In a welcome respite from a run of bad news recently, Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has been confirmed as Tesco‘s lead counsel for real estate following a review of the supermarket’s property advisers.
Continue reading “Tesco names BLP as ‘go-to’ real estate adviser following review”
Slaughter and May has again become the first major City player to announce changes to its junior fee-earners’ pay levels, with a marginal rise in salary for first year trainees and increases for newly-qualified lawyers (NQs) of up to 3%. Continue reading “Slaughters first to up pay for trainees and NQs”
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has received approval to push ahead with far-reaching proposals to overhaul legal training, with the results of a 12-week consultation set to be voted on by the board, which is also expected to vote to end to the current system of continuing professional development (CPD) points. Continue reading “SRA gets green light for radical training overhaul as board set to vote”
The latest round of partner promotions among the top 20 UK firms has this week seen CMS Cameron McKenna announce the appointment of 30 associates to partner across Europe, including five in the UK, while Clyde & Co has promoted nine and, outside the top 20, Lawrence Graham has made up five new partners.
Continue reading “Partner promotions: CMS promotes 30; Clyde & Co nine; Lawrence Graham five”
Lloyds Banking Group (LBG) has almost finalised its inaugural customer-pay panel with key spots allocated so far to firms including Hogan Lovells, CMS Cameron McKenna, Addleshaw Goddard and Osborne Clarke. Continue reading “Lloyds inaugural customer-pay panel sees places for Hogan Lovells; CMS; Addleshaws and Osborne Clarke”
EY today (29 April) took further steps to build its UK legal capability with the hire of Berwin Leighton Paisner’s (BLP’s) former head of finance Matthew Kellett, with Kellett set to spearhead the accounting giant’s financial services legal work. Continue reading “EY grows UK legal capability with hire of BLP’s former finance head Matthew Kellett”
Irwin Mitchell has promoted ten associates to its partnership, down on a record level of 13 last year but standing out among its peers for including an equal number of male and female lawyers. Continue reading “Partner promotions: Irwin Mitchell makes up 10 with 50% female ratio”
TLT’s managing partner David Pester has been reappointed for a fifth three-year term following an uncontested election process, the firm announced today (28 April). Continue reading “TLT reappoints David Pester as managing partner for fifth term”
We’ve made it no secret that a major aim for Legal Business and its Legalease stable-mates is to better engage with the general counsel community. As such we’re taking another step in that direction with the launch of an exclusive debate and networking event in June building on the success of our acclaimed Power List Report. Continue reading “Heading to The Ivy: Legal Business and RPC team up for GC Power List Summer Reception”
After a series of failed merger talks Davenport Lyons has gone into administration, with Mayfair firm Gordon Dadds confirming today (28 April) that it has taken on the client database, the majority of assets and secured nearly all of the partners. Continue reading “Davenport Lyons goes into administration as Gordon Dadds takes on clients, assets and partners”
Jonathan Earle has become the latest Ashurst corporate partner to quit the top 20 firm, leaving after 16 years to join US firm Gibson Dunn & Crutcher’s City corporate practice. Continue reading “Ashurst loses further City corporate partner as Jonathan Earle joins Gibson Dunn”
Nationwide Building Society has appointed HSBC’s European legal chief Keith Ford to replace group general counsel Liz Kelly, who announced last autumn that she is leaving to spend more time with her family and pursue outside interests.
Continue reading “In-house: Nationwide replaces GC Kelly with HSBC’s European legal head”
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Davis Polk & Wardwell have all landed lead roles advising Pfizer and AstraZeneca as talks over a potential $100bn merger resurface.
Magic Circle firms Clifford Chance (CC) and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have taken the lead on the latest big corporate transaction to come out of Germany, the sale of speciality chemicals and manufacturing company CABB International to private equity firm Permira Advisers, providing an exit for Bridgepoint Capital, with the asset reported in the financial press to be valued in excess of $1bn. Continue reading “Clifford Chance and Freshfields advise on Bridgepoint’s sale of German chemicals company to Permira”
It’s been another week and another set of significant acquisitions for Latham & Watkins, with the global elite firm announcing a significant arbitration lateral hire and a key industry appointment to its London private equity practice.
Continue reading “Latham recruitment spree continues with key arbitration and private equity hires”
‘Never before has our future seemed so shrouded in fog and noise,’ I’ve written, and discussed its paralytic effects on our decision-making. Comes now academic vindication of just how strong the effect is. Continue reading “Guest post: Paralysed by uncertainty? Snap out of it”
Weil, Gotshal & Manges London, German and New York banking teams have advised the lenders on Goldman Sachs and Koch Industries’ acquisition of Flint Group from CVC Capital Partners for a purchase price reported to be more than Flint’s 2013 revenue of €2.2bn, as a transatlantic Allen & Overy (A&O) team assisted Primark on its launch into the US. Continue reading “Transatlantic Weil and Milbank teams advise on circa €2bn Flint acquisition; A&O launches Primark in the US”
Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) today announced that it has promoted 23 of its lawyers to the firm’s partnership. The promotions will take effect on 1 May, the same day that Mark Rigotti and Sonya Leydecker take over as co- chief executive officers of the firm.
Continue reading “Partner promotions: even split across Australia and London as HSF promotes 23”
Ashurst has announced its first partner promotions since its merger with Blake Dawson went live in October last year, with 15 lawyers joining its partnership ranks, up from a pre-merger figure of twelve. Continue reading “First post-merger partnership round for Ashurst sees 15 promoted”
In the same week as Kirkland & Ellis announced it is opening in Houston, top 10 LB100 firm Norton Rose Fulbright (NRF) has confirmed it is withdrawing from the Prague market, closing its local office due to ‘difficult market’ conditions with effect from 1 May. Continue reading “Sliding doors: Norton Rose Fulbright exits Prague; Kirkland launches in Houston”
