11 December 2006
The Lawyer
Apple's carrot
Think US law firms are throwing around big packages to lure star lateral partners? Well, yes, they may be. But their efforts pale into insignificance next to the recruitment carrot Apple Computer dangled in front of new general counsel Donald Rosenberg, who the company lured from IBM after his 30 years there.
People
Bermuda-based reinsurer Harbor Point has named Carol Rivers as general counsel. Rivers joins from Axis Capital Holdings.
A lawyer and a gentleman
Hurrah! Some Christmas cheer. Travers Smith's gentlemanly managing partner Chris Carroll has been re-elected.
A thousand lawyers hit by public sector cuts
One thousand local government lawyers' jobs will be affected by a wave of county councils that are planning to merge with district councils.
Alliance Boots revamps in-house legal team
Alliance Boots has radically overhauled its legal and company secretariat functions following the multibillion-pound merger of Boots and Alliance UniChem last summer.
Ashes to ashes
Sport makes people, even lawyers, do strange things. Addleshaw Goddard litigation head Simon Twigden was full of confidence ahead of the Ashes and heartily engaged in email banter with one of Tulkinghorn's (numerous) Australian scribes.
Ashurst gets the China bug
Ashurst gets the China bug" /Last month in The Lawyer Global 100 we highlighted 'the Chinese question'. As we pointed out, the allure of China for the world's leading international firms has never been stronger. The past year has seen a wave of firms applying for licences to practise in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing, ...
Ashurst to go global as China goldrush beckons
Ashurst to go global as China goldrush beckons" /Ashurst is overhauling its international strategy to focus on ramping up its Asia presence, including launching in mainland China or Hong Kong, in a break with the firm's traditionally Eurocentric strategy.
Ashurst, Weil and Slaughters snare Premier's £1bn RHM offer
Ashurst, Slaughter and May and Weil Gotshal & Manges have all scored lead roles on the £1bn approach for RHM by Premier Foods.
Bakers acts on $250m ukrainian offering
Baker & McKenzie has followed up the first international offering by a Georgian company with a $250m (£126.43m) offering from a leading Ukrainian poultry producer. Bakers acted as US, English and Ukrainian counsel to Myronivsky Hliboproduct on its offering of high-yield notes and its 10.25 per cent listing on the London Stock Exchange.
Bar examines ethics of solicitor hospitality
The Bar Standards Boards (BSB) has issued a consultation into the extent barristers should be allowed to entertain solicitors and other professional clients.
Battle for silk appointments gets underway
Would-be QCs have just one month from today (12 December) to submit applications as the 2007 silk appointments round gets underway.
Bindmans wins key free speech case at the Lords
Bindman & Partners has won a House of Lords judgment supporting the public’s right to free speech.
Bingham acquires Tokyo boutique for Sumo-sized name
US firm Bingham McCutchen has acquired a 22-lawyer firm in Tokyo, continuing its push into Asia.
Bonelli beefs up Milan with partner promotions
Bonelli Erede Pappalardo has made up two partners in its Milan office, boosting its litigation and financial services regulation practices.
Brabners launches Manchester private client team
North West firm Brabners Chaffe Street has launched a private client department in its Manchester office.
Brandford Griffith & Associés
French independent Brandford-Griffith & Associés has just celebrated its fifth birthday with the hire of a new partner. Roland Poirier joins the firm from Orrick Rambaud Martel to replace Pierre Ullman as head of tax after the latter moved to Willkie Farr & Gallagher.
Breakthrough decision on Rwanda genocide gives hope to victims
A crucial decision handed down by the appeals chamber of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) earlier this year is set to help bring justice to the victims of the country's 1994 genocide.
Brent Council challenges law firms for Leeds Council work
England's second-largest unitary authority Leeds City Council has received more than 200 applications for places on its new legal panel.
Camco gets legal head for carbon trading upsurge
London-based carbon credit trading company Camco International has hired its first in-house lawyer as renewable energy and carbon credit trading companies gain scale and prominence in the City.
