It seems you either fall for Orrick’s generalissimo Ralph Baxter or you don’t. And after initially capitulating to his burnished charms, Dewey has backed off. The news (see story) that Dewey and Orrick have abandoned their merger was actually inevitable. Despite the certainty with which the merger was officially announced last October, the exodus of […]
Davies Arnold Cooper (DAC) has appointed Rowan Planterose as its new managing partner, effective from 2 January. Planterose replaces former managing partner David Hertzell who had indicated his desire to stand down from the role after 14 years as the firm’s managing partner. Planterose, who specialises in dispute resolution, international arbitration and construction matters, joined […]
Bird & Bird has been left reeling by the imminent departure of star life sciences partner David Wilson to Herbert Smith. Bird & Bird made a concerted two-month attempt to persuade Wilson to stay but has ultimately failed. Herbert Smith head of IP Nick Gardner said: “I believe his appointment means we now have two […]
Clifford Chance has managed to hold onto one of its rated corporate partners as Georg Linde decided not to join Mario Schmidt to Willkie Farr & Gallagher. As reported on thelawyer.com (22 December), two of Clifford Chance’s most rated German corporate partners, Mario Schmidt and Georg Linde, had decided to leave the magic circle firm’s […]
French independent firm Veil Jourde has launched a real estate practice, raiding White & Case’s Paris office for a three-lawyer team. Litigation partner Emmanuel Rosenfeld is leading the move to Veil Jourde, taking associate Christophe Bouchez and of counsel Véronique Prévôt-Leygonie, who joins as partner. The hires are a coup for Veil Jourde, which is […]
Wigmakers are keeping tight-lipped over the latest threat to their livelihood as judges prepare to scrap their wigs in civil court cases. The move will end more than 300 years of legal tradition in civil cases, but the criminal court will continue to don the horsehair head gear, while commercial lawyers have already removed their […]
The London Fire & Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA), the body responsible for the London Fire Brigade, has appointed its first head of legal and democratic services. Davina Fiore, currently head of legal services and monitoring officer at the London Borough of Haringey, will take up the new position in April. The role is a merger […]
Norton Rose and Barlow Lyde & Gilbert (BLG) are to go head to head in what is one of the largest lawsuits to be brought with the help of independent litigation funding. Moore Stephens, a city-based accountancy and advisory firm, represented by BLG, is facing a $173.6m (£90m) negligence claim from Stone & Rolls, a […]
Dewey Ballantine and Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe have ended merger talks in the face of a steady flow of Dewey partners defecting from the firm and disagreements over the management of the firm. Chairmen for both US firms confirmed late yesterday that merger discussions had been aborted. A Dewey source said: “There were issues with […]
Ryanair is turning to Weil Gotshal & Manges in the low-cost airline’s latest spat with the French government. Weil Gotshal’s Paris head of competition, Cyrille Couadou, is leading the team for Ryanair, which has lodged an action in France’s highest court, the Conseil d’État, to overturn a recently enacted local labour decree. It requires foreign […]
Jones Day has announced its partner promotions for 2007, making up 45 new partners from its associate ranks, the same number as last year. The London office garnered four new partners, in tax, competition, M&A and private equity. Despite no increase in the number of promotions firmwide, London doubled its number of promotions on last […]
DLA Piper Rudnick Gray has advised the administrators of Music Zone which has being put into administration after running out of cash. The Manchester-based office, led by partner Martin Keates and associate Julia Burrows, is advising accountancy firm Deloitte on the administration of Music Zone, which employees more than 1000 staff across 104 stores. Disappointing […]