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”
The Law Society has today (24 April) announced that TLT Solicitors senior partner Robert Bourns has been elected as the body’s deputy vice president, with the expectation that he will become president in 2016. Continue reading “Law Society lines up TLT’s senior partner to take over as president”
Clifford Chance (CC) is the latest Magic Circle firm to unveil its partner promotion figures, making up seven associates in London out of a 21-strong round. Continue reading “Partner promotions: Clifford Chance promotes seven in City as part of 21-strong round”
Senior maritime player Matt Hannaford is leaving Clyde & Co’s transportation finance group with a team of three to join specialist shipping boutique Curtis Davis Garrard (CDG). Continue reading “Senior Clyde & Co ship finance partner Matt Hannaford joins Curtis Davis Garrard with team of three”
Norton Rose Fulbright has announced its first global partner promotions since the merger of Norton Rose and leading Houston energy firm Fulbright & Jaworski took effect in June 2013. A total of 46 partners are being made up, including eight promotions to the South African equivalent role of director. Continue reading “First post-merger promotion round sees Norton Rose Fulbright make up 46”
A trio of high-profile in-house counsel appointments in the UK and US this month has seen accountancy giant EY and global investment bank BNY Mellon fill their senior general counsel (GC) roles as publishing house HarperCollins promotes its director of legal affairs Simon Dowson-Collins to UK GC. Continue reading “GC appointments for EY, HarperCollins and BNY Mellon”
The largest family justice reforms ‘for a generation’ will come into effect today (22 April), introducing a new combined Family Court in which all levels of judge are able to sit in the same building and a simplified single system. Continue reading “Legal regulation: Largest family justice reforms ‘for a generation’ usher in new single court”
Magic Circle trio Slaughter and May, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Linklaters have landed lead advisory roles on a multi-billion-dollar joint venture and asset swap between pharmaceutical giants GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Novartis. Continue reading “Slaughters, Freshfields and Linklaters lead on Glaxo/Novartis multibillion-dollar joint venture”
Pinsent Masons is the latest UK firm to announce expansion in Germany, bolstering its Munich office with the hire of competition partner Michael Reich and corporate partner Tobias Rodehau from local firm Arqis. Continue reading “Pinsents expands German presence with double Munich hire”
Less than a year after appointing Mark Serfozo as director of risk from defence, security and aerospace giant BAE Systems, Rolls Royce has further bolstered its senior internal risk and compliance capability with the hire of IMI’s Jo Morgan as chief compliance counsel. Continue reading “Risk profile: Rolls Royce appoints new compliance chief from IMI”
Co-operative Legal Services (CLS) has made an operating loss of £22m for 2013 and unveiled a flat turnover, blaming a slower than expected growth rate for the period and factors including a hit to its personal injury business stemming from the Jackson Reforms. Continue reading “‘Slower than expected growth’ sees Co-operative Legal Services unveil £22m operating loss with flat turnover”
Reed Smith is continuing to ramp up its City practice, its largest office globally, with the hire of King & Wood Mallesons SJ Berwin litigator Nick Brocklesby. Continue reading “Reed Smith ramps up City litigation practice with hire of King & Wood’s Nick Brocklesby”
