17 March 2008
The Lawyer
Helping solicitors in need (of a cab)
The US is all but in recession and times are most certainly tough.
People
• Pinsent Masons has hired two from Eversheds. Property head Gerry Mulholland and senior associate Bob Pritchard both arrive from Eversheds.
Simmons' game of Chinese whispers
Just how long does it take to get a licence to open an office in the Chinese capital? News from Simmons & Simmons this week that the firm is planning to open an office in Beijing had a familiar ring to it.
2Birds crosses Finnish line with Fennica merger
Bird & Bird has become the first UK firm to jump into the Finnish market, tying up a merger with Helsinki firm Fennica Attorneys to boost its Nordic coverage.
A&O banking partner moves in house at TAQA
Allen & Overy (A&O) banking partner and former New York chief Carl Sheldon has joined the Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA) as its first ever general counsel. Sheldon was lured away from the magic circle firm after being introduced to TAQA through A&O’s banking practice. TAQA has had close links with the firm since it was founded in 2005.
Addleshaws wins Rolls-Royce role
Addleshaw Goddard has knocked Pinsent Masons off the Rolls-Royce legal panel.
Akin Gump, Wachtell lead on hedge fund listing
US firms Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld and Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz are playing key roles in the New York listing of hedge fund company Halcyon Asset Management.
All in the timing - Lords ruling gives price-fixers a reprieve
On 12 March the House of Lords ruled in Norris v Government of the USA that secret price-fixing in itself is not capable of being a criminal conspiracy to defraud.
American tie
Tulkinghorn doesn't usually do this, but as a one-off he's happy to give a particularly entrepreneurial soul a free plug.
Ashfords lures Reed Smith partner
West Country firm Ashfords has hired Reed Smith commercial partner David Heard in a major coup for the Exeter-based outfit.
Baroness Scotland appoints SFO head
Barrister Richard Alderman has been appointed as director of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), Attorney General Baroness Scotland announced today (17 March).
Beachcroft finds new employment chief
Beachcroft has promoted partner Sue Jenkins to lead its employment and pensions group.
Bear Stearns lawyers attract 'feeding frenzy'
Headhunters are circling the in-house legal and compliance group at Bear Stearns in the wake of the bank’s collapse on Monday (17 March).
Block and the Bear
This morning there were still a few green-draped revellers stumbling home after yesterday's annual St Patrick's day jamboree.
Bryan Cave goes to San Francisco
US law firm Bryan Cave has ramped up its presence in California with the launch of a San Francisco office. The new office, which will be headed by commercial litigation partner Lynn McCreary, will serve the entire Bay Area and Northern California.
Built to last: Tracey Wood, Costain
As Costain's head of legal, Tracey Wood has just overseen the selection of the builder's first formal panel. Not that she always gets to pick and choose
Camerons goes East
It was a year of eastern promise for CMS Cameron McKenna. The firm made up the bulk of new partners in the burgeoning Central and Eastern European practice - with six promotions out of a total of 11 falling within the region.
Cash-strapped cashier court in the act
Reaching retirement with debts hanging over your head would make anyone feel uneasy.
CEE gains most from CMS Cameron McKenna promotions
CMS Cameron McKenna has turned eastwards in its annual round of promotions, with more than half of new partners made up in Central and Eastern Europe.
Clifford Chance GC calls on SRA to relax client conflict regulations
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) came under pressure to reform its rules on conflicts at The Lawyer's fourth annual Strategic Risk Management Conference last week (10 and 11 March).
Commercial & Chancery
The Commercial Court and the Chancery division are gearing up for a record year as companies tighten their belts as a result of the economic downturn.
Dewey defends leadership void
Market shocked by lack of London and NY headsOn 1 April it will be six months since Dewey Ballantine bowed to the inevitable and called time on its days as an independent firm, accepting the merger offer from an expansionist LeBoeuf Lamb Greene & MacRae.
Dewey raids Clifford Chance for Rome team
Dewey & LeBoeuf has bolstered its Rome office with the hire of a Clifford Chance team.
Dickinson Dees sets up wealth team for women
North East firm Dickinson Dees has launched an all-woman wealth management team to target the lucrative market of independently wealthy women in the region.
Dispute pursuit
With 2008 promising to be a huge year for disputes in the UK, three representatives of US firms set out their strategies for getting in on the action
Double trouble
The growing trend for parallel criminal and civil proceedings is making life more complicated for litigators and defendants alike.
