It is often rightly noted that law is a conservative old game, as can be gleaned from the identikit strategies of City law firms. Invest in transactional work and international offices, manage your partnership proactively, half-heartedly corporatise the business and hire a load of non-lawyer professionals with dubious mandates. Continue reading “Comment: What does Mishcon know that your managing partner doesn’t?”
A&O and HSF take lead roles as 21st Century Fox tunes in on anticipated Sky takeover
Allen & Overy (A&O) and Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) are lead advisers in 21st Century Fox’s takeover bid for Sky, as a ‘possible offer’ valuing the company at £18.5bn was agreed ‘in principle’ on Friday (9 December). Continue reading “A&O and HSF take lead roles as 21st Century Fox tunes in on anticipated Sky takeover”
RPC to hold leadership election as MP Watmough stands down after eight years
City firm RPC has launched an election process for a new managing partner following the recent retirement of longstanding head Jonathan Watmough, who steps down after nearly a decade in the role. Continue reading “RPC to hold leadership election as MP Watmough stands down after eight years”
Google UK legal chief departs for GC role at tech start-up
Signalling the increased variety of opportunity within the in-house community, Google’s longstanding UK and Ireland legal chief Emma Jelley has departed the search engine giant for a role as general counsel (GC) at tech start-up Onfido. Continue reading “Google UK legal chief departs for GC role at tech start-up”
Linklaters, Cleary and White & Case advise as Glencore and Qatar take stake in Rosneft
Linklaters, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton and White & Case are advising as Glencore and the Qatari Investment Authority (QIA) offer to take a €10.5bn stake in Russian oil giant Rosneft. Continue reading “Linklaters, Cleary and White & Case advise as Glencore and Qatar take stake in Rosneft”
Morgan Lewis and A&L Goodbody act as Fyffes ripe for Japanese takeover
Advisory roles in Sumitomo Corporation’s €751m takeover of Irish banana firm Fyffes have been split between a raft of US and Irish firms including Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, A&L Goodbody and Arthur Cox. Continue reading “Morgan Lewis and A&L Goodbody act as Fyffes ripe for Japanese takeover”
‘Detailed discussions’: KWM enters formal talks with shortlist of merger suitors
Partners at King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) have been told at a partnership meeting today (9 December) of a shortlist of potential suitors as the European partnership enters deeper discussions for a rescue deal. Continue reading “‘Detailed discussions’: KWM enters formal talks with shortlist of merger suitors”
In-house: RBS loses divisional legal chief to property fund Valad Europe
The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has lost a senior member of its in-house legal team, with banking lawyer Robin Macpherson, who headed legal for large corporate and sectors for the UK and Western Europe, leaving the bank. He joins real estate fund Valad Europe as head of risk. Continue reading “In-house: RBS loses divisional legal chief to property fund Valad Europe”
‘Not just blue sky thinking’: Linklaters launches innovation group and pilots coding training
Linklaters has set up a partner-led global innovation team to oversee the firm’s use of technology, including plans to teach its lawyers to code. Continue reading “‘Not just blue sky thinking’: Linklaters launches innovation group and pilots coding training”
King & Spalding accounts for London and France show revenue up 11%, while profit dips 10%
Revenue at the London and Paris outposts of US firm King & Spalding surged 11% in 2015 to £41.9m as the firm continues expanding, but profit dropped by 10%. Continue reading “King & Spalding accounts for London and France show revenue up 11%, while profit dips 10%”
H1 2016/17: Nabarro posts solid financials ahead of 2017 mega merger
Ahead of its three-way tie-up with CMS Cameron McKenna and Olswang, Nabarro has increased its half-year revenues to £57.5m for the first six months of the 2016/17 financial year, up 2% on the same period last year.
Continue reading “H1 2016/17: Nabarro posts solid financials ahead of 2017 mega merger”
‘A competitive auction’: Clifford Chance and CMS advise as consortium buys majority of National Grid
Clifford Chance, CMS Cameron McKenna, Linklaters and Eversheds have advised as National Grid has agreed the sale of its gas pipe network with an enterprise value of approximately £13.8bn to a consortium of bidders. Continue reading “‘A competitive auction’: Clifford Chance and CMS advise as consortium buys majority of National Grid”
‘A matter of efficiency’: BAT drops Linklaters from bribery probe
British American Tobacco (BAT) has picked Slaughter and May as its sole legal provider for its investigation into allegations of bribery and corruption, removing Linklaters from the mandate.
Continue reading “‘A matter of efficiency’: BAT drops Linklaters from bribery probe”
Kirkland and Skadden lead on $710m Hong Kong float for selfie app Meitu
Kirkland & Ellis and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom have both advised on the planned $710m initial public offering (IPO) of Chinese tech group Meitu in a deal that will value the company at up to $5.2bn.
Continue reading “Kirkland and Skadden lead on $710m Hong Kong float for selfie app Meitu”
Comment: Buck-passing and buyers’ remorse as KWM saga nears end
Though it will be outdated by the time this issue hits desks, I am professionally obligated I suppose to return to the subject of King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) as the firm’s troubled European business reaches what must be the decisive chapter of its post-merger tale. Continue reading “Comment: Buck-passing and buyers’ remorse as KWM saga nears end”
Quinn Emanuel takes fraud heavyweight Hastings from Addleshaw Goddard
Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan has recruited Addleshaw Goddard partner and fraud specialist Mark Hastings, constituting a major blow to the latter firm’s disputes practice. Continue reading “Quinn Emanuel takes fraud heavyweight Hastings from Addleshaw Goddard”
Cinven returns to Freshfields for €1.69bn sale of HEG to GoDaddy
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has advised private equity firm Cinven’s €1.69bn sale of Host Europe Group (HEG) to GoDaddy. Continue reading “Cinven returns to Freshfields for €1.69bn sale of HEG to GoDaddy”
DAC strengthens presence in LatAm with two new insurance associations
DAC Beachcroft has strengthed its presence in Latin America with new insurance associations in Peru and Central America. Continue reading “DAC strengthens presence in LatAm with two new insurance associations”
‘An important step’: Shearman’s Soundy and Priestley resurface at Goodwin
Goodwin Procter has confirmed Mark Soundy and Sarah Priestley are joining following their resignation from Shearman & Sterling. Continue reading “‘An important step’: Shearman’s Soundy and Priestley resurface at Goodwin”
Linklaters LLPs show profits up 5% as board members share £20m
Linklaters top board members received almost £20m in profits for the 2015/16 financial year, according to the firm’s latest LLP filings. Continue reading “Linklaters LLPs show profits up 5% as board members share £20m”