is notably being held to a 19-month notice period, keeping him at Field Fisher until May 2015. Elsewhere, SJ Berwin private equity partner Ed Harris also quit for Hogan Lovells in late October.

Meanwhile, for HSF, Moore’s move follows disputes star Ted Greeno’s departure for Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan earlier this year; London corporate fraud and asset tracing head Simon Bushell’s move to Latham & Watkins in February; and financial services duo Martyn Hopper and Nikunj Kiri arrival at Linklaters in January.

sarah.downey@legalease.co.uk

Legal Business

Deal Watch: Hogan Lovells and CC lead on AMC Networks’ $1bn buyout

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Corporate Clifford ChanceHogan Lovells
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Clifford Chance (CC) and Hogan Lovells have plugged into the renaissance in US television production after advising on a $1bn (€750m) buyout by US entertainment group AMC Networks of Chellomedia, the international content division of media company Liberty Global.

The acquisition announced on Monday (28 October) provides the entertainment group with 68 new television channels distributed to more than 390m households in 138 countries, and the opportunity to distribute its programming worldwide, including celebrated shows like Breaking Bad, Mad Men, and The Walking Dead.

CC’s TMT and tax groups worked on the deal, with City-based head of media Daniel Sandelson advising AMC Networks alongside corporate partner Ben Sibbett in New York. The firm’s tax team was led by partners Nick Mace and Philip Wagman, based in London and New York respectively.

Hogan Lovells advised Liberty Global, controlled by US tycoon John Malone, on the disposal of Chellomedia, with corporate partner Alan Greenough leading alongside corporate of counsel Keith Woodhouse in London.

Hogan Lovells had previously worked on Liberty’s European competition, pensions and employee share plan for its $24bn takeover of Virgin Media in February this year. It has also previously been retained by Chellomedia on its purchase of MGM Networks from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios in August 2012.

Liberty Global, the largest cable company in Europe, will retain its Dutch premium channel business, consisting of its Film1 and Sport1 channels.

Greenough commented: ‘We are pleased to have advised on this high profile and strategically important transaction for our clients which is attractive from both a valuation and liquidity perspective. It will allow Liberty Global to simplify its business and focus on its core markets and more strategic programming opportunities.’ The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2014.

sarah.downey@legalease.co.uk

Legal Business

Revolving Doors: SJ Berwin corporate heavyweight Harris to Hogan Lovells as Bingham and Bond Dicks make key hires

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Strategic recruitment Hogan LovellsWomble Bond Dickinson
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Just weeks away from its merger with King Wood & Mallesons, SJ Berwin corporate heavyweight Ed Harris is leaving for Hogan Lovells as Bingham McCutcheon also raids Jones Day to build its London competition team and Osborne Clarke’s remaining two-partner private client team joins Bond Dickinson.

Harris, who will move across to Hogan Lovells on an unknown date as a result of ongoing negotiations with management, has been at SJ Berwin since 2007 and has advised a number of high profile clients including Terra Firma, Pantheon Ventures Investindustrial, EQT, Actavis and Constellation Software Inc.

Harris advised Duke Street on its €45m stake during the refinancing of European payment network Payzone in 2010, acting again for the private equity investor last year on the acquisition of a stake in insurance law firm Parabis Group.

Elsewhere, Jones Day London competition chief Frances Murphy, whose clients include AstraZeneca, The London Metal Exchange, Ryder Systems, Sanofi-Aventis, SES and WL Ross, joins US firm Bingham McCutcheon’s antitrust, competition and trade regulation practice group in London, bringing the office’s competition headcount to three.

‘Frances is a terrific addition to our strong team of antitrust lawyers worldwide,’ said senior litigator Richard Taffet. ‘Her arrival underscores Bingham’s commitment to growing our competition law practice in Europe. Frances is known for her entrepreneurial focus, client service, and ability to help build a top-tier global antitrust presence. Her arrival further enables us to leverage our US and Japanese antitrust and competition law practice to quicken the pace of cross-border coordinated antitrust representations for clients.’

Murphy’s arrival at Bingham is pointed to by the firm as a sign of the increasing diversification of its London office – following as it does the hire of Herbert Smith Freehills investment funds partner Thiha Tun – as well as the investment in its wider antitrust practice, which globally has grown by eight partners in five years.

Meanwhile, top 35 national firm Bond Dickinson has grown its private wealth sector with the hire of Osborne Clarke’s former two-partner private client team as the latter firm restructures its private client offering.

Partners Mark Woodward and Robert Drewett – who advise on estates, trusts and inheritance tax work – will move across to 700-lawyer Bond Dickinson with their associated teams as Osborne Clarke looks to recruit a small new private wealth group, which is closer aligned with the firm’s corporate focus, in particular entrepreneurs and high net-worth international clients.

This comes just a few months after Osborne Clarke private client partner Sandra Brown left the firm with part of the business to join Michelmores in May this year.

Head of private wealth at Bond Dickinson, David Dale said: ‘This is a fantastic opportunity to significantly expand our wealth management expertise with the acquisition of a superb team with an excellent track record and reputation in the market place.’

francesca.fanshawe@legalease.co.uk

Legal Business

Strategic hires: Field Fisher head of privacy to join Hogan Lovells but held to 19 month notice period

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Strategic recruitment FieldfisherHogan Lovells
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Hogan Lovells has moved to significantly boost its European privacy capability with the hire of Field Fisher Waterhouse group head Eduardo Ustaran as the departing lawyer is held to a 19 month notice period by his firm.