Dundas, stephensons land lampposts sale
Dundas & Wilson and Stephenson Harwood have played key roles in the sale of EDF Energy's street lighting business, Seeboard Trading Ltd, to Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE).
EAPD raids Reed Smith to launch life sciences practice
US law firm Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge (EAPD) has made its first lateral partner hire following its merger with Kendall Freeman to launch an IP and life sciences practice in London.
Energy head to lead McDermott, London
US firm McDermott Will & Emery has appointed energy partner Doron Ezickson to run its London office.
Eversheds and A&O board Boeing legal network
Allen & Overy (A&O) and Eversheds have won places on Boeing's preferred legal provider network after a formal panel review by the US aerospace giant.
Eversheds disputes duo quits for Crowell
Washington DC-based Crowell & Moring has hired Eversheds dispute resolution partners Gerallt Owen and Peter Kiernan after the pair's practice became divorced from the strategic direction of the firm.
Eversheds set to red card sloppy partners
Eversheds has taken a leaf out of the Football Association's rule book and is set to introduce a yellow and red card scheme to spur partners into tightening up their lockup performance.
Eversheds targets international expansion with quadruple partner win
Eversheds has gone on a hiring spree with four new partner appointments across the firm's European offices.
Financial crime raids
It is 6am and the office mobile rings on the bedside table. It is security and they have a number of policemen with them. They have a search warrant and want access to your IT server. Security just want to check that this is OK with you… and there is a television crew there too.
Firm profile teacher stern
Having recently converted to a limited-liability partnership (LLP), Teacher Stern is moving into a new phase of growth, according to managing partner Graham Shear.
FoxMandal signs up Sir Gavin Lightman
Indian firm FoxMandal Little has scooped former High Court judge Sir Gavin Lightman as a consultant.
Freshfields banks on White & Case rebels
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has voted to hire former White & Case banking partners Maurice Allen and Mike Goetz.
Freshfields leads promotions round with 25 new partners
The London office of Freshfields has been the biggest beneficiary in the firm's annual round of promotions.
Freshfields moves to increase partners' global mobility
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer's London office head Tim Jones is putting partner mobility at the top of his agenda and formalising a strategy for moving talent between the firm's offices.
Freshfields partner takes EC policy role
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer competition partner Vanessa Turner is to leave the magic circle firm to take up a post at the European Commission.
Freshfields refills partnership
It's a bumper crop at Freshfields this year with 25 partners made up in total. As always, corporate dominates with nine out of 25 or 36 per cent of promotions.
Freshfields, lovells lead on duty free deal
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Lovells have steered BAA's £546.6m sale of World Duty Free Europe Ltd (WDF) to Autogrill.
Fried Frank boosts revenue by 14 per cent
Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson has announced its financial results for the 2007-08 year.
GC Switalski triumphs in discrimination suit against F&C
F&C Asset Management is preparing to challenge a multimillion-pound discrimination claim brought by its former head of legal services.
Getting wiggy with it
Are wigs and gowns really necessary?
Go east! Mipim shows the way
The top story from the Mipim real estate conference last week?
Hammonds launches action plan with new COO
Hammonds employment chief Sue Nickson has been appointed to the newly created role of chief operations officer (COO).
Hedge funds ready to sue government over Northern Rock
Edwin Coe and White & Case are gearing up to take legal action against the Government over the compensation packages former Northern Rock shareholders are likely to be offered now the bank has been nationalised.
Herbert Smith hires HR head from Bakers
Baker & McKenzie European director of talent management Chris Lynch is to leave the firm to take on the global HR director role at Herbert Smith. Lynch, who joined Bakers as HR director in 2004, takes up her new position in May.
Hot in the city…
More than a few real estate lawyers will be nursing hangovers today, but Tulkinghorn expects some will be worse off than others.
House of Lords 'spring cleans' statute book
The House of Lords has launched a major clean-up of meaningless and defunct laws from the Statute Book.
HR Profile: Browne Jacobson Midlands recruiting
Three years ago Midlands-based Browne Jacobson had a disappointing level of brand awareness among law students that was leading to a decline in training contract applications. Online applications and feedback at law firms revealed a depressing picture.
ICC Arbitration chief quits after strategy row
The ICC International Court of Arbitration chairman Pierre Tercier has resigned after a disagreement about the future direction of the court.
