London may have caught New York-based giant Davis Polk & Wardwell’s eye as early as 1973, but it’s only two years ago that the firm’s UK office launched an English law practice, following the January 2012 hire of former Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer corporate partner Simon Witty and tax partner Jonathan Cooklin. Continue reading “The student view: Davis Polk’s Will Pearce talks deal lawyering at Wall Street’s finest”
Chartered legal execs to stand on a par with solicitors in conveyancing and probate after Grayling approval
In a further step towards breaking down the traditional restraints on delivering legal services, chartered legal executives have been given the go ahead to practise independently on probate and conveyancing matters after justice secretary Chris Grayling approved the proposal last week. Continue reading “Chartered legal execs to stand on a par with solicitors in conveyancing and probate after Grayling approval”
Premier League calls on Peter McCormick to stand in as director after chairman hospitalised
The Premier League has announced that it has drafted in the head of its legal advisory group, Peter McCormick, to stand in as a temporary director after league chairman Anthony Fry was taken seriously ill. Continue reading “Premier League calls on Peter McCormick to stand in as director after chairman hospitalised”
Onwards and upwards for Ashurst’s head of pensions who joins Eversheds 90-lawyer team
Ashurst’s London head of pensions Steven Hull has jumped ship for Eversheds’ highly-rated 90-lawyer team, becoming the latest of a series of exits at the top 20 firm. Continue reading “Onwards and upwards for Ashurst’s head of pensions who joins Eversheds 90-lawyer team”
Tanks off our lawn – BLP aims to retake future of law turf with huge expansion of ‘New Law’ services
Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has today (11 March) launched an innovative package of services for clients, which includes rolling out a lower cost team in a new Manchester office early this summer.
The four-pronged model, dubbed the Integrated Client Service Model, will see the firm analyse the systems and processes that clients need; offer them virtual transaction teams as an extension of its existing Lawyers on Demand (LoD) business; offer third parties an outsourcing service based on the type of managed legal services offering currently provided to clients including Thames Water; and access to a ‘large pool of high quality legal staff’ in Manchester.
Comment: American without tears – succession planning at the increasingly transatlantic DLA Piper
So the experiment ends as a qualified success. News of the early-timed succession planning at DLA Piper confirmed that well-regarded IP and technology partner Simon Levine is to assume Nigel Knowles’ role as co-chief executive, with Knowles next year taking on the role of co-chair in place of Tony Angel. Continue reading “Comment: American without tears – succession planning at the increasingly transatlantic DLA Piper”
Clifford Chance leads on VW’s $9.2bn offer for remaining shares in Scania
Magic Circle giant Clifford Chance (CC) has scored a key advisory role on Volkswagen’s (VW’s) $9.2bn offer for a remaining stake in Swedish truck company Scania.
CC, a longstanding adviser to the German automobile manufacturer, is leading on the German and US legal aspects of the offer, led by Frankfurt-based M&A partner Wolfgang Richter and banking partner George Hacket. Leading Nordic firm Roschier is also advising VW on Swedish law matters. Continue reading “Clifford Chance leads on VW’s $9.2bn offer for remaining shares in Scania”
Revolving Doors: Lateral hires for Squire Sanders, Olswang, Irwin Mitchell, DAC Beachcroft and Osborne Clarke
In the latest series of lateral appointments across the UK’s leading firms, Squire Sanders has hired former Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) director of China business as a partner in its global corporate practice, as Olswang welcomes former Gateley contentious insolvency partner Louise Bell, Irwin Mitchell hires restructuring and insolvency specialist Edward Judge, and DAC Beachcroft brings in Eversheds’ former head of procurement in Newcastle, Ruth Connorton.
Continue reading “Revolving Doors: Lateral hires for Squire Sanders, Olswang, Irwin Mitchell, DAC Beachcroft and Osborne Clarke”
CMS extends Middle East footprint with Oman launch
CMS will join only a handful of international law firms with a presence in Oman, as the top 10 LB100 network today (10 March) announces a new office in Muscat, its second office in the Gulf region. Continue reading “CMS extends Middle East footprint with Oman launch”
Guest post: Notes from the frontline of Grayling Day – ‘The whole system is in revolt’
At Friday’s ‘Grayling Day’ demonstration in London, chairman of the Criminal Bar Association Nigel Lithman QC told the audience that ‘an indispensable part of our democracy is the criminal justice system. It’s taken centuries to build; it is taking this government a blink of an eye to demolish.’
Nabarro bolsters City disputes capability with DLA IT litigation head hire
Top 30 LB100 firm Nabarro has bolstered its City disputes capability with the addition of DLA Piper’s IT litigation head Lee Gluyas.
