The past week saw Withers hire Taylor Wessing’s head of contentious trusts and estates as the BBC’s head of litigation returned to private practice with a move to Baker & McKenzie, and Brown Rudnick and TLT made strategic hires in intellectual property (IP) and real estate respectively. Continue reading “Revolving doors: Senior hires for Withers, Baker & McKenzie, Brown Rudnick and TLT”
Approved – Squire Sanders and Patton Boggs confirm merger
Despite reports in the US legal press that the merger between Squire Sanders and Washington-headquartered lobbying firm Patton Boggs may have hit the buffers at the 11th hour, the firms today (27 May) announced that the merger has been voted through. Continue reading “Approved – Squire Sanders and Patton Boggs confirm merger”
Guest Post: Our battle for market share (why growth is not dead)
It has become bromidic to observe that we’ve moved from a linear growth market, ever up and to the right, to one of flat demand (did someone say, “growth is dead?”). We are, in short, in a battle for market share.
Welcome to the rest of the economy. Continue reading “Guest Post: Our battle for market share (why growth is not dead)”
Salary reviews: Hogan Lovells raises trainee and NQ pay again
Hogan Lovells has increased its pay for both trainees and newly-qualified (NQ) lawyers for the second year running after a freeze on trainee pay in 2012.
Continue reading “Salary reviews: Hogan Lovells raises trainee and NQ pay again”
A&O’s former global antitrust head Olivier Fréget leaves to set up competition boutique
Olivier Fréget, co-head of Allen & Overy’s (A&O’s) global antitrust group until the end of last year, has left the Magic Circle firm to launch boutique firm Cabinet Fréget – Tasso de Panafieu (CFTP). Continue reading “A&O’s former global antitrust head Olivier Fréget leaves to set up competition boutique”
Strategic hires: DWF brings in Addleshaws employment head; Addleshaws takes on Eversheds financial services partner
DWF has hired Addleshaw Goddard’s former national head of employment Andrew Chamberlain to take on an identical role at his new firm, leading the strategic growth of its 60-strong UK-wide employment team. Continue reading “Strategic hires: DWF brings in Addleshaws employment head; Addleshaws takes on Eversheds financial services partner”
SRA approves plans to broaden qualification route beyond training contracts
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) board yesterday (21 May) formally approved an overhaul of its training regulations and continuing professional development (CPD) regime in a step towards opening up the pathways to qualification and ongoing self-assessment.
Continue reading “SRA approves plans to broaden qualification route beyond training contracts”
BP brings in reverse auction as it pushes ahead with panel review
BP has introduced a reverse auction into its latest panel tender process, an announcement which comes in the same week as the energy giant lost an appeal to restrict access to its $20bn compensation fund for the Deepwater Horizon disaster. The FTSE 100 company confirmed this morning (22 May) that it has issued invites to existing and potential panel member firms, and revamped the process with the introduction of an online reverse auction element to make the bidding process more transparent, quicker and efficient. Continue reading “BP brings in reverse auction as it pushes ahead with panel review”
Comment: A precarious professionalism – Do City lawyers take ethics for granted?
The practice of law has flipped from vocation to business. Law firms and individual lawyers are measured explicitly in predominantly economic terms. Continue reading “Comment: A precarious professionalism – Do City lawyers take ethics for granted?”
A&O, Hogan Lovells and Skadden line up on $1.46bn acquisition of Aeroflex by UK rival Cobham
Allen & Overy (A&O), Hogan Lovells and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom are among firms to be awarded mandates on British aerospace and defence supplier Cobham’s all-cash acquisition of US communications equipment maker Aeroflex for $1.46bn. Continue reading “A&O, Hogan Lovells and Skadden line up on $1.46bn acquisition of Aeroflex by UK rival Cobham”
Clyde & Co whistleblower case sees Supreme Court rule partners are afforded protection
Partners who expose malpractice in their own law firm will now be protected by whistleblower legislation, the Supreme Court ruled today (21 May), in a precedent-setting judgment that follows a claim brought by former Clyde & Co partner Krista Bates van Winkelhof. Continue reading “Clyde & Co whistleblower case sees Supreme Court rule partners are afforded protection”
Breathing space for MOJ as Court of Appeal orders OpCotton trial to resume
In a verdict that gives the Ministry of Justice at least a temporary reprieve in its legal aid battle with the Bar, the Court of Appeal today (21 May) reversed the Crown Court’s ruling that the ‘OpCotton’ serious fraud trial should be stayed after the defendants failed to find any barrister prepared to represent them on reduced legal aid rates.
