1 August 2005
The Lawyer
Another blow for Haarmann Hemmelrath as two star partners quit
One of the founding partners of Haarmann Hemmelrath’s Munich operation has announced he is the leave the firm, just a week after name partner Wilhelm Haarman handed in his resignation.
Ashurst lands Apax Spanish acquisition
Ashurst has carried out its first successful Spanish deal for Apax Partners since landing a place on the private equity house’s panel in June 2004.
Bircham chief retires to launch consultancy
Bircham Dyson Bell's managing partner Michael Wood has announced his retirement just days after revealing ambitious plans for the firm to enter The Lawyer's top 50 league tables within five years.
BLP works with Beiten to close deal for MPC
Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has closed its first deal for German real estate fund MPC Capital, one of the first deals it has handled with new best friend Beiten Burkhardt.
Bonelli in shock Italian merger
Slaughter and May's Italian ally Bonelli Erede Pappalardo has taken over administrative law boutique Sica.
Careers: In brief
Sussex-based Burt Brill & Cardens sponsored a prize for 'Best Overall Performance in Equity and Trusts' for students at the University of Brighton.The prize-giving, which was held at the Sallis Benney Theatre on Friday29 July, was attended by more than 200 students, staff and faculty.
Careers: People
Kilpatrick Stockton London has hired a new associate. Morgan Clewley joins the projects group from Allen & Overy. Clewley's appointment follows that of Andrew Walsh, who joined Kilpatrick Stockton as partner in March this year from Pinsent Masons.
CC prepares for record international relocation
Clifford Chance (CC) is gearing up for one of the biggest property shake-ups ever undertaken by a global law firm, with moves to at least five new buildings planned around its international network.
Cerberus with lipstick
The gatekeepers - ie secretaries and PAs - may pride themselves on their ability to shield their bosses from annoying and time-wasting calls, but there are limits.
Criminal bar pay freeze discriminates against women
The Criminal Bar Association (CBA) last week warned that the freeze in public funding for short criminal trials is hitting women hardest.
Deals Comment
After winning back Baugur as a client last December, Allen & Overy (A&O) appears to be losing its grip on the Icelandic retail investor again. The firm missed out on advising Baugur on its plans to buy high street women's fashion chain Jane Norman for around £100m. Baugur, which is understood ...
Delusions of grands lure
A great piece of lawyerly negotiating skill was on display recently in a deal featuring a well-known US firm.The deal was held up for two days because of an item that the US lawyer said would have cost his client €50,000 (£34,500). This in a multimillion-dollar deal.Tulkinghorn wonders how much it cost the chap's client to save him the money?
Dentons inflicts first infringement defeat on OFT
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) today suffered its first ever infringement decision defeat at the hands of Denton Wilde Sapte.
DLA Piper scoops Red Letter Days administration
DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary has landed an instruction to act for the administrators of Red Letter Days, the business run by television personality Rachel Elnaugh.
DMH wins Shoreham Port sole role
DMH Stallard has beaten 16 other firms to become the sole legal adviser for Shoreham Port.
Driving recruitment
Penny Terndrup on what law firms should look out for when slimlining their recruitment suppliers
Economic tragicomic
It's good to see that Hammonds is finally taking its cost-cutting measures seriously.Recently, one of Tulkinghorn's spies jetted off on a short break on easyJet. Sitting across the aisle from him was the firm's senior partner Richard Burns. Too little, too late?
Fidal bucks ex-accountancy firm trend to maintain French top spot
Former KLegal member Fidal has maintained its status as the largest French law firm, but other former accountancy-tied firms continue to suffer.
Firm profile: Kidd Rapinet
"We see ourselves as a modern commercial law firm, but at the same time we're proud of our historical roots, some of which can be traced back over 200 years," says Paul Taylor, senior partner at Kidd Rapinet.
Firms' diversity to be ranked in CRE-BSN top 100
The Black Solicitors Network and the Commission for Racial Equality have teamed up to launch the first league table ranking law firms by diversity.
Gianni stands by BPI amid takeover bid investigations
Banca Popolare Italiana's (BPI) legal adviser Gianni Origoni Grippo & Partners is standing behind its client after magistrates seized the 40 per cent stake the bank holds in Banca Antonveneta.
Gifty Edila: The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Kensington and Chelsea may be one of London's richest boroughs, but its legal director still has plenty of social issues to wrestle with. By Joanne Harris
Gleiss Lutz launches capital markets group in Frankfurt
Gleiss Lutz has launched a capital markets group for the first time with four partners from its banking and M&A practices.
Grapevine
Has Wachtell's super-lawyer stretched himself too thin?
Haarmann speaks out on German lockstep row
Wilhelm Haarmann was prepared for his fate last week. The joint founder of Haarmann Hemmelrath turned up to the partner meeting with a resignation letter ready to be signed.
Hack attack
US journalists are being jailed as the courts dilute their First Amendment rights by forcing them to reveal their sources. By Jon Robins
Hammonds: Burns quits
Senior partner Burns steps down; Chris Jones in talks on exit
Hearsay
Which London mananging partner of a US firm chose to go shopping in Fenwicks ...
Herbies: fully goaded
Herbert Smith made it onto the telly last week with a double appearance on the 10pm news on the BBC and ITV's news at 10.30pm. The reason for the show? Herbies had been acting for Chinese motor manufacturer Nanjing Automobile on its attempt to rebuild MG Rover - cue shots of delighted Chinese suits videoing each other.
Jones Day exits continue as Bingham hires partner
Another big name departure from Jones Day's London office means that the firm has haemorrhaged 11 partners in the last year.
Jones Day raids Ashurst to beef up private equity
Jones Day is bulking up its Paris office with the hire of a partner from Ashurst.
