The run of consolidation in the US national market continues with Dallas-bred Locke Lord and Boston’s Edwards Wildman this week announcing plans to merge, forming a $675m practice that would sit just outside the top 50 of the Global 100.
‘We need to be in London to enable us to meet our clients’ global needs’: Another US litigation boutique launches in London
Financial services boutique BuckleySandler is set to launch its first international office as it expands its global financial crimes practice.
After a patchy 2013 and a high-profile finance departure, can Weil sustain its City momentum?
Tom Moore assesses the recent upheaval at Weil and talks to City head Francies about its ambitions
Life has never been dull at the City arm of Weil, Gotshal & Manges, but even those familiar with the firm’s eventful run since its launch in the mid-1990s turned their heads at the departure this summer of Stephen Lucas for Kirkland & Ellis. The former Linklaters partner, whose exit came shortly before his three-year guaranteed pay package expired, had been regarded as highly successful at building a deal finance team at Weil.
A&O joins US firms on Walgreens’ acquisition of Alliance Boots
US advisers take the lead on £5.6bn takeover of UK institution
The Walgreen Company has instructed New York law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz and Allen & Overy (A&O) to handle its acquisition of the remaining 55% of Nottingham-based chemist Alliance Boots in a £5.6bn deal.
The pharmacy giant already has a 45% stake in the group, which owns UK high-street favourite Boots, which it acquired in August 2012. This new deal will create the combined entity of Walgreens Boots Alliance, with more than 11,000 stores in ten countries and a portfolio of retail and business brands.
Continue reading “A&O joins US firms on Walgreens’ acquisition of Alliance Boots”
RPC in talks with breakaway Edwards Wildman partners alongside Cooley and Foley & Lardner
RPC is in talks with a potential breakaway group of Edwards Wildman Palmer City partners – made up of corporate partners Niall McAlister, Eero Rautalahti, Stuart Blythe, and insurance and reinsurance partner David Kendall – alongside California-headquartered Cooley and top-60 Global 100 US firm Foley & Lardner.
The formerly five-strong splinter group is down to four after Shawn Atkinson, who served as co-chair of Edwards Wildman’s venture capital group, resigned in June to go to Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe.
Taylor Wessing launches US rep offices in Palo Alto and New York
Taylor Wessing on 23 June announced the opening of two representative offices in the US to facilitate access to its European network. Located in tech-focused Palo Alto and New York, both offices are set to open in September this year.
The top 20 firm will not be practising US law, but instead plans to use its new US bases to push out work to its international network across Europe, CEE and Asia.
Continue reading “Taylor Wessing launches US rep offices in Palo Alto and New York”
RPC in talks with breakaway Edwards Wildman partners alongside Cooley and Foley & Lardner
RPC is in talks with a potential breakaway group of Edwards Wildman City partners – made up of corporate partners Niall McAlister, Eero Rautalahti, Stuart Blythe, and insurance and reinsurance partner David Kendall – alongside California-headquartered Cooley and top 55 Global 100 US firm Foley & Lardner. Continue reading “RPC in talks with breakaway Edwards Wildman partners alongside Cooley and Foley & Lardner”
Taylor Wessing launches US rep offices in Palo Alto and New York
Taylor Wessing has today (23 June) announced the opening of two representative offices in the US to facilitate access to its European network. Located in tech-focused Palo Alto and New York, both offices are set to open in September this year. Continue reading “Taylor Wessing launches US rep offices in Palo Alto and New York”
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”
Comment: A truly global City and the fiercest contest in law
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”