Banking partner Bruno Soares, who decided to leave Allen & Overy’s (A&O) Brazil offering to join US firm Paul Hastings and help establish its Sao Paulo office in March, has made the unusual step of reversing his decision.
Partner promotions: Travers Smith adds seven new partners in bumper round
Following two years of slim promotions, Travers Smith has promoted seven lawyers, over 10% of its existing partnership, to partner in a round that’s bigger than 2013 and 2014 combined.
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Emerging markets: White & Case sets up another Indonesia alliance
Moving on from its former association in Indonesia after it suffered several key exits, White & Case has forged a new alliance with local, Jakarta-based firm Witara Cakra Advocates.
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Dealwatch: Linklaters and CC act on New Look sale as South African billionaire Wiese continues UK high street buy-up
Less than 30 days after advising on the £1.3bn purchase of Virgin Active by South African billionaire Christo Wiese’s private equity vehicle Brait, Linklaters‘ rising star Alex Woodward has led on Brait’s £780m deal for a 90% stake in clothing retailer New Look.
Comment: Legal boutiques – unheralded, thriving and coming after your lunch
The rise of boutiques has been yet another development shaping the legal industry that no-one predicted. Conventional wisdom for years held that law firms should go global or specialise but that was largely in the context of mid-tier players becoming more tightly defined around a handful of profitable practice areas (which pretty much hasn’t happened either).
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Replacing Stewart: Olswang picks IP partner Paul Stevens as new chief executive
After looking externally for a permanent replacement for former chief executive David Stewart, Olswang has turned internally and elected intellectual property partner Paul Stevens (pictured) to the role.
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Mounting departures: Trowers loses another partner in the Middle East as CRS hires a new construction chief
Trowers & Hamlins’ former head of Bahrain construction Paula Boast has returned to Charles Russell Speechlys (CRS) as its Middle East head of construction, after spending almost nine years at Trowers’ Bahrain office.
Stephenson Harwood’s Tony Woodcock: Policing the City – where do in-house lawyers fit in?
Though one is always on dangerous ground in suggesting that anything was clear or uncomplicated in the Financial Services Authority’s Handbook and its successors, one could comfortably say that in-house lawyers were not regarded as significant influence function-holders requiring approval under the Financial Services and Markets Act (FSMA) 2000.
Relying on new friends: Dentons to close Singapore office ahead of Dacheng combination
Within months of announcing a combination with one of China’s biggest law firms, Dacheng, Dentons is closing down its Singapore practice as it plans to rely on its new partner’s presence in the country.
In-house: National Grid launches UK panel review in bid to shrink roster
Energy giant National Grid has launched its first UK wide panel review for five years and is considering shrinking its current roster, Legal Business has learned.
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Targeting Warsaw: Greenberg takes A&O and NRF former Polish real estate heads in 12-lawyer hire
Greenberg Traurig has hired real estate teams from both Allen & Overy (A&O) and Norton Rose Fulbright as it bolsters its practice in Warsaw with 12 new lawyers.
Redundancy watch: Hill Dickinson starts consultation regarding 30 insurance jobs
The insurance legal market continues to be hard pressed with Hill Dickinson confirming it is set to start a 30-day consultation tomorrow (14 May) which places around 30 jobs at risk.
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‘First mover advantage’: Gateley reveals details of IPO as it launches UK float
Gateley has revealed the details of its planned initial public offering (IPO) including its board and lock-in provisions as it publishes an intention to carry out an IPO on the London Stock Exchange this morning (12 May) and applies for admission of its ordinary shares to trade on AIM.
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Promotions round-up: Bond Dickinson and Kingsley Napley promote three as Kennedys makes up female trio in round of four
In the latest round of LB100 firm promotions, Kennedys made a 75% female promotions round as three out of four of its new partners were women while both Bond Dickinson and Kingsley Napley bolstered their practices with a trio of new partners.
Travers Smith’s Dolman: The mother of invention – why necessity and high prices will push private equity to new heights
2014 was a year that saw the number and value of private equity (PE)-backed exits reach unparalleled highs globally. More benevolent economic and market conditions, including an increase in global M&A activity, created renewed confidence in the industry.
Financial results 2014/15: OC posts 15% revenue growth as strong performance continues
Osborne Clarke (OC), after being the fastest growing firm in the LB100 last year with a 26% rise in revenue to €169m, has consolidated that increase and posted another strong result for 2014/15 of €195m, up a further 15%.
‘The first phase’: EY launches financial regulatory service with Bakers hire and 11-strong team
EY Law is set to launch a financial regulatory practice in the City with the hire of Baker & McKenzie financial services partner Steven Francis, alongside an 11-strong team of lawyers.
Taking the plunge: Gateley set to be UK’s first firm to float
After Australian-listed Slater & Gordon demonstrated the benefits of greater access to capital by using a share offer to part fund its £637m Quindell acquisition, Gateley has confirmed it is set to gain the same advantages by floating on the London Stock Exchange’s AIM listing this year.
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Listing in London – King & Spalding carries US biotech to AIM listing
King & Spalding’s recent recruits in the City have helped handle Californian biotech company Verseon £300m stock market listing in London while Covington & Burling advised from San Francisco.
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Comment: Going native – ethics and the modern GC
The in-house profession has doubled in size in the UK over the last 15 years and gained once unthinkable levels of influence in delivering legal services to corporate Britain. And what have the profession and its watchdogs done to recognise that seismic shift in the legal industry, with all its far-reaching ethical implications? Pretty much nothing.
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