18 November 2002
The Lawyer
'Crash' course in management
There's nothing like a good conference to get Tulkinghorn out of the office and into some swanky hotel, especially if there's lunch thrown in for good measure. But he was stunned by one speaker in the line-up for a best practice conference in January.None other than Morgan Cole chief executive David Main will be exploring "the drivers for change and the challenges in implementing ...
A&O aids Schroder on German debt framework
Allen & Overy (A&O) has advised Schroder Salomon Smith Barney and West LB on the development of a E10bn (£6.3bn) framework debt issuance programme for Germany's biggest state
Aiding betting
After witnessing the closure of Bob Geldof’s deckchair.com, you’d think David Williams would be steering clear of dotcoms. But as Steve Hoare reports, Betfair’s head of legal thinks this one’s a sure bet
Airtours lawyer is left luggage
Slaughter and May partner Malcolm Nicholson must have thought his name was burned on to the European Commission's (EC) collective consciousness following his historic victory in Airtours, which ushered in the EC's current reformist programme.However, at the EC merger control conference last week, the chairman of the panel discussing Airtours could not remember Nicholson's ...
Altheimer and BDO create sports group
US firm Altheimer & Gray is set to team up with accountancy firm BDO Stoy Hayward to launch a new sports practice group
AMEC PPP work goes to Addleshaws and Ashursts
Addleshaw Booth & Co and Ashurst Morris Crisp have advised AMEC Developments and British Waterways on a pioneering public-private partnership (PPP) to develop waterside land.The initial PPP is for 12 sites with an end value of £1.4bn, but it it probable that future waterways projects will follow. This could mean lucrative instructions for Ashursts and Addleshaws, if, as expected, the ...
Austria: can its firms survive if they refuse to open up?
Aled Griffiths asks whether Viennese firms will have to merge after the economic reforms of 2004
BA recommendation gives DLA baggage deal for 95-airline network
DLA has scooped new instructions from the Airline Operators Committee (AOC), a representative body of all 95 airlines using Heathrow, following a recommendation from British Airways (BA). The firm hopes the deal will provide it with a contact to new clients in the airline sector.DLA is advising the AOC on a procurement agreement with Ferranti Air Systems for a new IT and telecoms system to assist with baggage reconciliation. Ferranti is being advised by its in-house team.
Bar Council rejects levy on wealthy barristers
Proposals for barristers to help cut student debt are abandoned
Barristers' earnings soar as sets continue to grow
Barristers' earnings rose by £100m and a massive 42 per cent of sets have grown by more than 10 per cent in the last year
CC launches Barcelona tax practice
Cuatrecasas lawyer to set up new department
CC to lobby Germany over tax treatment of UK LLPs
Led by Clifford Chance, the UK's largest firms have banded together to lobby the German government on its adverse tax treatment of UK limited liability partnerships (LLPs)
Celebrate good times
A team of RadcliffesLeBrasseur lawyers must be looking forward to a good closing party. Michael Nathanson, Colin Walker and Louise Ramsden, among others, acted for Magnus Mellor who has just bought Corts wine bar on Chancery Lane, a place very dear to Tulkinghorn's own heart. Are there no limits to what lawyers will do to get the latest market gossip?
Competition director hits out at efficiency
The EU's new Director General of Competition Philip Lowe addressed the issue of limited manpower in his department at the recent Merger Control Conference in Brussels
Correction
In a story in last week's issue, which ran under the headline 'DLA snaffles Harrods work from Hammonds', it was incorrectly stated that The Ritz, London is owned by the Harrods Group. The Ritz, London is owned by The Ritz Hotel (London) Limited, which is ultimately owned by Sir Frederick and Sir David Barclay, and advised by Ashurst Morris Crisp. The Harrods Group, now advised by DLA, owns ...
DEAL OF THE WEEK - SR TECHNICS
Baker & McKenzie in the driving seat on 3i buyout of SR Technics
Deals round-up - Germany
Ashurst Morris Crisp (David Kershaw) advised Global Freight Exchange in connection with an equity investment by British Airways, Air France and Lufthansa Cargo. British Airways was advised in-house, Clifford Chance advised Air France and Wilmer Cutler & Pickering advised Lufthansa.Davis Polk & ...
Dept of Justice loses second senior official
The US Department of Justice (DoJ) has lost its second senior antitrust official in the space of a month, as Bill Kollasky quits for private practice after just 14 months
Dundas scoops former KLegal corporate chief
Leading Scottish law firm Dundas & Wilson has hired the former head of KLegal's corporate group in London. Colin Fergusson will join Dundas's London office on 21 November, increasing the number of individuals at the office to 50.