Ince & Co makes up three new partners
Ince & Co has promoted three to its partnership, bringing the total number of partners at the firm to 85.
Ince & Co: happy days for men in boats
It is, and for the last three years has been, a good time to be a shipping associate with Ince & Co. The firm traditionally prefers to promote from within and this year three associates have made the cut.
Jimmy Savile turns to Fox Hayes for action against The Sun
Leeds-based firm Fox Hayes has commenced legal action against The Sun newspaper on behalf of TV personality Jimmy Savile.
Jomati alliance adds New York with Adam Smith, Esq
The US legal management consultancy Altman Weil and its London-based affiliate, Jomati have formed a strategic alliance with Bruce MacEwen, founder of the US legal market website, Adam Smith, Esq.
King & spalding forges ahead with global strategy
King & Spalding will launch its second office in California when it opens the doors on its San Francisco outpost on 25 March.
Latham makes up second litigator in London
Latham & Watkins has promoted seven new lawyers to the partnership, including one in London.
Lawyer 2B creates state school scheme
Lawyer 2B has launched a new scheme to help open up the legal profession to state school-educated sixth-formers.
Lebanon's largest firm joins CMS alliance
The CMS alliance has bolstered its Middle East presence by launching an association agreement with The Levant Lawyers, the largest law firm in Lebanon.
Legal world dominates sports anti-doping panel
Five QCs, two other barristers, two senior solicitors and a magistrate have been appointed to the National Anti-Doping Panel (NADP) to help tackle drugs cheats in UK sports.
Lib Dem Menzies Campbell launches Scottish chambers
Former Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell QC has become one of the founding members of new Scottish chambers Terra Firma which was formally launched today (20 March).
Liberal thinking
FoxMandal Little is the first Indian law firm to launch in London. And with liberalisation on the horizon, international head Som Mandal is looking to take the City by storm
Lords win for 9 Gough Square will enable suicide wife to claim
Common law set 9 Gough Square has won a House of Lords ruling enabling a widow to claim damages from her husband's employer after a work accident led to his depression and suicide.
Losing streak
The last time Tulkinghorn dabbled in gambling, he was left hailing a taxi in his underpants in downtown Hong Kong.
Lovells scores role on ITV sale of Liverpoolfc.tv
Lovells has maintained its relationship with ITV following the departure of relationship partner Hugh Nineham, advising the company on the sale of its share in Liverpool FC website www.liverpoolfc.tv.
Lydian raids BLP and Deloitte for new partners
Belgian independent firm Lydian has boosted its partnership with hires from Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) and Deloitte.
Mills receives £24.3m in McCartney divorce settlement
Payne Hicks Beach client Sir Paul McCartney is to pay estranged wife Heather Mills £24.3m in a divorce settlement determined by High Court judge Mr Justice Bennett.
Mills-McCartney judgment reveals all
Heather Mills has failed in her attempt to block the publication of the judgment handed down in her divorce from Paul McCartney.
MIPIM 2008 highlights
Not a worried real estate lawyer in sight as Mipim comes around… again
NABARRO WRAPS UP £61m duo of deals
Nabarro has closed a pair of deals, acting for Premier Recruitment International in its £45m offer for competitor Imprint, and representing Chelford Group on its £16m offer from Solarsoft Business Systems.
Nixon Peabody's global reach to span three continents by 2010
Nixon Peabody is finalising an aggressive growth strategy that could see the firm launch offices in Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
Non-domiciled policy slammed but lawyers pleased with Budget
Chancellor Alistair Darling has pushed ahead with plans to hit non-domiciled residents with a £30,000 annual tax, with the levy kicking in once they have lived in the UK for seven years.
North west
In the era of increasing digital dependency, keeping confidential information in the right hands has never been more important. But it would seem that just as major organisations have the capacity to store an ever-greater amount of highly sensitive information, those same organisations have been plagued with a series of oversights, seeing that information go missing.
Olswang acts on EU rollout of film studios' digital cinema
Olswang has advised new client Arts Alliance Media on five long-term deals to secure the rollout of digital cinema for five studios across Europe.
Olswang names 10 partners in bumper promotion round
Olswang is promoting a bumper number of partners this year with a total of 10 associates making it onto the firm's partnership.
Olswang's year of change
Olswang’s promotions reveal the firm’s efforts to become a strategic player in the corporate world, with the department seeing the lion’s share (four out of 10) of internal promotions for the coming year.
