Merlin Entertainments, owner of attractions including Alton Towers, Legoland and Madame Tussauds, has appointed a new general counsel as the listed company admits liability over a rollercoaster crash which left 16 injured. Continue reading “Merlin Entertainments appoints new general counsel as theme park owner admits liability over crash”
‘A variety of reasons’: Reed Smith and Pepper Hamilton call off merger talks
Less than a fortnight after negotiations were reported, Reed Smith and Pepper Hamilton have called off talks over a combination.
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Freshfields fee fallout: Government to consider capped fee contracts after Eurostar controversy
The UK government will explore the use of capped fee contracts for legal work following a report into the £2.8m legal fees charged by Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer after it advised HM Treasury on the sale of Eurostar International.
Weil and DLA take lead roles as retailer BHS enters administration
Weil, Gotshal & Manges has advised British department store chain BHS as it filed for administration today (25 April), with DLA Piper expected to work on behalf of the administrators.
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University of Law appoints third chief executive in a year
The University of Law (ULaw) has appointed its third chief executive in less than a year, recruiting economist and lecturer Stelios Platis into the role.
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Latham and Weil Gotshal advise as CVC takes majority stake in betting firm Tipico
Latham & Watkins and Weil, Gotshal & Manges landed leading roles on the sale of a majority stake in Germany’s largest sports betting operator Tipico Group to CVC Capital Partners for an undisclosed sum.
Continue reading “Latham and Weil Gotshal advise as CVC takes majority stake in betting firm Tipico”
High Court judges’ pay rises rejected despite recruitment levels falling
Despite warnings of poor morale at the judiciary coupled with flailing levels of recruitment, the Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB) has rejected a higher pay rise for more senior judges, saying any differential would be ‘divisive’ and de-motivate other judges.
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Revolving Doors: Freshfields, Dentons and Pinsents make key hires as Uber and Callcredit build in-house teams
Following a string of seven recent hires to its Advanced Manufacturing and Technology (AMT) sector, Pinsent Masons has boosted its corporate team with the appointment of TMT specialist Andrew McMillan to its AMT sector. Previously head of Simmons & Simmons TMT practice, McMillan brings experience in advising TMT corporates, investment banks and private equity houses on in-sector mergers and acquisitions and high-value commercial contracts.
Passion Plays – the outside interests broadening the horizons of the modern GC
General counsel have more responsibilities than ever yet many find time in the schedule for outside commitments. James Wood reports.
Working long hours, expected to be available at all hours, and labelled a cost-centre. Such are the pressures of life in-house. The days of commerce and industry as a softer option for lawyers than the toil of the law firm associate track are rapidly drawing to a close.
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GC Perspectives – Philip Bramwell, BAE Systems
I’m of an age where I form part of a group of lawyers who elected to pursue careers in-house from the outside. I had failed to complete a chemical engineering course so I had a very clear purpose in studying law: I wanted to work in-house. I identified a couple of industries I thought should grow so I might surf that wave.
I started out in pharma in the late ‘70s, which was immensely enjoyable. I grew a love of complex businesses – global, multinational businesses. They provide rich opportunities for lawyers in a variety of areas – commercial, corporate, M&A. That is the theme I followed throughout my career.
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Partner promotions: Clifford Chance appoints 24 new partners, with nine in the City
Clifford Chance (CC) has appointed 24 new partners globally, with promotions across the US, Asia Pacific, continental Europe and nine in London.
Herbert Smith Freehills evens out international balance in latest partner promotion round
After two years of having the bulk of its promotions in the Asia-Pacific region, Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) has gone for a more geographically balanced round of partner promotions this year, making up ten lawyers in the UK and EMEA, and ten in Asia-Pacific. Continue reading “Herbert Smith Freehills evens out international balance in latest partner promotion round”
‘Growing confidence’: Linklaters and A&O lead on biggest post-crisis RMBS transaction
Magic Circle firms Linklaters and Allen & Overy were instructed on the £6.1bn securitisation of UK mortgages by private equity house Cerberus Capital Management in what is the largest residential mortgage-backed securitisation (RMBS) since misuse of the product brought about the financial crisis in 2007.
Told you so: City litigators unsurprised as MoJ requests £427m cash injection following drop in court claims
In line with what many dispute experts predicted, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has requested a cash injection after seeing a drop in court fee income.
White & Case secures victory for Russia as Dutch court overturns record $50bn Yukos award
A Dutch court has set aside the record $50bn arbitration award made against Russia in 2014 over its handling of Yukos in a decision that hands a huge victory to US firms White & Case and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton.
Report hits out at Freshfields and SRA involvement in ScottishPower scandal
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) have been criticised in a parliamentary report into ScottishPower’s ‘cashback guarantee’ scandal.
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Ashurst loses another partner to Gibson Dunn as Perry quits
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher has revisited Ashurst for yet another lateral hire, appointing financial institutions partner James Perry.
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In the post: De Bie takes top role at Royal Mail after seven months as interim GC
Maaike de Bie has taken the general counsel (GC) role at Royal Mail, following seven months as interim GC after Neil Harnby’s departure last September. Continue reading “In the post: De Bie takes top role at Royal Mail after seven months as interim GC”
‘An important victory’: Travers Smith gets another Tchenguiz claim dismissed
Travers Smith has secured a win against British entrepreneur Vincent Tchenguiz, as a Commercial Court judge dismissed a £2.2bn claim against Jóhannes Rúnar Jóhannsson, who had helped wind up Icelandic bank Kaupthing.
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Comment: GCs have scraped a seat at the table but too many are wasting the opportunity
Barclays, Volkswagen and Tesco are three massive businesses in three significant, sophisticated and important business sectors. Each one of these successful and long-lived businesses has access to significant in-house legal expertise, each is capable of paying for the best legal advice money can buy, each has invested heavily in risk management. And all of them are now paying the price for poor decisions made by some senior people behaving badly, very badly.