Keeping it real
One of the Training Framework Review's key intentions is to promote diversity in the legal profession. Michael Gunn on the issues the review needs to address
Law grad starting pay remains static
Starting salaries for legal graduates have failed to increase this year despite wages for all UK graduates increasing by an average of 4.8 per cent.
Law Soc to pay £135K as solicitor is cleared
The Law Society was last week facing a costs bill of £135,000 as the High Court overturned an intervention into a sole practitioner in what is believed to be the first case of its kind.
Lester Aldridge to sue its own banking head
Lester Aldridge has started punitive legal action against its head of banking and finance Kevin Heath in an attempt to enforce one of the most outrageous restrictive covenants.
Management headaches at Hammonds
At The Lawyer we normally don't get into personal comment, but Richard Burns' decision to step down from his role as senior partner is the best thing to happen to Hammonds since Peter Crossley was elected as managing partner. With Crossley's predecessor Chris Jones also understood to be staring at the exit, the management demise of this sorry pair can't come too soon.
Marks & Clerk to open in France
Patent and trade mark attorney firm Marks & Clerk has joined up with the IP arm of electronics group Thales to launch its first office in France.
Minter Ellison partner earns judicial appointment
Australian law firm Minter Ellison's Brisbane chairman of partners Andrew Greenwood has been appointed as a judge of the Federal Court of Australia.
Nyas tackles LSC for funding to continue child asylum work
The National Youth Advocacy Service (Nyas) is a not-for-profit children's charity that offers advocacy services to children, young people, parents, carers and professionals. At present the service is struggling to deal with the demands of child asylum seekers looking for help.
Opinion
Recent changes in accounting standards are having an impact on distributable profits
Pannones hires Pinsent Masons property partner
Pannone & Partners has snagged Pinsent Masons Manchester property partner Stephen Chalcraft as the firm continues a major hiring spree.
Paul Hastings fights breach of privacy action
Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker is being sued in the US by a former employee of one of its clients after revealing her medical records while litigating a workplace discrimination suit.
Peaceful negotiations
It must be great comfort to any company that finds itself a takeover target and winds up at the door of the Competition Commission that the august body features former Slaughter and May competition partner Laura Carstensen.
Polanski makes Kelsey-Fry a new star at the media bar
As libel trials go, Roman Polanski's recent claim against magazine Vanity Fair was pretty sensational. With witnesses including actor Mia Farrow and stories of wild affairs set against the background of a violent murder, it was a case followed closely by the broadsheets and tabloids alike.
Primacom plunges Freshfields, B&M, CC into jurisdiction row
The banks are fighting Primacom's pre-emptive strike. But is it too late? By Lorraine Cushnie
Race relations
Ian Titchmarsh, a partner at DWF Solicitors, was presented with a silver salver by Formula 1 legend Jackie Stewart at this year's British Grand Prix. The reason? Apparently, Titchmarsh has represented various well-known racing drivers and teams in motor sport tribunals and in connection with contractual matters for more than 20 years.
Richards Butler finds successor for chair
Paul Johnston has been appointed as the new chairman of Richards Butler. Johnston takes over from Andrew Taylor, who has reached the end of his second term of office and is standing down.
RJW hikes PI capability with National Accident Helpline
Russell Jones & Walker (RJW) is planning to buy personal injury (PI) claims handling company National Accident Helpline, two and a half years after acquiring Claims Direct.
Separated at birth
Bingham McCutchen chairman Jay Zimmerman is a good bloke. A bloody, bloody good bloke. Head of a whopping big firm and all that. Of course, he's a bit busy at the mo, what with his firm posting its first full-year set of figures since the tie-up of Bingham Doodah and McCutchen Something Someone & Who? Tie-up? Whoa, sounds a bit rude, yah? Bet he does law anyway. Must be awfully clever. Wonder if he sails? Bet he does. Yah.
Shearman moves to fill litigation hole in London
Shearman & Sterling is transferring a litigation partner from its Paris office in order to re-establish a senior head of litigation and arbitration within London.
Simpson Thacher leads Adidas acquisition of Reebok
Six firms have secured roles on Adidas’ EUR3.1bn ($3.8bn) acquisition of US rival Reebok.
Simpson Thacher works its way into Permira's affections at expense of CC
US firm Simpson Thacher & Bartlett is set to unseat Clifford Chance from its prized position as Permira's adviser of choice in the US and Asia as the private equity house puts its work out to tender.
SJ Berwin puts the wheels in motion to find senior partner
SJ Berwin puts the wheels in motion to find senior partner" /SJ Berwin has begun the process of replacing long-standing senior partner David Harrel, with five partners emerging as early potentials to fill the role, The Lawyer can reveal.
Taking People Strategy To The Front Line
If there is one word that has come to define our work with clients of late – both within the legal sector and beyond – it is ‘ownership’.
The CD-er side of business
Desperate PR attempts to gain coverage and attention literally reached new levels last week. Tulkinghorn was sent a balloon. Oh dear.Unfortunately, the thing crashed like lead when set free, for attached to the string was a CD plugging an event of some description.Thanks, but no thanks. Next time send chocolates.
The work-life quiz
Tim Raper, construction and engineering head, Speechly Bircham
To be continued...
The bar's continuing professional development requirements have been received with resignation by practitioners. Peter Bennett reports on developments
Training drivers
It's not just other law firms trying to bag the top young talent - the rest of the City is also on the prowl. Gemma Charles reports on the lure of training contracts
Wilson Sonsini to open in China
West Coast law firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati is gearing up to launch in China, its first presence outside of the US.
Withers in hedge fund drive with third US arm
Withers in hedge fund drive with third US arm" /Private client specialist Withers is planning to open an office in the hedge fund capital of the world - Greenwich, Connecticut.