Carroll confirms third term at helm of Travers
Travers Smith has elected Chris Carroll as its managing partner for a third term, making him the second partner to have won three successive elections at the firm.
CC and DWS win roles on world's largest sukuk
Clifford Chance and Denton Wilde Sapte (DWS) have bagged lead roles advising on the world’s largest ever Islamic bond.
CC celebrates Eurotunnel deal
Eurotunnel’s ongoing restructuing deal to slash its £6.2bn debts was finally approved last night.
CC completes UK LLP conversion
Clifford Chance has finally made the switch to a UK limited-liability partnership (LLP) almost seven years after becoming a New York LLP upon its merger with Rogers & Wells. Just six of the firm's 29 offices will operate as LLPs, with the rest operating as sub-entities ...
Chiomenti makes four up to partnership
Italian firm Chiomenti Studio Legale has made its new partner promotions, making up four. The promotions give 185-strong Chiomenti its first competition head since 2000, with Stefania Baratti filling the hole left by Luca Radicati di Brozolo. Rome scooped the lion's share of the promotions, taking three new partners, while Milan corporate expert Vincezo Cariello was promoted. As well as Baratti, who spends much of her time in the Brussels office, the Rome office now has a new corporate ...
Cleary advises bidders on £4.43bn Qantas bid
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton has bagged a lead role advising on the A$11.1bn (£4.43bn) takeover offer for Qantas Airways.
Company uniform
Companies operating in a number of jurisdictions must ensure their policies are legally sound in all of them, say Peter Frost and Anne Harrison
Corporate lawyers invade Paris bar
The business law firm presence on the Paris Bar Council has been swelled with the election of partners from Bredin Prat, JeantetAssociés, Latham & Watkins and Taylor Wessing.
Corruption begins at home
Corruption, and how to tackle it, is a major issue on the international stage right now. The Bribe Payers' Index, published in October by Transparency International, the anti-corruption watchdog, once again highlights the deficiencies in the efforts to tackle international corruption. Last month a special police taskforce was launched to investigate money laundering ...
Countrywide calls in Ashurst for 3i buyout
Ashurst has scooped a key role advising Countrywide on a 3i-led management buyout of the company.
Covington and Kirkpatrick land AIM upgrade roles
US firms Covington & Burling and Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Nicholson Graham have picked up roles on the introduction of a groundbreaking electronic settlement system to AIM and on its first use by a company admitted to the junior bourse.
Cravath follows Milbank with fixed bonuses
New York firm Cravath Swaine & Moore announced its associate bonuses last night (11 December), with its associates pocketing between $30,000 and $60,000 (£15,160-£30,321) ahead of Christmas.
CSFB Italian legal chief quits for bank role
CREDIT Suisse First Boston (CSFB) head of Italian legal affairs Raffaele Rizzi has quit to join Italy's third-largest bank as general counsel.
Dickinson gains York base via merger
Dickinson Dees has established its first base in Yorkshire, following a merger with York-based corporate boutique Philip Ashworth & Co.
Different strokes
The legal profession must base its recruitment strategy solely on the ability of the candidates, not on their backgrounds, says Gary Slapper
Diversity
Diversity is arguably the most contentious issue currently facing firms, as protective rules on the basis of age, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs and social backgrounds mount.
Dutch independent Van Doorne names new managing partner
Dutch independent Van Doorne has appointed Onno Boerstra as its new managing partner with effect from 1 January 2007.
DWF, Ricksons to merge
Northern firms DWF and Ricksons are set to merge, creating a firm with an annual turnover of £51m with around 800 staff.
East End councils unite for Olympics
Five East London authorities have founded a joint working group to maximise the opportunities presented by the Olympics.
Eastern action
It's all go in the East. As we report today, those friendly souls at Linklaters have headhunted two senior lawyers out of Freshfields' Budapest office to bolster its Central and Eastern Europe offering.
