Kathryn McCann assesses the regulator’s controversial new route to qualification
In April, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) announced that its planned Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), also known as ‘the super-exam’, would be in place by 2020 following two formal consultations. This is despite garnering considerable, but not unexpected, criticism from the profession and education providers alike.
Victoria Young and Georgiana Tudor assess the Magic Circle firm’s deal finance practice
‘Clifford Chance (CC)’s decline has been significant,’ one leading leveraged finance partner opines. ‘Ten years ago I would have pegged them as in the leading three or four in this space, but they are gently scaling down.’
Some 9,000 Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) shareholders have accepted a last-minute 82p per share out-of-court deal from the bank over its 2008 share sale, ahead of this morning’s court appearance.
Disputes leader Stewarts Law has made a rare partner hire in its core commercial litigation practice after recruiting Dechert litigation veteran David Hughes.
Continue reading “Stewarts Law brings in Dechert veteran to bolster fraud practice”
As Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer continues its profitability drive, almost a quarter of the global partnership is expected to be on the firm’s second-tier lockstep as early as 2020.
While Herbert Smith Freehills became embroiled in a very public court battle over a team defection to White & Case in Australia earlier this year, Simmons & Simmons has quietly amended its partnership deed following a group exit to Allen & Overy (A&O) in 2016.
Bond Dickinson has made up to five voluntary redundancies in its Bristol office after the firm lost out on a panel spot with Australian insurer QBE.
Continue reading “Moving on: Bond Dickinson offers redundancies in Bristol following QBE panel loss”
Navigant’s Tony Farrow describes how the particular risks of offshore oil and gas extraction present unique challenges for parties involved in construction projects
In oil and gas extraction, both onshore and offshore-based facilities are dealing with the same process – namely the collection, initial processing, storage, and transfer of oil and gas. However, there are significant differences in the technical demands and risk profile of each approach. Continue reading “Sponsored briefing: Offshore construction risks”
Thames Water has opened to tender its legal services provision worth £48m in total, inviting pitches from up to 10 firms for a new panel providing regulatory, litigation and projects work – in addition to its external panel.
Ropes & Gray finance partners Mark Wesseldine and Fergus Wheeler have left the firm, for the City arm of King & Spalding.
Continue reading “Ropes & Gray finance duo Wesseldine and Wheeler exit firm for King & Spalding”
Fieldfisher has appointed Stephen Moller as a partner from K&L Gates, further bolstering the firm’s finance team after its April hire of Freshfields’ Dougall Molson.
Continue reading “Fieldfisher grows finance practice with hire of K&L Gates’ Moller”
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and Clifford Chance (CC) have advised Blackstone and China Investment Corporation (CIC) respectively, as Blackstone announced the $12.2bn sale of its pan-European logistics company Logicor to CIC.
Continue reading “Simpson Thacher and CC act on $12.2bn real estate sale of Logicor to CIC”
In a week of European-focused lateral hires, firms have expanded their German ranks. Dechert hired in Frankfurt, Watson Farley & Williams in Hamburg, and McDermott Will and Emery in Dusseldorf.
Six lawyers from Osborne Clarke’s (OC) procurement team have left to establish a new law firm in Cologne, named Esch Bahner Lisch. Andersen Tax & Legal has also opened an offfice in the same German city last week.
Continue reading “OC team sets up boutique as Andersen launches in Cologne”
Lewis Silkin has appointed Graeme Wood as chief operating officer (COO) from CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang, ‘to support long term growth’ at the firm.
Continue reading “‘Long-term growth’: Lewis Silkin appoints CMS director of change”
Pinsent Masons has acquired specialist diversity and inclusion (D&I) business Brook Graham for an undisclosed sum, fresh from buying a 20% stake in New Law outsourcing business Yuzu.
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett’s London office has advised CVC Capital Partners on its record-breaking €16bn fundraising.
Continue reading “Simpson Thacher acts for CVC on record-breaking €16bn new fund”
Humphries Kerstetter has launched a series of new £300m competition damages claims against MasterCard and Visa, on behalf of a group of 27 UK high street companies including betting firms, online retailers and a major supermarket.
Addleshaw Goddard has scored roles advising both Lloyds Banking Group and Metro Bank on two distinct acquisitions worth £1.9bn and £596.7m respectively, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Linklaters on the other side.
Kennedys and US insurance firm Carroll McNulty & Kull (CMK) have completed their merger, giving the firm over 1000 lawyers across the Americas, Asia-Pacific, Europe and the Middle East.
Continue reading “Kennedys complete merger with US insurance firm Carroll McNulty & Kull”
