King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) has asked its European and Middle Eastern partners to pay in between £80,000 and £240,000 as part of a recapitalisation plan designed to shore up its strained finances.
Continue reading “KWM asks partners for up to £240,000 in cash call to double capital contributions”
Insurance specialist Kennedys has continued its foray into Latin America (LatAm), opening its first greenfield sites on the continent with offices in both Brazil and Peru. Continue reading “Kennedys latest to expand in Latin America with Brazil and Peru openings”
Competition litigator Elaine Whiteford has become the second London partner to quit King & Wood Mallesons‘ European practice for Covington & Burling in the past week.
Continue reading “Whiteford becomes the latest to quit KWM after sealing move to Covington”
The headline numbers from this year’s Global 100 report do not make upbeat reading, even before the Brexit effect and resulting vote began to chill the market in Europe.
Continue reading “Comment: Global 100 – It’s hard going all over”
Slaughter and May, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Davis Polk & Wardwell and Morrison & Foerster have scored roles on Japanese telecoms group SoftBank’s £24.3bn deal to acquire UK tech flagbearer ARM Holdings. It is the largest public M&A deal in the UK in 2016 so far.
Continue reading “Slaughters, Freshfields and MoFo chip in on £24.3bn ARM takeover”
Nabarro is advising on the administration of Lowcosttravelgroup as the travel agency business left thousands of holiday makers at risk of losing their summer getaways.
Continue reading “Blame on Brexit: Nabarro acts as Lowcosttravelgroup goes bust”
Conservative peer Lord Faulks QC has quit as Minister of State for Justice after Liz Truss became the third consecutive non-lawyer to be made Lord Chancellor. Continue reading “Making the point: Lord Faulks quits in protest over Truss appointment as Lord Chancellor”
Litigation powerhouse Stewarts Law has posted a second consecutive year of double digit revenue growth for the 2015/16 financial year, with revenue increasing 18.5% to £62.1m while profit per equity partner rose by 25% to £1.6m.
Brexit hasn’t put a brake on the lateral market in a busy week for hires which has seen both Ashurst and Baker & McKenzie make key appointments in the US, while DWF and Brodies have focused on the UK.
The former head of legal at Lloyds Banking Group, Prini Pithouse, has taken the deputy general counsel (GC) role at Visa Europe, following a year serving as the payments business’ executive director of commercial law. Continue reading “Lloyds former head of legal Pithouse takes on deputy GC role at Visa”
So, as anticipated, our new prime minister has favoured punishing disloyalty over rewarding competence and sent Michael Gove and his ambitious, compassionate prison reforms to the naughty back benches. Yesterday morning (July 14) brought a transfer-deadline-day-style frenzy to Legal Twitter, anticipation and trepidation converging as rumours and supposition threw up name after name as possible new secretary of state for justice and Lord Chancellor.
Continue reading “Guest post: The new justice secretary – does it matter that she’s not a lawyer?”
The Law Society, which has overseen several IT failures in the last decade, has agreed to spend £61m on new technology systems.
K&L Gates has opened its third German office by launching in Munich, with a three-lawyer hire from King & Wood Mallesons (KWM).
Continue reading “‘An important step’: K&L Gates launches in Munich through King & Wood hires”
Arcadia Group adviser Linklaters has questioned Olswang on whether its client Retail Acquisitions Limited (RAL) broke its contract and breached covenants to pay the firm’s fees for the sale of BHS.
Continue reading “‘Please explain’: Linklaters writes to Olswang to question BHS fees”
Shipping and insurance specialist Ince & Co has had another disappointing year financially, with revenue down 4% from £79.4m to £76.2m. This follows on from an 8% drop in turnover last year from £86.7m, which was the worst income drop of all the UK’s top 100 law firms in 2014/15.
Simmons & Simmons has hired Eversheds‘ star arbitration partner Stuart Dutson in a bid to strengthen its Africa practice.
Continue reading “Simmons takes leading arbitration lawyer Dutson from Eversheds”
Scottish independent Shepherd and Wedderburn has enjoyed a third year of consecutive growth with revenues up 10% to £53m. Similarly profits have increased by 20% to £21.5m.
After pressure from lobby groups at the commercial Bar, DAC Beachcroft has amended its contractual arrangements with its preferred sets of chambers to reinstate a key contract clause that gives barristers insurance cover.
City lawyers have expressed disappointment as Liz Truss has been made the new justice secretary, replacing Michael Gove. Gove, a prominent Brexit campaigner and candidate for Conservative leader following the resignation of UK prime minister David Cameron, had spent just 14 months in the role.
Barclays has appointed ex-Gibson Dunn & Crutcher partner Mark Shelton as general counsel (GC) of Barclays’ corporate & international business following a ring-fencing restructure which saw the bank split its legal team to create two new divisions – the other being Barclays UK. Continue reading “Ringing the changes: Barclays appoints Mark Shelton as GC of corporate & international as divisions split”