Embattled SJ Berwin ups salary rates to match magic circle pay
SJ Berwin's management met with the firm's associates last week to inform them that salaries would be raised to equal the magic circle as the firm looks to ease public debate over the firm's bonus shake-up.
Employment disputes cost £275K
Companies spend an average of £277,000 on resolving an employment dispute, but could cut costs dramatically if cases were mediated early.
Firms hit back at DCA's broadside against bespoke LPC courses
Firms using tailored LPC schemes have hit out at a Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) report on diversity, which suggests that the courses may hinder entry into the legal profession.
Flexible working - it really works
In recent years there has been an increase in the number of organisations adopting flexible working practices, from the simple opportunity to work occasionally from home to full cross-organisational home or mobile-worker initiatives.
Freshfields scoops key role on £7.5bn Gallaher bid
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has scored the lead role advising Japan Tobacco on its £7.5bn bid for British tobacco company Gallaher.
Fried Frank launches second Simmons raid and signs Chinese firm for HK launch
Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson has launched a second raid on Simmons & Simmons as it launches its Hong Kong office.
Gemma Sampson: London & European
As London & European's first head of legal, Gemma Sampson's panel review will eschew the magic circle in favour of medium-sized and regional firms. Vanessa Arora reports
Gianni raids DG Comp for Brussels launch
Italian firm Gianni Origoni & Grippo is launching its first Belgian office, luring an official from the European Commission to oversee the opening.
Google: world domination is hard work
As Google's push to take over the world gathers pace, the company has moved to split its top legal management in the US, at about the same time it has near a dozen vacancies in its UK legal team.
Gowers' IP review faces backlash for thwarting copyright extension
Andrew Gowers' review into IP was published last Wednesday (6 December), potentially heralding the largest shake-up of IP law in the UK for decades.
Grapevine
Taylor Wessing has been having a good ride for the past couple of years, with its profit heading significantly north. So perhaps it was only a matter of time before it suffered a reversal.
Halliwells launches China team with AIM mandate
Halliwells has begun its assault on China by setting up a team dedicated to the Far East and has scooped a lead role advising on a Chinese AIM listing.
Herbert Smith settles PwC case for £1.5m
Herbert Smith has negotiated a settlement with the Accountants’ Joint Disciplinary Scheme on behalf of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) which will see the Big Four accountant pay out fines totalling £500,000 plus costs of £1m in relation to the collapse of TransTec.
Herbies guides BSkyB to telesales victory
Herbert Smith has won a notable passing off battle in the High Court today (11 December) for key client BSkyB.
Herbies raids Lovells for green star
Herbert Smith has continued its hiring spree by raiding Lovells for a heavy-hitting environment partner.
How many referees does it take to make a QC?
Following a period of deafening silence from the QC appointments secretariat in order for the new silks system to be tweaked somewhat, the 2007 competition has been at long last unleashed (see story).
HP dumps Sonsini following phones scandal
Hewlett-Packard (HP) has dumped Silicon Valley firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati from its role as primary outside counsel in the wake of the identity fraud scandal surrounding the company.
ILaw to pay associates half their billings
Technology boutique iLaw Legal Services is aiming to attract associates by offering to pay them more than half of their billings.
JPMorgan hires WilmerHale ace as new GC
JPMorgan Chase & Co has hired WilmerHale’s highly-rated co-chair of securities Stephen Cutler as worldwide general counsel.
Judicial review for Iraq invasion rejected
The Court of Appeal this morning (Tuesday 12 December) rejected an application to have the Government’s decision to invade Iraq examined by judicial review.
Justice concerned about 'biased' judges in private practice
Human rights organisation Justice has raised concerns over the Lord Chancellor’s plans to allow judges to return to practice after leaving the bench.
Kill bill
The Legal Services Bill had its second reading in the House of Lords last week (6 December). The bill received a lively reception, with several distinguished lords and ladies getting up to have their say on the 'Clementi-isation' of the legal profession - they even invented a new word.
Kirkpatrick Preston Gates merger creates $750m giant
Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Nicholson Graham confirmed last night (14 December) that it is to merge with US firm Preston Gates & Ellis.