Pinsent Masons commercial chief quits for HBJ
Pinsent Masons national head of commercial Simon Pigden has left the firm for the Birmingham office of HBJ Gately Wareing.
Proper job
What credit crunch? Trainee recruitment is buoyant; for students the law is a safe option. Here's why…
Property slowdown? What property slowdown?
Property slowdown? What property slowdown? 20-March-2008 Good news!It's clearly a good time to be a real estate lawyer. In the latest round of partnership promotions, it was real estate associates who left their colleagues in other practices in the shade.
Raft of firms appointed to embryology panel
Beachcroft, Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW), Herbert Smith and Morgan Cole have won places on the first ever panel for the Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority (HFEA), the independent regulator that licences and monitors IVF, artificial insemination and human embryo research.
Reed Smith, Amarchand team up on Standard sale
Reed Smith Richards Butler has strengthened its relationship with Indian firm Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A Shroff & Co by teaming up on the acquisition of Standard Chartered's Indian asset management business.
Rules of shtoom
The North West is gaining an unwanted reputation as a hotspot for data security lapses. The legal community must take note of the lessons to be learnt
Sackers' Pittaway wins second term
Ian Pittaway is to serve a second term as senior partner of pensions boutique Sacker & Partners, having been asked to do so by the firm's partnership.
Separated at birth
Tulkinghorn well knows that barristers like to talk a lot. He supposes that the letters QC should stand for "quite chatty". But even Tulkinghorn was unaware that Blackstone Chambers silk John Howell QC's part-time job across the pond involved a lot of talking.
Shirt and sweet
One prominent lawyer, and no stranger to Tulkinghorn's colourful page, was utterly dismayed by Chelsea's woeful FA Cup defeat by Barnsley last week. But through his tears, said lawyer was able to complete a bit of detective work that piqued Tulkinghorn's interest.
Simmons defends Abu Dhabi bank against gambling claims
Simmons & Simmons has defended National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD) against claims that it was liable for a gambler's £100m of debts.
Skadden and Wachtell seal Bear Stearns buyout
Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom and Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz have scooped lead roles on JPMorgan Chase's acquisition of troubled investment bank Bear Stearns.
Skadden set to launch in Brazil
Skadden set to launch in Brazil" /Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom announced today (Tuesday 18 March) that it is opening an office in São Paulo, Brazil. M&A partner Jonathan Bisgaier, a corporate partner and fluent Portuguese speaker, will be the resident head of the São ...
Split ends
Proposals to create a dedicated business court have thrown the futures of the Commercial Court and Chancery Division into question. But judges' views should be heard prior to any government action
Standard Chartered unveils UK panel
Addleshaw Goddard, Burges Salmon, Denton Wilde Sapte, DLA Piper, Herbert Smith and Norton Rose have all won places on bank giant Standard Chartered's ...
Steven Grant: Pannone
If you weren't a lawyer what would you have been?More relaxed.
Thomas Eggar rejigs management
South East firm Thomas Eggar has split its management functions into separate strategic and operational arms.
Top City law firms unite for first gay summit
InterLaw, the first diversity network that aims to connect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) networks across all law firms, will officially launch tomorrow.
Transatlantic dream sours as Audley & co walk out on Faegre
Five years ago US firm Faegre & Benson tied the knot with London firm Hobson Audley in order to grow its capabilities in the UK's capital, but now the honeymoon period is definitely over.
US defence lawyers' body spreads to EU
DRI, a national membership organisation that represents more than 22,000 defence trial lawyers and corporate counsel in the US, has launched a European arm.
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.
White & Case London office demands recognition from those damn Yankees
Allen and Goetz have walked, but can the finance partners be appeased?
White & case skews UK-US extradition treaty
White & Case has won a landmark House of Lords victory that will undermine key points of the UK's extradition treaty with the US.
White & Case: We are larger than Allen and Goetz
White & Case has crowned the new heads of its London banking finance team in the wake of the recent resignations of stars Maurice Allen and Mike Goetz.
Wragges favours real estate in promotions round
Wragge & Co has appointed nine new partners in its latest round of promotions with the majority being made up in the firm's real estate team.
Wragges' ups the firm's real estate profile
Wragges' decision to focus on real estate in this year's partnership promotions is indicative that the firm is certainly putting its money where its mouth is.
