Moving in-house: Broker AKJ brings in former LSE-lawyer as first general counsel

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The trend of companies increasingly enhancing their teams to include sophisticated and growing in-house legal departments shows little sign of abating as independent brokerage and financial software group AKJ becomes the latest to boost its legal capabilities, hiring its first general counsel and in-house lawyer, the former legal chief for the London Stock Exchange Tom Mackay.

Announced yesterday (19 Sept), Mackay has acted as an external legal consultant for AKJ for over 12 years however, with the establishment and growth of fund AKJ Accelerator last year, the group has created a senior position for the veteran.

Continue reading “Moving in-house: Broker AKJ brings in former LSE-lawyer as first general counsel”

Asia-Pacific: DLA moves to strengthen Australia offering with double corporate partner hire

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DLA Piper has considerably strengthened its corporate practice in Australia with the appointment of two partners from leading local firms, veteran Bryan Pointon from Gilbert + Tobin and David Ryan from Ashurst Australia.

Private equity specialist Pointon has been a partner in Gilbert + Tobin’s corporate practice since 2007. Prior to that, he was a partner for 10 years at King & Wood Mallesons legacy firm Mallesons Stephen Jacques.

Continue reading “Asia-Pacific: DLA moves to strengthen Australia offering with double corporate partner hire”

In-house: Clifford Chance and Slaughter and May lawyers take senior roles at CMA, Shell and PwC

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Magic circle lawyers have this week filled a number of senior regulatory and in-house positions, with a Slaughter and May partner unveiled as general counsel of the new Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and a former lawyer named Shell‘s UK legal head; while Clifford Chance‘s head of employee benefits has joined PwC as a director in its employee rewards team.

The CMA – the new body which brings together the Competition Commission and and some consumer functions of the Office of Fair Trading- yesterday (12 September) announced the appointment of former Slaughter and May partner Sarah Cardell as GC as it completes its leadership team in time for its official launch on 1 October. Continue reading “In-house: Clifford Chance and Slaughter and May lawyers take senior roles at CMA, Shell and PwC”

Clydes and Charles Russell establish new footprints while Kinstellar snares 10-lawyer team from Dentons’ expanding Kazakhstan operation

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The start of September has seen international firms reinvigorate their expansion plans, with Clyde & Co revealing an Indonesian alliance after joining forces with Indonesian law firm, while Charles Russell has extended its global footprint with the opening of an office in Qatar. Elsewhere, central and eastern European focused firm Kinstellar launched its seventh office located in Kazakhstan, hiring a team from Dentons, which has just opened a second office in the CIS state.

Continue reading “Clydes and Charles Russell establish new footprints while Kinstellar snares 10-lawyer team from Dentons’ expanding Kazakhstan operation”

Barclays goes external to replace group GC Mark Harding

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In a surprise announcement, Barclays has today (30 August) revealed that Bob Hoyt has taken over from Mark Harding as group general counsel (GC), following the announcement in February that Harding is to retire.

The decision to appoint an external candidate to one of the most high-profile legal roles in banking ends months of speculation following Harding’s decision to retire at the start of the year, with many calling a two-horse race between deputy general counsel Michael Shaw and global GC for corporate and investment banking Judith Shepherd. Continue reading “Barclays goes external to replace group GC Mark Harding”

Hong Kong drive: Addleshaws makes foray into local law two months after HK launch

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Addleshaw Goddard’s objective to offer capability across the major disputes and arbitration centres has been given a boost by its launch today (8 August) of a local law practice in Hong Kong through a formal tie up with a newly established local firm led by partners from Minter Ellison and DLA Piper.

The new office will be led by former head of litigation and employment at Minter Ellison, Nigel Francis, and DLA Piper corporate partner Brett Stewien, who have practiced in Hong Kong for 25 and 14 years respectively. Continue reading “Hong Kong drive: Addleshaws makes foray into local law two months after HK launch”

Real estate round up: Hogan Lovells, BLP and Nabarro show credentials while Mishcons makes key hire

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Unsurprisingly, what little major real estate work that is around has found its way to the usual trio of law firms – Berwin Leighton Paisner, Hogan Lovells and Nabarro. And while the usual suspects continued to do what they do best, 2012 Legal Business real estate team of the year, Mishcon de Reya, has strengthened its team with a key lateral hire.

Hogan Lovells is representing fellow international firm CMS Cameron McKenna over plans to move its entire London operation to the newly developed Cannon Place site above Cannon Street station, where it has agreed to take a 25-year lease, when it vacates its existing premises at Mitre House in 2015. The scheme is a joint venture between international real estate firm Hines and Network Rail. Continue reading “Real estate round up: Hogan Lovells, BLP and Nabarro show credentials while Mishcons makes key hire”

Bar round-up: Essex Court and Outer Temple Chambers boost their ranks

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It’s been a good summer so far for Essex Court Chambers and Outer Temple Chambers, with Daniel Oudkerk QC recently moving from 11 King’s Bench Walk to Essex Court, while David Russell QC and Robin Barclay have joined Outer Temple.

Oudkerk QC took silk in 2010 and focuses on employment disputes and commercial work, having acted for the successful claimants in the landmark conspiracy and team poaching litigation Tullett Prebon v BGC, as well as for the Swiss IDB ContiCap in an Unfair Competition Act claim. Continue reading “Bar round-up: Essex Court and Outer Temple Chambers boost their ranks”

In-house Round-up: Swiss Re GC to DAC, Co-op’s Gulliford to Pannone, FACT appoints first GC and Auction.com takes on senior legal team

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If it had seemed that the flow of UK hires between private practice and in-house was very much one-sided in the corporates’ favour a recent run of high profile moves has gone some way to evening out the score.

Co-operative Legal Services (CLS) co-founder Jonathan Gulliford has joined Pannone Affinity as a consultant as part of an ongoing growth drive at the Manchester firm’s white label legal arm. Continue reading “In-house Round-up: Swiss Re GC to DAC, Co-op’s Gulliford to Pannone, FACT appoints first GC and Auction.com takes on senior legal team”

Can’t make an omelette – newly-merged Norton Rose Fulbright sees exodus in Middle East

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So far the high-stakes merger between Norton Rose and US practice Fulbright & Jaworski has been sealed with minimal fall-out but a prominent exception has been confirmed in the Middle East with an eight-partner team quitting the legacy Houston law firm’s Dubai arm for a rival.

Baker Botts today (16 July) confirmed the hire of a 14-lawyer team, which includes the bulk of the legacy Fulbright & Jaworski’s Dubai branch. Continue reading “Can’t make an omelette – newly-merged Norton Rose Fulbright sees exodus in Middle East”