Kite lures former DaimlerChrysler counsel
The Kite Consultancy has bolstered its strategic consultancy service with the appointment of former DaimlerChrysler general counsel Chrissi Evans.
Law Society continues staff cutbacks
Another 38 members of staff at the Law Society were made redundant as its cost-cutting campaign continues. Last Monday's (4 December) redundancy announcement follows an earlier redundancy programme in May this year when 11 members of staff were made redundant and a further 12 vacant posts were frozen. The cuts only affect the society's representative function and not the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Lawyers split on govt deal to drop BAE SFO probe
Allen & Overy and its client BAE Systems were celebrating this morning after the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) sensationally dropped its investigation into the company’s involvement with the Al Yamamah defence contract with Saudi Arabia.
Legal Intelligence
November witnessed unprecedented M&A activity on both sides of the Atlantic, gifting some of the world's top law firms a number of big-ticket mandates. US heavyweights Sidley Austin, Cahill Gordon & Reindel and Cravath Swaine & Moore profited from the boom, each scoring a place on at least two of the five most high-profile deals announced last month.
Lie and dry
One of Tulkinghorn's scribes was delighted to meet a lawyer the other day who is able to see the sunny side in any given situation. Literally.
Linklaters agrees tie-up with Indian firm
Linklaters and a new Indian firm have drawn up a referral arrangement contract that could lead to the magic circle firm having more access to the Indian market.
Linklaters boosts Budapest with Freshfields raid
Linklaters has raided Freshfield Bruckhaus Deringer’s Budapest office of two corporate specialists, bagging a new head of corporate for its own office.
Mass marketing
News reaches Tulkinghorn that Addleshaws' new PR chap in London Mark Morley used to perform similar duties for the Catholic church in the UK.
Mayer Brown scoops ex-Hammonds team for Brussels
Mayer Brown Rowe & Maw has become the first firm to pounce upon Hammonds’ departing Brussels partners, hiring trade specialist Edward Borovikov and a team of six associates.
McDermott raids Trivoli for new Italy team
McDermott Will & Emery has almost doubled its partner numbers in Italy, hiring three partners from Trivoli & Associati to launch a tax practice.
Milbank bonuses remain static for second year
Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy is the first US firm to announce its year-end bonuses, which will match the firm’s bonus rates for its New York counterparts.
Mishcons scoops lead role on BEL rejig
Mishcon de Reya consolidated its longstanding relationship with limited company Business Environment (BEL), the serviced office accommodation provider, by landing a lead advisory role on a corporate reconstruction and a £102m refinancing with Nationwide Building Society. Partner Nick Davis led the Mischcons team, which included corporate partner Kevin McCarthy and corporate assistant Mark Hirschfield. ...
Needham moves in to purpose-built offices
Midlands firm Needham & James has moved to new premises in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Neuberger LJ in fast-track promotion to the Lords
After just two years at the Court of Appeal, Lord Justice Neuberger is to become the country's youngest Law Lord at the age of 58.
New bar chair Vos QC presents post-Clementi vision
The incoming chairman of the Bar Council Geoffrey Vos QC announced a consultation into who should be regulated by the Bar following the changes expected when the Legal Services Bill is passed.
Norton Rose eyes Sweden as Ashurst takes the plunge
Norton Rose eyes Sweden as Ashurst takes the plunge" /Norton Rose is sending a promotional taskforce to Sweden to build its profile in the country just as Ashurst confirmed its Stockholm launch last week.
O'Melveny promotes first two London partners
O’Melveny & Myers has promoted a record 18 of its associates to the partnership with the two lawyers elected in London marking the first newly elected lawyers based in its London office.
Paul Hastings plans 400 per cent growth for London
Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker is targeting dramatic growth in London in a bid to build the office into the firm's second largest, outgrowing its Los Angeles base.
Paul Weiss halves number of associate promotions
New York firm Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison has promoted three associates to its partnership, half the number in 2005.
