The major US banks released fourth quarter 2015 results this week, with Goldman Sachs blaming poor profits on legal costs, as other lenders benefited from declining legal spends.
Continue reading “US banking results: Goldman Sachs quadruples annual legal spend as others cutback”
After a slow churn of lateral partner hires in Ashurst‘s London office, the Anglo-Australian firm has kick-started 2016 by recruiting DLA Piper‘s high-profile international arbitration head Matthew Saunders.
Continue reading “Ashurst hires DLA Piper arbitration head Saunders to boost City practice”
Cooley has kicked off 2016 with further hires to its now year-old London office, adding prominent Sullivan & Cromwell litigator Louise Delahunty (pictured).
Partners at King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) could be asked to inject more cash into the business as the firm considers alterations to its capital contributions structure.
Continue reading “KWM reviews capital contributions ahead of refreshed global strategy”
Clifford Chance, Allen & Overy (A&O), Linklaters and King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) are advising on Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank’s proposed initial public offering (IPO) as its owner National Australia Bank (NAB) announced a cut-price share offer ahead of the float – a move which could impact other IPOs in the market.
UK top 20 firm Pinsent Masons is the top law shop, and fifth best overall UK employer for LGBT staff according to Stonewall’s Workplace Equality Index.
There’s a fascinating article in the December issue of the Harvard Business Review that ought to be required reading for the leaders and owners of the world’s leading law firms. Called ‘Knowing When to Reinvent’, the essay describes what I think of as the Aetna Corporate Health Test, one that managing partners might start taking each year along with an annual physical.
Continue reading “Guest post: Knowing when to reinvent – the Aetna plan for business health”
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld has made a key hire to enhance its international arbitration offering in London with the appointment of Jones Day construction head Hamish Lal (pictured).
Continue reading “Arbitration investment: Jones Day construction head Lal departs to join Akin Gump”
Having launched a trio of practice areas – finance, private equity and funds – in London in just over a year, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson has kick-started 2016 with the launch of a restructuring practice, appointing Mayer Brown‘s co-head of restructuring, bankruptcy and insolvency Ashley Katz.
Former New York Mayor and the face of Bracewell & Giuliani, Rudolph Giuliani (pictured), is leaving the firm for Greenberg Traurig as the latter firm moves to bolster its crisis management and white collar practices.
Continue reading “‘An absolute match’: Former Mayor Giuliani to join Greenberg Traurig in New York”
Just days after the resignation of King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) European practice head William Boss, Taylor Wessing has announced it has hired KWM chief operating officer (COO) Rachel Reid.
Continue reading “Taylor Wessing taps King & Wood for COO Reid following MP resignation”
Reed Smith, which last week cut 45 jobs across its US, Europe and Middle Eastern offices, has bolstered its energy offering in the United Arab Emirates and China by appointing partners from Pinsent Masons and Norton Rose Fulbright.
Following calls from students and chambers, the Bar Council is moving its Pupillage Gateway timetable so applicants know the outcome of their applications before committing to the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC). The course can cost up to £18,000 in London.
Continue reading “‘A common sense decision’: Bar Council moves Pupilage Gateway timetable”
Taylor Wessing has made a key hire in a bid to boost its equity capital markets offering with the appointment of K&L Gates corporate finance partner Jeremy Landau.
Sullivan & Cromwell, Clifford Chance and Allen & Overy (A&O) have won roles as the world’s largest brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev NV (AB InBev) prepares to issue $46bn worth of bonds, in what may become the largest corporate offering in history.
David Stewart (pictured), who unexpectedly stepped down as Olswang chief executive at the end of 2014 following a clash with other partners, has taken up a post at freelance arbitrator hub JAMS International.
Continue reading “Former Olswang chief executive Stewart joins arbitrator hub JAMS”
Reed Smith has axed 45 lawyers from its US, Europe and Middle Eastern offices as it makes the ‘necessary adjustments to remain competitive’.
Continue reading “‘Necessary adjustments’: 45 lawyers laid off in Reed Smith restructure”
King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) is to hold managing partner elections for its European practice as William Boss has resigned after less than a year in the post.
In another round of musical chairs at Barclays, the banking giant has appointed Victoria Hardy as general counsel (GC) for the UK, Europe and Middle East region with immediate effect.
Continue reading “Changing places: Barclays names new UK/EME general counsel”
Having first signalled intentions to set up a base in South Korea back in 2011, Ashurst has put plans to launch in Seoul on ice.
Continue reading “‘When the time is right’: Ashurst puts Seoul launch on hold”