Continue reading “Breathing space for MOJ as Court of Appeal orders OpCotton trial to resume”
DLA Piper stands by scandal-hit lawyer Nick West as he issues apology
Following a conduct review, DLA Piper has opted to stand by Nick West, whose sexist email exchanges with Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore were leaked last week, after the partner today (21 May) publically apologised for letting down the firm and its clients.
Continue reading “DLA Piper stands by scandal-hit lawyer Nick West as he issues apology”
Deal Watch: Freshfields advises Blackstone on €1.8bn NAMA loan; CC and A&O close €2.8bn offshore wind financing
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has led on the latest major European mandate for Blackstone, advising the New York Stock Exchange-listed private equity group on its acquisition of a €1.8bn portfolio of cross-border loans and swaps from the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) in Ireland. Continue reading “Deal Watch: Freshfields advises Blackstone on €1.8bn NAMA loan; CC and A&O close €2.8bn offshore wind financing”
Guest post: Pfizer’s placebo promises (why AstraZeneca may have been right to reject the ‘final’ takeover bid from Pfizer)
In front of the Commons Business committee last week, Ian Read, chairman and chief executive of Pfizer, made two points in relation to Pfizer’s commitments, assuming it were to succeed in acquiring the Anglo-Swedish drug manufacturer AstraZeneca. Continue reading “Guest post: Pfizer’s placebo promises (why AstraZeneca may have been right to reject the ‘final’ takeover bid from Pfizer)”
Financial results 2013-14: BLP’s profit up 35% and revenue 6%
Undoubtedly some of the most anticipated financial results of the 2013-14 financial reporting season, Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has unveiled its latest figures, with the top 20 firm’s revenue and profit per equity partner (PEP) up by 6% and 35% respectively, to £246m and £542,000. Continue reading “Financial results 2013-14: BLP’s profit up 35% and revenue 6%”
‘We’ve got 40 finance lawyers left’ – Weil’s City banking head Stephen Lucas joins Kirkland
One of the best-known names in the leverage buyout market, Stephen Lucas is set to join Kirkland & Ellis from Weil Gotshal & Manges, where he heads the Wall Street firm’s City banking practice. Continue reading “‘We’ve got 40 finance lawyers left’ – Weil’s City banking head Stephen Lucas joins Kirkland”
Revolving doors: Growth in Europe for Skadden, K&L Gates, Paul Hastings and Squire Sanders
A raft of European hires for US and transatlantic firms has seen Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom and K&L Gates bolster their finance and corporate capability on the Continent as Paul Hastings and Squire Sanders draw in strategic senior recruits in the City. Continue reading “Revolving doors: Growth in Europe for Skadden, K&L Gates, Paul Hastings and Squire Sanders”
Asia-Pacific: Taylor Wessing launches in South Korea with local tie-up
Taylor Wessing has become the latest of in a procession of international firms to set up in South Korea, establishing an association with South Korean full service firm DR & AJU International Law Group.
Continue reading “Asia-Pacific: Taylor Wessing launches in South Korea with local tie-up”
Partner promotions: Travers makes up two in third consecutive fall
The latest City firm to announce its 2014 partner promotion round, Travers Smith today (19 May) revealed that it has made up two associates to partner, the lowest number in three years. Continue reading “Partner promotions: Travers makes up two in third consecutive fall”