Lawyers are commonly viewed as deal breakers who protect their clients right out of deals. General counsel would be wise not to dismiss this notion – justified or not – and we can to respond to it on multiple levels.
Deal breaker to deal maker
From client to colleague: the John Lewis partnership
It’s mid-December when I pay a visit to John Lewis, and as I’m waiting in the foyer of the aptly named Partnership House, I notice that most head office staff are sporting Christmas jumpers. When senior commercial lawyer Amy Holt arrives to greet me, she too is decked out in festive knitwear – putting paid to any notions of stuffiness in the retail chain’s commercial legal team.
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The company man
“Does the company lawyer hold a job or does he practise a profession?”
This is a question posed by Jacques Barthélémy of Cabinet Barthélémy Avocats in Paris. He is writing in the 2014 European Company Lawyers Association [ECLA] white paper, which calls for all in-house lawyers in Europe to be recognised as independent professionals – and afforded the legal privilege enjoyed by their peers in private practice.
Revolution! How a GC unified processes and rolled out a bespoke IT system
GC: When you joined HBO Europe in 2011, you undertook a review of the company’s legal systems. Could you tell us a little bit about that process?
Gordon Finlayson (GF): I’ve been with the business now for three years, and I came in at a point when it had changed quite significantly in terms of its management and ownership structure. It had previously been a joint venture between Disney, Sony and HBO, and HBO bought out the business shortly before I arrived. As part of that change, our CEO, Linda Jensen, brought on board a number of new members of senior management.
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As the ship went down
In the summer of 2008, Cambridge-based infrastructure software firm Autonomy Corporation [now HP Autonomy] began working on a US acquisition. A UK-listed public company, Autonomy had its eye on California-based software company Interwoven, and a deal valued at $775 million. Such a large takeover would require Autonomy to approach its institutional investors for funding, through a placing to raise £220 million, and to set up a new revolving credit facility of up to $200 million.
Searching for value
How much can an in-house lawyer affect the value proposition of an organisation?
That’s quite a big question. I would argue “a lot”. If we accept that premise, then we can move on to a far more interesting discussion: how?
The 5-minute financial analyst: financial markets
Debt and equity are the two options a company has when choosing how to finance itself. In debt financing, the business borrows money in some form without giving the lender any ownership rights in the company. The company issues bonds which can be bought and sold in the same way as shares. Unlike a share, which is equity in the business, a bond is essentially a loan with a fixed rate of interest.
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Dinner with GC: London
Participants
Catherine McGregor, editor-in-chief, GC magazine
Orijit Das, European general counsel and vice president, Genpact
Sarah Davis, group commercial legal director, Guardian Media Group
Craig Stoehr, chief corporate officer and general counsel, Thomas Cook
David Webster, partner, RPC
Venue
Angler, South Place Hotel, London
The man who invented management
Businessweek gave Peter Drucker the moniker “the man who invented management”. He has long been considered one of the most influential management thinkers, and each year his namesake the Drucker Institute hosts a conference in Vienna that continues to attract the cream of business thinkers and leading CEOs. Legendary CEO Jack Welch of GE was highly influenced by Drucker’s work as were other major companies such as Ford, Dell and Toyota. Recently it has been suggested that many of the tech industry’s new generation of CEOs are also looking to Drucker’s thinking to inform their strategic direction. Mark Zuckerberg reportedly consulted many of Drucker’s principles in building Facebook from a start-up into the global brand it is today.
More than money
There’s an oft-quoted remark by Theodore Roosevelt saying, “Appraisals are where you get together with your team leader and agree what an outstanding member of the team you are, how much your contribution has been valued, what massive potential you have and, in recognition of all this, would you mind having your salary halved?”
Of ‘strategic importance’: Hogan Lovells launches in Australia with Allens partner duo
Hogan Lovells has this morning (31 March) announced that it will establish a presence in Australia with Allens partners Nicky Lester and Tim Lester spearheading the launch in Sydney and Perth respectively.
Boutiques: Radiant Law revenues double as it plans ‘aggressive’ growth
Technology and outsourcing boutique Radiant Law is making good on its ambitions to shake up traditionally conservative forms of providing legal services after revealing revenues of £3m for the 2013/14 financial year, doubling on the previous year, while chief executive Alex Hamilton has further plans to double lawyer headcount by 2017.
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Shunning the Bar: Former Olswang head of arbitration opts for JAMS International over chambers
One of a slew of arbitration lawyers over recent months to desert big law and the client conflicts that come with it, Olswang’s former head of arbitration Andrew Aglionby has decided that a move to the Bar would ‘throw up the same difficulties’ and has joined rent-an-arbitrator platform JAMS International.
In court: Baker & McKenzie prevails and wins costs in Symrise professional negligence case
Baker & McKenzie has succeeded in its £11.7m professional negligence dispute brought by German food flavourings maker Symrise and its Mexican subsidiary after a judgment passed down at the High Court today (31 March).
US revenues 2014: Kirkland’s partner profits top $3.5m as Squires reveals first post-merger results
US firm revenues continue to come through with Kirkland & Ellis posting a 6.6% increase in global revenues to $2.15bn in 2014, an increase from the previous year when turnover rose 4% to $2.02bn. Meanwhile, Squire Patton Boggs posted its first post-merger global revenues, coming in at $870.5m with $163m of this generated in the UK.
A ‘transformational opportunity’: Slater and Gordon signs £637m deal for Quindell’s professional services division
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.