Australian law firm Slater and Gordon has signed a £637m deal for Quindell’s professional services division – a business which generated revenues of nearly £180m in just the first half of 2014.
Getting the High Court’s approval: Linklaters, Sullivan and Ropes advise on Towergate’s £1bn restructuring
Linklaters, Sullivan & Cromwell and Ropes & Gray have advised as Towergate secured approval from the High Court on its plan to restructure around £1bn worth of debt
Targeting South Korea: EY Law agrees new alliance as Asia-Pacific growth continues
EY Law continues to enhance its Asia-Pacific presence with an alliance deal with South Korean firm Apex Legal, in a bid to align its advisory and legal businesses throughout the region.
Significant departures: Trowers loses management duo to Baker Botts in Dubai
Baker Botts has bolstered its corporate and disputes practice in Dubai with the double-hire of Trowers & Hamlins’ head of UAE Abdullah Mutawi, alongside fellow partner and international disputes resolution chief Lucas Pitts.
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Partner promotions: Mishcon de Reya announces all-female partner round as firm appoints new chair
Mishcon de Reya has today (30 March) announced a three-strong all-female partner promotions round for this year, as well as appointing real estate partner Philip Freedman QC to succeed current chair John Jackson.
275,000 sqft: Clifford Chance and BLP advise on Deloitte lease with Land Securities
Clifford Chance (CC) and Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) have both landed a significant instruction on accountancy giant Deloitte’s major pre-let of the entire building of 1 New Street Square, in a deal that will see Deloitte acquire 275,000 square foot of space on a 20-year lease at the site.
Revolving doors: Hires in London and Asia plus a significant secondee
Last week was another busy week for hires both in private practice and in-house, with Bird & Bird investing in Australian IP, Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) appointing a financial services regulatory partner in London, and King & Spalding recruiting a Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) partner in Asia. In-house, Stephenson Harwood seconded a rail partner to head the legal team carrying out the UK’s HS2 project.
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Dealwatch: Clifford Chance, Travers Smith, Debevoise and BLP advise on £1.2bn BCA sale
A quartet law firms including Clifford Chance (CC), Travers Smith, Debevoise & Plimpton and Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) have all secured instructions on the £1.2bn sale of BCA (formerly British Car Auction) to publicly listed investment vehicle, Haversham Holdings.
Trainee retention: CMS Cameron McKenna keeps on 62% of spring 2015 cohort while Pinsents manages 79%
CMS Cameron McKenna revealed what it described as an ‘uncharacteristically low’ trainee retention rate today (27 March), with only 61.5% of its 26-strong intake staying with the firm while Pinsent Masons secured 15 trainees but from a smaller round of 19.
Selling part of the Queen’s bank: Ashurst and Slaughters advise on RBS sale of Coutts International
Ashurst and Slaughter and May have won lead roles advising on the Royal Bank of Scotland’s (RBS) sale of its overseas private banking and wealth management business to Union Bancaire Privée (UBP).
Media attention: Quinn Emanuel leads high-profile Clarkson mandate in potential BBC dispute
Motoring broadcaster Jeremy Clarkson has turned to litigation boutique Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan’s disputes partner Martin Davies as legal adviser after the BBC announced it would not be renewing the Top Gear presenter’s contract.
‘A significant cultural shift’: Taylor Wessing to move to all equity partnership
Taylor Wessing is set to convert into an all equity partnership on 1 May following a lengthy review and partnership vote held last week.
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Guest post: Behaving like an ass is a short term play – the merits of being decent
‘Taking advantage’ is a phrase I hear a lot when lawyers discuss their work. I think it is linked to the idea of lawyers as business people concerned with competitiveness and commerciality, but in any event it manifests itself in the restless and energetic pursuit of getting the best possible deal/outcome for each client on each occasion.
FOI: Blackstone duo secure Guardian’s Supreme Court win over ‘black spider memos’
Blackstone Chambers‘ Dinah Rose QC and Ben Jaffey, alongside One Brick Court’s Aidan Eardley have secured a Supreme Court victory regarding the publication of Prince Charles’ ‘black spider memos.’
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Targeting Paris: Mayer Brown boosts its French corporate team with Davis Polk’s Pérès
Mayer Brown has bolstered its European corporate team with the hire of two former Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer lawyers, including one from Davis Polk & Wardwell, to its corporate and securities practice in Paris.
Succeeding Paisner: Eisenberg to become senior partner at BLP when managing partner term ends
Berwin Leighton Paisner’s Neville Eisenberg, set to be replaced by employment head Lisa Mayhew as managing partner on 1 May, has been elected senior partner for a four-year term starting that same day.
OC, Mishcon, DLA Piper and CC major winners at 2015 Legal Business Awards
Osborne Clarke (OC), Mishcon de Reya and Clifford Chance (CC) were among the major winners at the 2015 Legal Business Awards, with DLA Piper global co-chair Sir Nigel Knowles handed a special one-off award for industry-defining achievement marking the 25th anniversary of Legal Business.
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Making partner: Addleshaw Goddard doubles its promotion round to 18
Addleshaw Goddard has doubled its number of partner promotions in its latest round, making up eighteen lawyers across six practice areas compared to eight in its March round last year.
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‘We’re gutted’: Law Society loses appeal over government’s controversial legal aid reforms
The Law Society has lost an appeal over controversial government reforms which will introduce a tendering process for 527 contracts to provide Duty Provider Work (DPW) across England and Wales.
Making partner: Slaughter and May promotes four in London
Slaughter and May has boosted its partnership ranks in the City with its latest promotions round resulting in four new partners being made up in London.
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