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.
‘A real achievement’: Pinsent Masons tops Stonewall rankings for LGBT inclusive law firms
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.
Guest post: Knowing when to reinvent – the Aetna plan for business health
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.
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Arbitration investment: Jones Day construction head Lal departs to join Akin Gump
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).
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Fried Frank hires Mayer Brown’s restructuring head to launch City workouts practice
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.
‘An absolute match’: Former Mayor Giuliani to join Greenberg Traurig in New York
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.
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Taylor Wessing taps King & Wood for COO Reid following MP resignation
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.
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Revolving doors: Reed Smith ups energy offering as Mayer Brown JSM and Ince & Co make Hong Kong hires
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.
‘A common sense decision’: Bar Council moves Pupilage Gateway timetable
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.
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‘Continuing growth’: Taylor Wessing makes capital markets play with K&L Gates senior corporate hire
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.
Beer bonds: Clifford Chance, Allen & Overy and SullCrom advise on AB InBev’s £46bn issuance
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.
Former Olswang chief executive Stewart joins arbitrator hub JAMS
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.
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‘Necessary adjustments’: 45 lawyers laid off in Reed Smith restructure
Reed Smith has axed 45 lawyers from its US, Europe and Middle Eastern offices as it makes the ‘necessary adjustments to remain competitive’.
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KWM to hold elections as Europe managing partner Boss stands down after less than a year
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.
Changing places: Barclays names new UK/EME general counsel
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.
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‘When the time is right’: Ashurst puts Seoul launch on hold
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.
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Guest post: How to run up a $1.6bn legal bill – the Nortel bankruptcy should be a wake-up call for the insolvency industry
What is a fair and equitable distribution of $7.3bn of global bankruptcy assets between multinational creditors where no legal mechanism exists? This is the unenviable question which the US and Canadian courts sought to answer by their joint rulings in the Nortel Bankruptcy in May 2015, and which the parties will be attempting to renegotiate when they commence further dispute resolution meetings today.
Linklaters and Ashurst win roles as housebuilder Countryside Properties prepares to float
Linklaters and Ashurst have landed roles advising UK property developer Countryside Properties as it prepares to list on the London Stock Exchange, in a float likely to value the housebuilder at around £1bn.
Fintech play: Hogan Lovells hires Pinsent Masons financial services chief Salmon
Hogan Lovells has made a key hire in the City with Pinsent Masons financial services chief John Salmon, in a bid to better position itself for opportunities in the burgeoning financial technology (fintech) market.
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Lockstep transfer: Freshfields Japan partners face profit cut as part of global review
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is set to transfer partners in its Tokyo office from its traditional lockstep to its second-tier lockstep as part of a global profit review, Legal Business understands.