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”
Senior Clyde & Co ship finance partner Matt Hannaford joins Curtis Davis Garrard with team of three
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”
‘There are no “diet-coke” partnerships at Freshfields’: Barry O’Brien on a new career at Jefferies
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.
Tom Kilroy re-joins Misys in chief of staff role as financial market speculates over ‘eventual flotation’
After a five month stint at biotechnology company Genus as general counsel (GC), Tom Kilroy has returned to banking software company Misys, this time as chief of staff. Continue reading “Tom Kilroy re-joins Misys in chief of staff role as financial market speculates over ‘eventual flotation’”
Profile: Andrew Whittaker and Kate Cheetham, Lloyds Banking Group
The bank’s group and deputy GCs discuss the split of Lloyds and TSB, and helping Lloyds’ efforts to rebuild trust after the banking crisis.
When Andrew Whittaker joined Lloyds Banking Group as group general counsel (GC) in May 2013, the message to the market behind his move following a 13-year stint as GC of the UK’s Financial Services Authority (FSA) was not lost.
The trend towards embracing regulatory skills (think now-departed FSA chief executive Hector Sants’ appointment as compliance head at Barclays) came as the major high street bank continued to deal with the fallout of the financial crisis, which for Lloyds meant a multi-billion pound bail-out by the UK government. That is to say nothing of its implication in payment protection insurance mis-selling and ongoing investigations into its involvement in alleged Libor rigging.
Continue reading “Profile: Andrew Whittaker and Kate Cheetham, Lloyds Banking Group”
Showing its teeth: SFO charges Barclays trio over Libor as watchdog publishes new deferred prosecution code
In a move emphasising the increasing efforts of the Serious Fraud Office to overhaul its image, the body announced on Monday (18 February) that it had launched proceedings against three former Barclays employees over allegations they ‘conspired to defraud’ over the benchmark interest rate, Libor.
Charges against Peter Johnson, Jonathan Mathew and Stylianos Contogoulas relate to the manipulation of Libor between 1 June 2005 and 31 August 2007. The criminal proceedings began yesterday and all three will be expected to attend at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 26 February.
Staying on top – inside the 10 firms aiming to dominate the global offshore market
Offshore jurisdictions have responded proactively to recent global initiatives affecting how they operate. Legal Business assesses recent developments and profiles the top offshore law firms
Law firms are noted for their ability to turn difficult situations to their advantage and the global offshore giants have certainly demonstrated this quality in recent years. While the vast majority of these firms are more opaque about their financial performance than even the offshore tax arrangements that have come under global scrutiny in recent years, some report double-digit growth in revenues and in the main it appears, despite the general economic malaise, they are well insulated against a crisis.
Rising Stars for 2014 – Retail Banking
Rising Stars for 2014 – Private Equity and Investment Banking
Dentons hires high profile energy partner Charles July and Eversheds’ banking partner Michael Wainwright
Increased optimism within the business sector at the start of 2014 is being reflected in a flurry of lateral hires as high profile energy partner Charles July joins Dentons as a partner in the energy, infrastructure and project finance City practice.
July joins from Watson, Farley & Williams, where he was head of the firm’s projects, commodities and export finance group in London. He joined the firm as a partner in May 2010, before which he was at Magic Circle firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer for 28 years, latterly heading the energy and infrastructure group for the Middle East and North Africa region. He also led the firm’s Abu Dhabi launch in 2008, and was former head of the firm’s Asia project finance practice as well as Singapore office head between 1992 and 1998. Continue reading “Dentons hires high profile energy partner Charles July and Eversheds’ banking partner Michael Wainwright”