Having built and led Field Fisher’s first-tier privacy and information law group, heavyweight Ustaran will join 2527-lawyer Hogan Lovells’ global privacy and information practice to manage its European capability.

The dual-qualified English solicitor and Spanish abogado is acknowledged in the Legal 500 as providing ‘very knowledgeable and commercial support’ while also displaying ‘deep involvement in the data protection community.’

Field Fisher’s privacy clients include Vodafone, Thomson Reuters, Ernst & Young, Nintendo, Reed Elsevier and Orange Business Services.

Commenting on Ustaran’s arrival, Christopher Wolf, global co-head of Hogan Lovells privacy and information management practice, said: ‘We are seeing significant growth in privacy and data protection regulation and enforcement in the EU. We already have a strong privacy team in the US, London and in continental Europe in both UK and multi-jurisdictional data protection projects.

‘Eduardo will significantly boost our capabilities in this area. In particular, Eduardo has a highly-regarded track record in advising on complex and business-critical data protection issues, including his involvement in the development of the future EU data protection framework through his advisory role to the UK Ministry of Justice.’

It’s been a turbulent time for 150-partner Field Fisher, which saw it unsuccessfully attempt merger discussions with both Laurence Graham in June 2012 and Osborne Clarke in January this year.

The 358-lawyer firm also unveiled a 3% drop in revenue this year to £95m alongside an 8% drop in profit per equity partner to £398,000.

In a statement Field Fisher said: ‘It has been an absolute pleasure working with Eduardo and we understand his desire to move to Hogan Lovells to leverage their global platform. We wish him every success in his future career. Eduardo Ustaran’s leaving date is 1 May 2015.’

A spokesperson for the firm said that Ustaran was being held to a 19 month notice period because he is a senior equity partner and that the normal notice period is 11 months.

sarah.downey@legalease.co.uk

Legal Business

More drama from Berlin – criticism of Hogan Lovells client led to departure by partner now leading team to rival

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Germany Hogan Lovells
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Surprise surrounding last week’s announcement that Hogan Lovells’ 30-lawyer Berlin arm is leaving to launch a German law practice for Morrison & Foerster has been compounded by the indications that local TMT partner Christoph Wagner was earlier asked to leave the firm for publicly criticising a client.

The decision by the 2,527-lawyer Anglo/American firm came after Wagner wrote an article in German newspaper FAZ looking at the antitrust concerns surrounding Deutsche Telekom’s decision to impose data limits on its flat rate internet connections, which German journalists have reportedly warned is a threat to the freedom of the web.

The development is the subject of widespread discussion in Germany and the government – the largest shareholder in Deutsche Telekom – has also entered the debate, with the federal minister of economics and technology Philipp Rösler of the Free Democratic Party recently registering his concern over the rate structures and warning that the German government and competition authorities would be carefully monitoring ongoing developments.

However, Wagner was asked to leave for criticising Deutsche Telecom – one of Hogan Lovells’ largest clients – in an apparent breach of internal procedures.

News of Wagner’s departure was first revealed last Tuesday (24 Sept), when Morrison & Foerster confirmed it was taking a nine-partner team from Hogan Lovells to launch its German law practice.

The remaining partners are Karin Arnold (corporate), Dirk Besse (corporate M&A), Eckhard Bremer (competition), Andreas Grünwald (TMT, regulatory, antitrust), Jens-Uwe Hinder (tax, real estate), Thomas Keul (litigation), Jörg Meissner (corporate M&A) and Hanno Timner (employment, data privacy).

A further statement from the top 50 US practice confirmed it would be taking the entire 30-lawyer team from Hogan Lovells in Berlin.

The news caught Hogan Lovells by surprise, as many of the staff had not yet formally resigned, apart from Wagner who officially left in early September.

In an unusually strongly worded statement, Hogan Lovells co-chief executive David Harris said: ‘Christoph Wagner’s move earlier this month was planned and agreed. At the time of his departure, the Berlin office partners expressed their strong desire to stay with the firm and we supported that.

‘Despite that support they have now gone back on their commitment and have said that they want to leave. We understand they have accepted offer letters from a competitor, however, they have yet to resign or deal with the usual formalities. Until they do so, we expect them to uphold all their responsibilities as partners in Hogan Lovells.’

sarah.downey@legalease.co.uk

For more on the post-merger challenges facing Hogan Lovells, see our analysis, The Daily Grind.

Legal Business

Great bright hopes – searching out the City rainmakers of 2020

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Magic Circle AshurstHerbert Smith FreehillsHogan Lovells
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Who will be the next generation of corporate heavyweights that top City firms will rely on to drive their businesses in the decade ahead? Legal Business canvassed a wide group of deal veterans to identify the ones to watch.

It is often said that the best of the City’s M&A partners were battled-hardened and defined by the early 1990s recession. That formative experience is often argued to have helped refine the skills and ethos of the select band of M&A heavyweights that dominated the City legal market through the last 15 years.