Taylor Wessing has re-appointed its senior partner Adam Marks for a second term following an uncontested election.
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Retirement terms: Former partners win exemption from Halliwells liquidator
Steven Fennell, a former Halliwells partner, has won a High Court declaration that stops Halliwells’ liquidators’ claim of £125,000 against him for alleged overdrawings.
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‘There is much still to accomplish’: Norton Rose Fulbright re-elects Peter Martyr for fifth term as chief executive
Norton Rose Fulbright has re-elected Peter Martyr as global chief executive for a further three years, an appointment that will constitute the leader’s fifth term in the top role. The firm has, however, appointed Martin Scott, the firm’s global corporate head, M&A securities, to succeed Martyr as managing partner of Norton Rose Fulbright LLP.
‘Enhancing the role of the panel’: GDF Suez set to launch major panel review
The world’s second largest energy utility GDF Suez, which generated €39.4bn in the first six months of this year, is reviewing its procurement of legal services ahead of a major panel review set for the start of the New Year.
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Seeking new opportunities: Olswang’s former CEO Stewart resigns
After unexpectedly stepping down from his management role, former Olswang chief executive David Stewart has officially resigned from the firm, and is currently seeking new opportunities.
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House of Lords votes against Grayling over judicial review restrictions following warnings from the profession
Justice secretary Chris Grayling has been defeated in the House of Lords over plans to limit the ability of individuals and organisations to challenge public decisions in the courts, just days after the legal profession claimed it would have a ‘chilling effect’ on those seeking justice.
A ‘massive’ difference in value: Sotheby’s picks Freshfields to defend it against Caravaggio claim
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer litigator Paul Lomas is leading Sotheby’s defence against a professional negligence claim after the auction house sold a painting in London for £42,000 that is now claimed to be by baroque master Caravaggio and worth over £11m.
Bakers takes three partners from DLA as it merges in Mexico while Clydes hires three to launch in Brisbane
Baker & McKenzie has hired three partners from DLA Piper’s Mexico City office as the latter combines with a local outfit to extend its offering, meanwhile Clyde & Co has launched in Brisbane after taking three partners from Sparke Helmore.
Revolving Doors: Linklaters makes a strategic hire in Europe, Hunton & Williams expands in the City while the LSB appoints a new chief
Last week saw Linklaters make a key hire from DLA Piper in Frankfurt as it sought to expand its cross-border litigation offering, Bird & Bird increase its offering in Sweden while Hunton & Williams did the same in the City developing its energy and natural resources team. Also in the UK, the Legal Services Board (LSB) appointed a new head, Richard Moriarty.
Women in law: BLP signs up to 30% female partnership target by 2018
Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has become the tenth major law firm in the UK to establish a gender target, committing to ensure that 30% of the partnership by the end of 2018 are female.
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Dealwatch: After GSK deal, Linklaters leads for Novartis on $275m sale of influenza vaccines as Bakers acts for CSL
Linklaters and Baker & McKenzie have won lead roles advising on Novartis’ definitive agreement to divest its influenza vaccines business to Australian biotech firm CSL Limited (CSL), for $275m.
‘We are a true partnership’: Slaughter and May names Wittmann new practice head as CC re-elects senior partner
Slaughter and May has appointed David Wittmann as the firm’s practice partner with the role’s current holder, partner Paul Olney, stepping down at the end of the year.
The Friday Edit: Ethics and the modern GC, ethics in court and partners behaving badly
As we prepare for the clocks to go back this weekend, here’s our regular look back at some of the stories that have drawn attention over the last five days. For access to subscriber content, click here for full access to Legal Business.
Testing times: CC’s Myers and Felsenstein talk partner exits and having probably ‘the best private equity team in the world’
It’s fair to say Clifford Chance’s (CC’s) traditionally esteemed private equity team has faced testing times in recent years, as evidenced by the ongoing recruitment of the Magic Circle firm’s quality lawyers by US outfits.
‘Not weighed down by a partnership’: Private equity invests £3.15m in Keystone Law
Keystone Law has turned to boutique private equity house Root Capital to fund its growth plans, raising £3.15m in return for a 35% stake in its business.
‘A warning to third-party funders’: Litigation funders found liable for indemnity costs in $1.6bn Excalibur dispute
In what was a keenly awaited judgment for the third party funding profession, the Commercial Court has yesterday (23 October) handed down judgment on the costs liability of litigation funders in the high profile Excalibur Ventures v Texas Keystone & Ors battle, a $1.6bn energy dispute over oil rights in Iraqi Kurdistan and one of the biggest cases of 2013, and has ordered the funders to pay the defendants’ costs of the action.
Redundancy watch: Parabis closes entire claimant offering in Croydon
Parabis Law’s claimant arm Cogent Law is making 24 redundancies in its Croydon base affecting Cogent Law office’s entire headcount, with redundancy reviews set to take place over the next five months.
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Guest post: Partners Behaving Badly – how not to handle client relations
The other day we were in a meeting with the head of strategy and marketing and the chair of an AmLaw 100 firm, and the chair mentioned an extremely promising introductory meeting he’d had a few days earlier with the General Counsel of a well-recognised company.
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Dealwatch: Latham & Watkins, Macfarlanes and Travers Smith lead on £200m Gorkana sale
Latham & Watkins, Macfarlanes and Travers Smith have all landed key roles on the £200m sale of media database Gorkana to US rival Cision.
‘A tactic to intimidate lawyers’: Facebook sues DLA Piper for bringing ‘fraudulent’ US lawsuit
Facebook and its founder Mark Zuckerberg are suing trans-Atlantic firm DLA Piper for its role in bringing a case which they allege was ‘based on fabricated evidence, for the purpose of extorting a lucrative and unwarranted settlement’.