EC frees shipping group from competition law
The European Commission(EC) has granted a competition law exemption to seven of the world's largest liner shipping companies, including P&O Nedlloyd, AP Moller Maersk-Sealand and Hapag-Lloyd. The landmark decision, which follows more than a decade of discussions between the shipping companies and the Commission, clarifies the application of EC competition law to the shipping industry. The shipping companies, represented by Lovells partner John Pheasant, belong to a group named ...
EU pressured to remove barriers to foreign practitioners
The EU is considering a range of requests from foreign governments to liberalise the access to its legal professions under commitments it will make in a future World Trade Organization (WTO) deal, following the ongoing so-called Doha Development Round.WTO member countries have asked the EU to negotiate away restrictions on foreign legal specialists providing advice on law, without, for example, being formally qualified in a particular national code. They have also called ...
EU report gives advice after Enron
A report issued by the EU's High-Level Group of Company Law Experts recommends reforms to EU company law
Eversheds hires DLA insolvency partner
DLA’s Paul de la Peña joins Eversheds’ London team
Exception to the rule
In yet another twist in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, Alex Cohen and Jamal Qaimmaqami ask whether the SEC will wield its sword and exempt non-US companies from the act
For a few dollars more
US firms' promises of riches seem to be the best way to lure talent in London. But as Fiona Bennett reports, in a bear market it is difficult to sustain
Freshfields drafts new Bahrain legislation after CC conflicted out
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has been appointed by the Bahrain Monetary Agency (BMA) to draw up new legislation after Clifford Chance was conflicted out because it is drawing up regulations governing the new Dubai International Financial Centre.The appointment came from Freshfields' ...
Fujitsu picks B&M for IT dispute
Fujitsu Services (formerly ICL) has turned to Baker & McKenzie instead of regular IT counsel Masons to argue its dispute with the Co-operative Group
Govt pressured to rejig employment tribunals
Radical recommendations for overhauling employment tribunals, made by a taskforce chaired by Janet Gaymer, the senior partner of Simmons & Simmons, have been appr-oved by the Government
Greenberg opens in Zurich and Amsterdam
Miami law firm Greenberg Traurig has blasted into Europe by launching in Amsterdam and Zurich
Hammonds sends scouts to seek out US merger partner
In a highly ambitious move, Hammonds is hunting for a US merger partner
Hewitsons hires Minter Ellison IP specialist
Cambridge-based Hewitson Becke + Shaw has hired intellectual property (IP) partner Mark Elmslie from Minter Ellison in Australia. Elmslie spent 12 years in London, including three years as a partner with Finers Stephens Innocent, before returning to his native Australia in 2000 to become special counsel to the IP group of Minter Ellison. "Clients are increasingly realising that there is no need for them to use City firms to find the highest levels of IP expertise," said Elmslie. First ...
I love London Town
With clients increasingly going international, it's a given that US firms servicing them must have a London base. But as William Charnley says, a sound strategy is called for
Indian torture
Tulkinghorn was delighted to attend White & Case's client party at Vinopolis last week. On arrival he was searching for his name badge and he was delighted to see among the invitees Mandy's old mates, the Hinduja brothers.Mrs Tulkinghorn is always keen for the family to mix with others of similar wealth and influence and any friend of the Queen is surely a friend of ours.Despite the Hindujas' flirting with New Labour, Tulkinghorn was keen to ...
Invasion of the market-snatchers
It finally looks like A&O will be taking up residence in the Spitalfields Market development thanks to its assurances of community integration. But as Jon Robins reports, opponents of the law firm's move believe the promises are worse than empty - they're meaningless
Jackson Parton wins El Paso from rivals
Richards Butler and Holman Fenwick & Willan have been dumped by giant US gas provider El Paso Corporation and replaced by 10-partner niche London shipping firm Jackson Parton
KLegal defers trainees again
KLegal has asked 30 of its trainees in London and Scotland to defer their 2003 training contracts for a year in return for a £2,500 pay-off. This is the second time in a matter of months that KLegal has slashed its future trainee intake. It offered around half of its 2002 trainee intake a £10,000 lump sum if they deferred their start dates for 12 months. KLegal says the 2003 trainees have been offered a smaller package because they have been given a whole year's notice. ...
