In a rare partner hire in the City, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has added to its capital markets and US corporate law practice with the partner hire of Ash Qureshi, who joins from investment group Kingsley Capital Partners.
Continue reading “Freshfields recruits ex-Cleary partner to bolster US bench in key securities hire”
Eversheds has started talks over the voting rights of its fixed share partners (FSPs) after they were asked to contribute 25% of their annual earnings in response to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) tax changes for limited liability partnerships (LLPs).
Continue reading “Eversheds in talks to extend voting rights as 164 junior partners inject cash”
Dentons has announced today (9 April), that it has tied up with local associate firm KapdiTwala to launch an office in Cape Town.
Continue reading “Africa expansion: Dentons ties up with Cape Town associate firm”
Ahead of its 1 May merger with City firm Lawrence Graham, Wragge & Co has more than doubled the number of partner promotions it made last year to five, including two in its housing, development & regeneration team.
A number of firms have made noteworthy strategic appointments in the last few days, with Stephenson Harwood, Dentons, Morgan Lewis, Pinsent Masons and Wragge & Co all adding to their benches.
A handful of Global 100 firms scored key roles on two signifcant European deals this week, as Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, Linklaters, and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer advised on the recently announced €40bn merger between France’s Lafarge and Switzerland’s Holcim. Continue reading “Deal watch: Global elite giants face off in Lafarge/Holcim and Vivendi/Altice European transactions”
So much for the humbling of the City. Our annual Global London special 2014 finds that the number of lawyers employed at the top 50 foreign firms in the Square Mile has finally and comfortably broken its 2008 high, with over 4,500 lawyers working across the group after a 6% hike in numbers.
Continue reading “Comment: A truly global City and the fiercest contest in law”
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has appointed Clifford Chance‘s senior commercial litigation partner Simon Davis to conduct an independent inquiry into the handling of the body’s botched announcement of an investigation into the insurance industry.
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer former corporate head Barry O’Brien last month (31 March) hung up his Magic Circle boots to move into a client development role at US investment bank Jefferies. Before joining, the former rugby playing high flyer spoke to Legal Business about diet coke partnerships, retirement, and moving away from the Magic Circle.
With the emerging markets continuing to dominate the expansion strategies of many City and international firms, the short term picture remains mixed as the value of M&A activity in the region bucked a global trend by dropping to $125.7bn during the first quarter of 2014, down by 4.7% from $131.9bn compared with the first quarter of 2013. Continue reading “Emerging markets M&A down as King & Wood tops league”
With the latest promotions round among the City elite so far showing a marked drop in the number of associates made up to partner, Linklaters has elected 21 new partners across its global network, with seven made up in London. Continue reading “Partner promotions: Linklaters beats Magic Circle rivals with 21 lawyers made up to partner”
It has long been renowned as the top restructuring shop in the US but Weil, Gotshal & Manges was a late entrant to Europe’s work-out scene. As such the New York-bred law firm has taken a headline-grabbing step to take its City practice ‘to the next stage of growth’ with the hire of Goldman Sachs heavyweight Andrew Wilkinson, who is to join the firm at the end of April.
Continue reading “Weil Gotshal hires restructuring heavyweight Wilkinson from Goldman Sachs”
Macfarlanes is the latest of a small number of City firms to announce growth in the number of lawyers made up to partner, with the firm confirming today (7 April) nine new partners, its highest number since 2005.
Continue reading “Partner promotions: Macfarlanes defies downward trend by making up nine lawyers”
2013 saw a sharp rise in high-value commercial litigation as major disputes arising from the recession filter down to the courts in greater numbers, according to research released today (7 April) by RPC.
Magic Circle firms Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Linklaters have won lead roles advising on the sale of Alstom’s thermal power division to German private equity firm Triton in a deal worth around $1bn. Continue reading “Alstom thermal power sale gifts Freshfields and Linklaters with $1bn deal”
It’s not often that I feel sorry for law firm PR people, but I sense that Irwin Mitchell is getting a little fed up with being asked when the firm is going to float. Continue reading “Guest post: Boring, boring Irwin Mitchell – there’s more to life than floating”
Ince & Co confirmed today (4 April) that ten shipping and insurance fee-earners along with six secretarial staff have been made redundant following the conclusion of a consultation launched in February. Continue reading “Ince & Co blames prevailing economic conditions in core sectors for redundancy of 10 fee-earners and six secretarial staff”
High emotion and anger over the Criminal Bar Association’s (CBA) decision to strike a deal with the Government on legal aid cuts has seen barristers given until next Wednesday 9 April to vote to accept the deal or take further industrial action, as further legal challenges were also brought this week to the controversial Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (QASA). Continue reading “Anger as the Bar prepares to vote on legal aid deal and QASA appeals continue”
The London offices of US firms Paul Hastings and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton are advising on the £125m sale of the Marriott London Grosvenor Square Hotel and the acquisition of a majority stake in British online bathroom retailer Victoria Plumb for around £200m respectively. Continue reading “Paul Hastings and Cleary advise on Marriott London Grosvenor sale and £200m buy-in of UK’s Victoria Plumb”
