If the oxymoronic notion of partner recruitment didn’t exist who would invent it? On one level, of course, its emergence in the legal profession was inevitable given wider changes in careers and attitudes to work. Without some form of partner mobility law firms would become inflexibly segmented and partners effectively bound to a single employer. Continue reading “Comment: Partner recruitment – better but still a case of buyer beware”
CMS’ Aberdeen capability sees it awarded £572m BG Group disposal
CMS Cameron McKenna’s capability in Aberdeen has seen it selected ahead of fellow BG Group panel law firms Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Clifford Chance to lead the energy producer’s £562m sale of a North Sea gas pipeline to Anglo-French fund manager Antin Infrastructure Partners. Continue reading “CMS’ Aberdeen capability sees it awarded £572m BG Group disposal”
Freshfields and Linklaters lead on SSP Group’s float
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Linklaters are advising on the float of SSP Group, the owner of Millie’s Cookies and Uppercrust, on the London Stock Exchange. Continue reading “Freshfields and Linklaters lead on SSP Group’s float”
Taylor Wessing promotes City trio in 12-strong partnership round
Taylor Wessing has unveiled its 2013/14 partner promotions, with three associates making the cut in London and a further nine across its European offices, marking a 25% drop on its promotion round last year. Continue reading “Taylor Wessing promotes City trio in 12-strong partnership round”
The Bar: 20 Essex Street announces new joint heads of chambers
Leading commercial litigation set 20 Essex Street has today (18 June) announced the appointment of Christopher Hancock QC and Duncan Matthews QC as joint heads of chambers from 1 August, where they will succeed outgoing longstanding chief Iain Milligan QC. Continue reading “The Bar: 20 Essex Street announces new joint heads of chambers”
Norton Rose Fulbright’s Martyr set to stand in upcoming global leadership election
He’s been a long time at the top but, having transformed London stalwart Norton Rose into a global challenger, he is not ready to hand over just yet. Yes, Norton Rose Fulbright’s longstanding chief executive Peter Martyr is being widely tipped to stand in the legal giant’s upcoming election for its top leadership role. Continue reading “Norton Rose Fulbright’s Martyr set to stand in upcoming global leadership election”
Greenberg Traurig hires Dentons London-based co-head of global real estate
Greenberg Traurig has hired Dentons London-based co-head of global real estate Eric Rosedale as its co-chair of international real estate. Continue reading “Greenberg Traurig hires Dentons London-based co-head of global real estate”
FCA sets aside £1.7m for Clifford Chance’s insurance industry probe
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has set aside £1.7m for the independent inquiry being conducted by Clifford Chance (CC) into the regulatory body’s botched announcement of an investigation into the insurance industry, a freedom of information request has revealed. Continue reading “FCA sets aside £1.7m for Clifford Chance’s insurance industry probe”
Edwards Wildman faces five-strong London partner revolt following string of City exits
Edwards Wildman is in talks with five disgruntled London partners following a string of exits from the top 100 US firm and accusations from one ex-partner that the City site is being neglected by its Boston headquarters. Continue reading “Edwards Wildman faces five-strong London partner revolt following string of City exits”
Latham goes green with latest City hire of Macfarlanes environmentalist Paul Davies
In the latest of a series of heavyweight City hires, Latham & Watkins is to bring in Macfarlanes’ environmental specialist Paul Davies as a partner in its environment, land and resources group. Continue reading “Latham goes green with latest City hire of Macfarlanes environmentalist Paul Davies”
Hogan Lovells leads for Vodafone on €145m Cobra acquisition
Hogan Lovells’ Milan office has led on Vodafone’s €145m acquisition of Italian car electronics maker Cobra Automotive Technologies as the machine-to-machine sector is identified as the latest untapped market. Continue reading “Hogan Lovells leads for Vodafone on €145m Cobra acquisition”
Ashurst finance partner Simon Thrower latest to leave with move to Simmons
Ashurst finance partner Simon Thrower has quit to join Simmons & Simmons’ City practice within days of the announcement that corporate partner Nigel Stacey is leaving for US firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. Continue reading “Ashurst finance partner Simon Thrower latest to leave with move to Simmons”
Comment: Cameronics redux – a hard-to-grasp institution that looks set to surprise
Given that I get paid to poke around law firms’ inner workings, it’s not that often that I find it hard to get my head around a law firm but CMS Cameron McKenna in its 2014 form is one such creature. Continue reading “Comment: Cameronics redux – a hard-to-grasp institution that looks set to surprise”
Comment: Marking your own homework, Dentons and a defence of PEP
It would almost be too easy to pick holes in the letter that Dentons has supplied to the media to justify its attempt to withhold its profits on the basis of Olympian high principle. But I won’t let that stop me. Continue reading “Comment: Marking your own homework, Dentons and a defence of PEP”
Financial Results 2013/14: Kennedys unveils a double digit hike in turnover to £128.5m
Kennedys is the latest UK firm to announce its 2013/14 turnover, unveiling double digit growth with revenue up by 10% to £128.5m.
The lion’s share of revenue at the top 30 firm came from its UK activity, which generated £98.3m. Continue reading “Financial Results 2013/14: Kennedys unveils a double digit hike in turnover to £128.5m”
‘We’ve got to complete the unification process’: Hogan Lovells incoming CEO and deputy talk strategy
As co-CEOs David Harris and Warren Gorrell enter their final weeks leading the partnership at transatlantic firm Hogan Lovells, newly-elected sole CEO Steve Immelt is putting relationship building high on his list of priorities, alongside harder objectives such as further global expansion and fine-tuning the firm’s remuneration system. Continue reading “‘We’ve got to complete the unification process’: Hogan Lovells incoming CEO and deputy talk strategy”
Shearman London and Linklaters Paris lead on circa $2bn Euronext float
Shearman & Sterling’s London office has taken the lead advising New York-listed global exchange and clearing house operator IntercontinentalExchange (ICE) on its initial public offering (IPO) of pan-European exchange group Euronext on Euronext Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam, for what ICE says is likely to be valued at in excess of $2bn. Continue reading “Shearman London and Linklaters Paris lead on circa $2bn Euronext float”
Mishcon de Reya to launch independent private client business with offshore fiduciary firm
Mishcon de Reya has today (11 June) announced it is set to launch an independent, private client advisory business entitled ‘Mayfair Private’ with offshore fiduciary firm Opus Private to provide ‘discreet professional solutions’ to wealthy individuals, families and private offices. Continue reading “Mishcon de Reya to launch independent private client business with offshore fiduciary firm”
Sandy Thomas sees off early challenge to leadership in Reed Smith’s contested managing partner elections
Alexander ‘Sandy’ Thomas has been elected as global managing partner at Reed Smith after John Martini, vice-chair of the firm’s global business and finance department, challenged his position less than a year into the role.
Clifford Chance, Covington and Skadden lead on £930m AA IPO
Clifford Chance (CC), Covington & Burling and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom are advising on the £930m flotation of over two thirds of vehicle breakdown group the AA to City investors. Continue reading “Clifford Chance, Covington and Skadden lead on £930m AA IPO”