Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe has appointed former Weil, Gotshal & Manges partner Thomas Schmid to serve as head of German M&A and private equity.
Continue reading “Orrick takes Weil Gotshal partner to lead M&A team in Munich”
Supreme Court rules in favour of wives in hidden wealth divorce case
The UK’s top court has ruled in favour of two wives whose husbands hid the extent of their wealth when settling their divorces, setting a precedent which the wives’ lawyer says will lead to a rise in challenges in divorce settlements.
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In-house: Dimitrief named next GE general counsel as Denniston retires
As Brackett Denniston stands down after 12 years as general counsel (GC) for US conglomerate GE, the GC of GE Capital Alex Dimitrief has been promoted to the top position.
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HSF hires BLP project management team as firms race to chop up work
Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) has ramped up its ability to break down legal mandates so that work can be handled in a more efficient way, by hiring a new process management team from Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP).
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Freshfields, Allen & Overy lay foundations for McCarthy & Stone’s £1bn flotation
Magic circle firms Allen & Overy and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have taken lead roles on retirement homebuilder McCarthy & Stone’s plans to float on the London stock exchange.
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Dealwatch: US firms line up as Russia’s largest driller prepares exit from London stock exchange
The management of Eurasia Drilling Company Limited is being advised by US firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher as it prepares to sell to major shareholders and exit the London stock exchange, after Schlumberger gave up on a deal to buy into the company.
Betting on Brussels: Sheppard Mullin takes Hogan Lovells partner in competition law play
US firm Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton has taken competition lawyer Jacques Derenne from Hogan Lovells’ Brussels office to launch an EU competition and regulatory practice in Belgium’s capital.
Entering Africa: DLA Piper launches in Morocco and South Africa
Just two months after severing its ties with South African affiliate, Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr, DLA Piper is launching two new African offices in Johannesburg and Casablanca.
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Freedom to operate: Bar Standards Board wants to relax barrister rules for corporate vehicles and agencies
The Bar Standards Board (BSB) is proposing to make it easier for barristers to work through agencies and corporate vehicles, and has launched a consultation on its reforms.
Comment: Bespoke, mobile and plugged in: CMS’s Duncan Weston on the tech tools clients will demand
Against a backdrop of a fast-changing technology environment; value-conscious clients, rising rents, and the need to provide meaningful alternative fee arrangements, law firms are being challenged to deliver innovative services and efficiencies like never before.
DLA Piper boosts Italian offer with nine hires from Ashurst
DLA Piper has hired a team of three partners and six other lawyers from Ashurst for its restructuring and litigation group in Italy, in a move which boosts its Italian partner count to 43.
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Holman Fenwick Willan takes London banking partner from Ince & Co
During a tough year for insurance specialists, Holman Fenwick Willan has hired a partner from rival Ince & Co, appointing Stephen Marais to build its asset finance practice.
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Law Society wants pilot scheme ahead of proposed court closures
The Law Society said it wants the government to test the use of public buildings for court hearings before it considers reforms which will close one in five courts in England and Wales.
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Comment: K&L Gates’ Tony Griffiths on profit, delusion and how Big Law became obsessed with the wrong things
Many centuries ago while studying law as an undergraduate, a particularly inspiring corporate law lecturer suggested that I might want to read a book on management theory, as well as immersing myself in case law and precedent. I still have no idea why he suggested it and I believe I was the only one in the company law class who took him up on it.
King & Spalding steps up aggressive City push with A&O partner hire
King & Spalding has recruited Allen & Overy’s former European head of US law, Thomas Jones, as its raid on Global 100 firms in London this year continues.
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The Legal 500 view: more choice and competition defines market
The UK legal market now offers more choice than ever, and this is reflected in the 2015 edition of The Legal 500, which has never seen more movement.
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Comment: Fragmented and naïve – the profession’s failure to penetrate Whitehall
Two pieces in this month’s Legal Business touch on a common theme: the profession’s failure to influence government.
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Not over yet – New York jury clears former Dewey leaders on multiple counts in partial verdict
A Manhattan jury has found former Dewey & LeBoeuf executives Steven Davis, Stephen DiCarmine and Joel Sanders not guilty on multiple criminal charges related to the largest law firm collapse in legal history, although it is still deliberating a number of more serious charges.
Dechert results: revenue slides by £2m in London as highest earner takes home £2.7m
The highest take-home pay at Dechert’s London office rose by 16% last year to £2.69m, despite income at the City office sliding by 4%.
Comment: The fundamental things – SJ Berwin and the problem with legal conglomerates
At the time that SJ Berwin combined with King & Wood Mallesons there were plenty of reasons to be optimistic. The firm had eyed a global merger for years, KWM was a much-fêted Asia-Pacific giant with a commanding position in China’s fast-growing legal market and the deal was in general welcomed by its partnership (in contrast to the smoke and mirrors surrounding the abortive discussions with Proskauer Rose).