Linklaters has again been awarded top marks as an external adviser in Legal Business‘ fourth annual in-house survey, emerging as the clear overall favourite for both quality of advice on high-profile, strategic matters, as well as ranking first overall for value for money.
Dealwatch: Davis Polk and Simpson Thacher lead as AstraZeneca takes over ZS Pharma for $2.7bn
Wall Street leaders Davis Polk & Wardell and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett are lead advisers on Anglo-Swedish pharma giant AstraZeneca’s $2.7bn acquisition of California-based biopharmaceutical company ZS Pharma. Continue reading “Dealwatch: Davis Polk and Simpson Thacher lead as AstraZeneca takes over ZS Pharma for $2.7bn”
Gowlings longstanding leader Jolliffe to step down prior to Wragges tie-up
Gowlings joint managing partner Peter Lukasiewicz will be the next chief executive officer (CEO) and chair of Gowlings, as long-term leader Scott Jolliffe prepares to step down from both posts after almost eight years.
Continue reading “Gowlings longstanding leader Jolliffe to step down prior to Wragges tie-up”
Dealwatch: Magic Circle firms lead on major City broking merger
Clifford Chance and Allen & Overy (A&O) are orchestrating a tie-up between two of the City’s most storied brokers, Icap and Tullett Prebon, as the market consolidates in response to low trading volumes and tougher regulations.
Continue reading “Dealwatch: Magic Circle firms lead on major City broking merger”
US firm partner given the boot after insulting Liverpool football fans on social media
US firm Goldberg Segalla has parted ways with London insurance partner Clive O’Connell after he was filmed recently delivering an anti-Liverpool rant following a match at Stamford Bridge.
King & Wood strengthens capital markets bench with Sidley hire
Increased demand for US capital markets capability in recent times has seen King & Wood Mallesons dip into the laterals market, and appoint US securities partner Bart Capeci in London.
Continue reading “King & Wood strengthens capital markets bench with Sidley hire”
Could it be your year? Nominations open for the Legal Business Awards 2016
Now is the time to show how your team has positioned itself ahead of the pack this year: nominations are open for the most prestigious showcase of talent in the industry, the Legal Business Awards 2016.
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‘A robust UK legal market’: Pearson GC confirms new panel with Freshfields, HSF, DLA and Pinsents winning corporate mandates
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF), DLA Piper and Pinsent Masons have all won key mandates on Pearson’s new legal panel, as the company’s general counsel (GC) Bjarne Tellmann praised the robust state of the UK legal market.
Querying the bill: Treasury ‘concerned’ over Freshfields fees on Eurostar sale
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has been put under the spotlight for charging £2.8m in legal fees when advising HM Treasury during the £585.1m sale of the government’s 40% stake in Eurostar International Limited (Eurostar) in March this year. Continue reading “Querying the bill: Treasury ‘concerned’ over Freshfields fees on Eurostar sale”
Comment: It’s a people game – what private equity lawyers can teach bland global law firms
If a good chunk of the latest issue of Legal Business is focused on technology and machines replacing lawyers, our extended focus this month on private equity is an interesting contrast. After all, what good would a supercomputer be in the clubby, driven and entrepreneurial world of leveraged buyouts?
Bakers loses second star litigator to Linklaters in a week as Cassels heads for Silk St
Baker & McKenzie global litigation head Tom Cassels has become the second senior litigator to leave the firm for Linklaters in a matter of days.
Legal Aid Agency faces 100-firm challenge over criminal contract cuts amid whistleblower’s call for an external investigation
It was a decision never likely to sit well with the public defence profession and so it proved.
The ongoing saga over the reduced number of criminal legal aid contracts continues as it has emerged that the Legal Aid Agency (LAA), an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice, is facing legal challenges from around 100 firms at the High Court to prevent execution of the contracts.
Blue chip clients: cutting-edge tech will reshape law in five years as more jobs taken by intelligent machines
In-house lawyers have been notoriously slow to embrace the tech-backed delivery of legal services, but Legal Business research drawing on responses from more than 600 global clients shows many believe technology will transform the way they work.
Bursting at the seams: Milbank makes room for 50 extra lawyers in the City
Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy is gearing up for further growth in London by leasing extra office space, an extra 35% on top of its current City base.
Continue reading “Bursting at the seams: Milbank makes room for 50 extra lawyers in the City”
Easy access: EY lowers threshold for first UK trainee programme
Big Four accountancy firm EY will recruit eight trainee solicitors in the UK over the next two years, launching its first-ever lawyer training scheme in the UK.
Continue reading “Easy access: EY lowers threshold for first UK trainee programme”
Ince & Co Singapore exits continue as energy head departs for Bakers
Ince & Co’s departures continue in Singapore with energy head Martin David being the latest to leave the firm, joining Baker & McKenzie as a partner in its Singapore energy practice.
Continue reading “Ince & Co Singapore exits continue as energy head departs for Bakers”
Freshfields and HFW criticised by Takeover Panel for breaching rules in Bumi transaction
In a rare step, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Holman Fenwick Willan (HFW) have been publicly criticised by the UK Takeover Panel for breaching its code of conduct when advising on the formation of a multibillion-dollar Indonesian coal group.
Goodwin Procter opens Frankfurt base with the hire of four Ashurst partners
US firm Goodwin Procter is setting up shop in Frankfurt, establishing a real estate capital markets platform with four of Ashurst’s six Frankfurt real estate partners.
Continue reading “Goodwin Procter opens Frankfurt base with the hire of four Ashurst partners”
Deep Blue sky thinking: The cutting edge of legal AI
Artificial intelligence is big news once again in law and beyond. Legal Business speaks to leaders in the field of advanced automation to assess what it means for the profession.
> How are you today?
* I’m afraid AI will change the legal profession.
> How long have you been afraid AI will change the legal profession?
* Since I started speaking to AI researchers.
> Can you elaborate on that?
* They were telling me about their latest research.
> I don’t understand you.
* Neither did they, that’s why I wanted to see a therapist.
> Tell me more…
Continue reading “Deep Blue sky thinking: The cutting edge of legal AI”
Applied science and snake oil: AI in practice
The cutting-edge science in artificial intelligence in law is startling, but does the tech currently offered by commercial legal providers match the hype?
It’s a sign of the times: Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) now has its own ‘robot’. In September, the firm announced it had teamed up with tech company RAVN Systems in a deal to use its artificial intelligence (AI) platform, known as the Applied Cognitive Engine (RAVN ACE).
Continue reading “Applied science and snake oil: AI in practice”