Sitting in the firm’s recently opened New Fetter Lane office, Matthew Field talks to Bird & Bird international head of intellectual property Morag Macdonald (pictured) as the firm targets London expansion.
Canadian cover: DLA Piper to merge with Toronto’s Dimock Stratton
Following Norton Rose Fulbright‘s (NRF) acquisition of a Vancouver firm earlier this month, DLA Piper is to merge with Canadian intellectual property firm Dimock Stratton with sixteen partners joining the global outfit in November.
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Back on track: Gowling WLG restarts delayed salary review
Gowling WLG informed staff yesterday (20 September) it will restart the delayed salary review that was put in place as a result of Britain’s vote to leave the EU. Speaking to Legal Business, Gowling WLG’s chief executive David Fennel confirmed that conversations regarding salary with staff will occur over the next couple of weeks.
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LOD’s Tim Bratton returns to in-house to join Euromoney
Lawyers On Demand‘s (LOD) practice development director Tim Bratton is to return to in-house after three years at the contract lawyering business, taking up a role as Euromoney Institutional Investor general counsel and company secretary.
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Quinn dealt major Moscow blow as arbitration duo head to Baker Botts
Typically on the receiving end of partner moves, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan has lost Moscow-based arbitration partners Ivan Marisin and Vasily Kuznetsov to US rival Baker Botts, leaving Quinn’s ten-lawyer Russia outpost with one full-time partner.
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It takes two: K&L Gates names new leadership team to replace Kalis
With longstanding K&L Gates leader Peter Kalis set to step down early next year, the firm has picked Michael Caccese and James Segerdahl to succeed him. Continue reading “It takes two: K&L Gates names new leadership team to replace Kalis”
Going private: KWM’s former City tax head resurfaces at Forsters
Former King & Wood Mallesons head of tax Heather Corben has resurfaced at private client firm Forsters, following the restructuring of KWM’s legacy SJ Berwin practice.
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Travers, Debevoise and Freshfields provide cover for $1.1bn Ascot insurance deal
Usual suspects Travers Smith, Debevoise & Plimpton, and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have been gifted with advisory roles on the latest heavyweight deal as Canada Pension Plan Investment (CPPIB) has agreed to buy Ascot Underwriting Holdings, the Lloyds of London insurer linked to American International Group (AIG), as part of a $1.1bn agreement.
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RPC loses Sports Direct mandate after embattled retailer bows to shareholder pressure
RPC has lost its mandate to review Sports Direct’s governance in the fallout from the retailer’s shareholder meeting earlier this month.
Signature sees revenues soar 36% to £10.2m as boutique hires Bryan Cave litigation star
Disputes boutique Signature Litigation has seen revenue soar by 36% to £10.2m for the 2015/16 financial year, and continues invest in lateral hiring with Bryan Cave litigation partner, Ioannis Alexopoulos. Continue reading “Signature sees revenues soar 36% to £10.2m as boutique hires Bryan Cave litigation star”
‘Will defend it robustly’: Slater and Gordon to sue Watchstone over 2015 Quindell acquisition
Slater and Gordon (S&G) is to sue Watchstone Group, formerly known as Quindell, following the £637m acquisition of the UK company’s professional services division in 2015.
Backlash begins for new Lord Chancellor Truss over fixed costs proposals on high-value cases
Recently-appointed Lord Chancellor Liz Truss is facing mounting backlash from the profession after unveiling proposals to extend the recoverable costs regime to ‘as many civil cases as possible’, and the roll-out of an online court system to ensure justice for all.
Revolving doors: National hires for Shoosmiths and DLA, while Ashurst also boosts its ranks
In a week which saw multiple departures from Ashurst, the firm sought to reverse the trend with a hire in its German tax practice, while DLA Piper and Shoosmiths made national hires and White & Case bulked up in London.
SRA claims reforms will help ease uncertainty for law firms post-Brexit
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is claiming that reforms on regulation to open up the market, increase competition and focus on high professional standards will help to alleviate the uncertainty facing the legal profession as a result of the Brexit vote.
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Consolidation in the City: Hogan Lovells mulls moving headquarters
Hogan Lovells has called on real estate giant Cushman & Wakefield to find the firm 350,000 sq ft of office space to consolidate its three City offices into one.
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Ashurst Singapore head latest to go in day of exits for beleaguered firm
Ashurst‘s Singapore managing partner is the latest to quit the firm, in a day where Ashurst has seen partner exits to Jones Day, Allen & Overy, Paul Hastings and PwC Legal.
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Ashurst suffers further exits as Abu Dhabi head departs and A&O takes two Asia finance partners
The exits continue at Ashurst as the firm’s Abu Dhabi head has quit for a US firm while two Asia finance partners, including Ashurst’s Hong Kong managing partner have joined Allen & Overy (A&O).
Media matters: CC, Kirkland and Jones Day act on $1.56bn Informa bid for US publisher
Clifford Chance (CC), Kirkland & Ellis and Jones Day have all won mandates on FTSE 100 publishing company Informa’s $1.56bn bid for US trade publisher Penton Business Media.
Paul Hastings adds another City heavyweight as Ashurst is hit again
Paul Hastings has continued to strengthen its burgeoning City practice with yet another high-profile lateral hire, this time taking respected finance partner Nigel Ward from a beleaguered Ashurst.
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Guest post: How years of frustration have led to the LSB’s vision for a single regulator
The Legal Services Board’s (LSB) vision for the future of legal regulation reflects the build-up of years of frustration.