Play time
Thanks to Linklaters for inviting Tulkinghorn down to its annual - and by now surely traditional - Christmas party at Hamleys last Tuesday (5 December). As usual the champagne flowed and the gathered clients, lawyers and occasional hack mingled among the toys.
Semple Fraser, Taylor Wessing score 'waste as fuel' litigation
The Environment Agency's legal services team, Taylor Wessing and Scottish firm Semple Fraser, were in court last week to resolve a dispute over the incineration of waste fuels.
Sexual healing
Becoming a gay-friendly workplace is quite simply good for business. Stephen Frost reports
Shearman in bid to shore up UK with Freshfields hires
Shearman & Sterling is to rebuild its London office with the hire of two partners from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer following a string of high-level partner losses.
Shepherd sheds partner to Pinsents' booming Scots team
Pinsent Masons is ramping up its Scottish projects practice after a record year left its Edinburgh and Glasgow offices bursting at the seams.
SJ Berwin advises on new Business Court
A new Business Court in Fetter Lane to replace the Commercial Court will be developed by Delancy and Invista Real Estate funds, which has been advised by SJ Berwin’s real estate practice.
Softbank sticks with Lovells for refinancing of Vodafone Japan
Lovells' Tokyo office has acted for longstanding client Softbank Group on its refinancing of its acquisition of Vodafone Japan.
South Eastern Circuit gains new leader
David Spens QC will succeed Fountain Court Chambers' Timothy Dutton QC as leader of the South Eastern Circuit in January 2007. Spens was chair of the Criminal Bar Association in 2004-05 and also sits on the Bar Council. He joined Garden Court Chambers earlier this year from 6 King's Bench Walk. Spens will hold the position for two years in a revision of the circuit's constitutional arrangements. Previously the leader spent three years in office.
Stringer Saul dismisses critics of Canada merger
Stringer Saul, a 20-partner London firm best known for its life sciences practice, is to become the London office of Canadian giant Fasken Martineau DuMoulin, as first reported on www.the lawyer.com (4 December).
Survey shows firms' failure to adopt age discrimination rules
Law firms are not well enough prepared for the impact of the new age discrimination legislation, which came into force in October, according to a new survey.
Tall orders
Law firms, reasonably enough, will strive for any competitive advantage they can get. Paul Hastings, being absolutely no different from any of the rest, appears to have taken the strategic decision to intimidate rivals by hiring a swathe of towering giants.
Taylor Wessing feud gifts Kirkpatrick 20-lawyer team
Taylor Wessing has been rocked by the departure of almost half of its 40-lawyer Berlin office after they quit for US firm Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Nicholson Graham.
The bar bill
To the Barbican, where Tulkinghorn found himself very much at home among the elite of the legal world at the Bar Standards Board (BSB) launch. That's a launch party a year after the BSB was established - but nobody praises barristers for their speed.
The death of Nicholson Graham & Jones
It took two years, but yesterday confirmation came that the last remnants of the once proud name Nicholson Graham & Jones is to disappear.
The work-life quiz: Ruth Grant
What was your first-ever job?Working as a Saturday girl in Boots in Woodbridge,Suffolk.
Vinson set to escape Enron quagmire
Vinson & Elkins is on the verge of ending its Enron nightmare after the lead plaintiffs in the multi-billion dollar Enron Corporation securities litigation class action filed a motion seeking to dismiss the Texan firm as a defendant.
Web week
The Lawyer's Web Week is a weekly commentary on legal activity on the web. This includes an overview of the best of the week's blogs. If you want to direct us to useful links, email webweek@thelawyer.com.
Westfield UK legal chief quits 'for new challenge'
Head of legal Polly Joseph has left Westfield Shoppingtowns after nearly six years as the chief lawyer for the UK operations of the retail property giant Westfield Group.
Why CC, Salans and Camerons are piling into Eastern Europe
Bulgaria and Romania are to join the EU on 1 January 2007. On the horizon Croatia, Turkey and Macedonia are lobbying for accession and could join at some point in the next few years.