Gluyas specialises in both commercial litigation and arbitration in complex IT disputes. Having acted for and against technology companies, the 424-lawyer firm said his appointment is part of a strategic move to build on its existing presence in the sector. Continue reading “Nabarro bolsters City disputes capability with DLA IT litigation head hire”
Race to provide direct legal services sees Allianz convert to an ABS
Last year they hit your television with an advert comparing the stresses of the daily commute and school run to a formula one race but this week multi-billion UK personal and business insurer Allianz entered the race to provide direct legal services to their customers by converting to an alterative business structure, after being granted a licence by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Continue reading “Race to provide direct legal services sees Allianz convert to an ABS”
Trucking ahead – King & Spalding, Hill Dickinson and Minter Ellison advise on £280m Eddie Stobart majority stake sale
Rare in the transport world for having its own television show, King & Spalding, Hill Dickinson and Minter Ellison have secured roles on the £280m sale of a majority stake in iconic UK haulage company Eddie Stobart, announced this week. Continue reading “Trucking ahead – King & Spalding, Hill Dickinson and Minter Ellison advise on £280m Eddie Stobart majority stake sale”
Last chance saloon – criminal Bar stage major protest against final legal aid reform package
Resentment against the Government’s final package of legal aid cuts has reached new heights as hundreds of criminal barristers and lawyers today (7 March) staged a major protest outside Westminster, their second protest this year, with a further call made for Law Society president Nicholas Fluck and chief executive Desmond Hudson to resign. Continue reading “Last chance saloon – criminal Bar stage major protest against final legal aid reform package”
Clydes, Kennedys and Auntie Beeb latest to back legal apprenticeship drive
Today (7 March) marks the end of the 7th National Apprenticeship Week, an initiative coordinated by the National Apprenticeship Service, which this year has seen announcements about the launch or expansion of legal training programmes by Clyde & Co, Kennedys, the BBC and Oldham Council.
Continue reading “Clydes, Kennedys and Auntie Beeb latest to back legal apprenticeship drive”
Jones Day hires CC Frankfurt head of automotives and McKenna Long Brussels regulatory partner
Fresh from its run of lateral hires from Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) in London, Jones Day has made two prominent European partner hires, as Clifford Chance’s (CC) Frankfurt-based automotive head Johannes Perlitt joins the firm’s corporate practice while the head of EU product regulatory practice at McKenna Long & Aldridge in Brussels, Ursula Schliessner has also joined the firm as a partner. Continue reading “Jones Day hires CC Frankfurt head of automotives and McKenna Long Brussels regulatory partner”
Asia: Herbert Smith rethinks Singapore; EY targets major Asia expansion; CC leads $1.93bn South Korea deal for Carlyle
The most notable headlines to emerge from Asia this week include Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) deciding not to renew its coveted qualifying foreign law practice (QFLP) licence in Singapore, while EY has announced plans to expand throughout the region.
Meanwhile, Clifford Chance‘s private equity practice has demonstrated its ties to key client Carlyle, despite high-profile exits in London, with a sizeable deal in South Korea.
‘We’re flat out – our strategy won’t change’ – Tinkler on CC’s private equity playbook
In mid-February, Latham & Watkins confirmed its third London private equity partner hire from Clifford Chance (CC), with Kem Ihenacho set to follow on the heels of global head of private equity David Walker and newly-made up partner Tom Evans.
Ihenacho was co-head of the Magic Circle giant’s Africa practice, but here London head of corporate, Simon Tinkler, talks to Legal Business about CC’s position in the private equity market.
Nabarro seeks new French alliance partner after August & Debouzy quits network
Top 30 LB100 firm Nabarro has today (6 March) confirmed that French firm August & Debouzy has left its European alliance, which also includes Germany’s GSK Stockmann + Kollegen, Italian firm Nunziante Magrone and Spanish firm Roca Junyent.
Continue reading “Nabarro seeks new French alliance partner after August & Debouzy quits network”
Global turnover nudges up at Reed Smith while London posts equally steady growth
Top-30 global firm Reed Smith has seen its 2013 revenue grow by 6% to $1.075bn from $1.013bn, while its profit per equity partner figure rise by 5.5% to $1.14m from $1.08m in the previous financial year. In London, Reed Smith’s largest office, revenue reached $190m, an increase of around 5%.
Revenue per lawyer at the firm is unchanged at $690,000.
Continue reading “Global turnover nudges up at Reed Smith while London posts equally steady growth”