KLegal turns to the regions on back of KPMG
Accountancy-tied firm KLegal has initiated a new regional strategy to roll out multidisciplinary offerings from KPMG offices across the UK
Law firms slammed over lack of IT nous
DuPont, Cable & Wireless, Equitas point to poor response from legal advisers
Law Soc slams present QC system
The Law Society has moved into direct confrontation with the Bar Council over the fundamental political issue of government-appointed QCs
Lord Woolf admits ADR need rethink
The Lord Chief Justice Lord Woolf has admitted that his 1999 reforms have not gone "nearly far enough"
Lovells raids CC for Dutch finance chief
Lovells has filled a gap in its international banking and finance capability with the hire of a high-profile partner from Clifford Chance in Amsterdam
Macfarlanes wins place on PPM Ventures panel
Macfarlanes has secured the position of secondary UK adviser to private equity house PPM Ventures. The move follows the organisation's decision to slash the number of firms on its legal panel. Lovells, PPM's existing preferred adviser, together with Ashurst Morris Crisp and
Matrix takes on CND battle over Iraq
The chambers of Cherie Booth QC has been instructed by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) to challenge the Government over Iraq
Mayer Brown hires California legislator
Speaker Emeritus of the California Assembly to join as partner
Mayer Brown steps up Cologne base
Former Freshfields lawyer joins from national firm
Meridian's Ace purchase sees monopolisation of Bar software
Meridian Law has bought out its sole rival Ace, leaving it as the monopoly supplier of software to the Bar
Microsoft happy with result of antitrust case
IT behemoth agrees to anti-bullying regulations but celebrates new settlement
Morgan Cole insurance pair jump ship
Morgan Cole has lost two more insurance partners, just months after expelling its highly-rated head of insurance from the partnership over his plans to set up his own firm
Nabarros raids rivals in triple hiring spree
Nabarro Nathanson is ploughing ahead with its investment strategy with the hire of three new partners, including Berwin Leighton Paisner's (BLP) well-known head of construction and engineering Terry Fleet
New managing partner for Jones Day
Litigator Stephen Brogan picked for top job
Newspaper chiefs rally for changes to contempt laws
Interbrew lights fires of indignation as editors seek Section 10 overhaul. Naomi Rovnick reports
Opinion
If managing a law firm has traditionally been described as herding cats, how will practices survive when lawyers suddenly multiply like bunnies?
Orrick takes on $9bn State of California municipal finance deal
Californian firm Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe has scooped work from the State of California to advise on a $9bn (£5.67bn) municipal finance deal, the largest such offering made in a single day
Pepper Hamilton told: check client conflicts
Lawyers at US firm Pepper Hamilton have been told to run conflict checks on the firm's clients following an uproar when one client was unknowingly subpoenaed by a partner
Poison apple?
When a rush of UK firms set up in New York a few years ago they had high hopes of breaking into the lucrative market. But as John Morris reports, they have yet to make their mark and dreams of a merger are unlikely to materialise
Pollock, Grabiner go head-to-head in slanging match
Two titans of the English Bar, Gordon Pollock QC and Lord Grabiner QC, and Mr Justice Langley were embroiled in a war of words in the run-up to Pollock's capitulation in phase one of a mammoth High Court dispute
Quick study
South African Neville Eisenberg is a long way from his roots, but as Julia Cahill discovers, the BLP managing partner feels right at home in the City
Russell Jones axes 40
Litigation specialist Russell Jones & Walker is set to axe 40 staff, including 10 lawyers but no partners
ScottWilks launches in Birmingham
Holborn-based niche commercial litigation firm Scott-Wilks has launched a Birmingham office. The new office will be headed by Philip Jones, formerly a partner at finance law firm Wildes. Jones's appointment takes the number of partners at ScottWilks to four.
SHADBOLT & CO
Shadbolt & Co has an international presence to be proud of
Shaggy dog story
Howrey Simon competition lawyer and man-about-town Trevor Soames came out with a hackneyed primary school excuse for not having read his text books last week.Soames was overheard telling King's College professor Richard Whish that he missed out on an early Whish academic tome. Apparently Soames, joining the Department of Trade and Industry in 1985 to investigate competition policy, was given Whish's seminal book as bedtime reading. Following an unfortunate incident ...
Simmons takes former Andersen litigator
Jacques-Antoine Robert bolsters Simmons’ Paris base
South Carolina outlaws confidential settlements
South Carolina's federal judges have done away with confidential legal settlements in a move that is expected to be adopted by state courts
Squire Sanders knocks at Watson Farley's door
Firms resume talks as Squire Sanders' French merger '95 per cent complete'
Stibbe in partner reshuffle
Herbert Smith's Dutch best friend Stibbe is relocating London managing partner and corporate litigator Jeroen Fleming to Amsterdam to head the arbitration practice
Survey predicts in-house hikes but highlights remuneration gap
Despite continued market volatility, on average 45 per cent of companies predict growth in their in-house legal departments in the next six months, according to a recent survey
That's a bit rich
Oh the irony of it all. In the same week that KPMG-tied firm KLegal decided the fate of 30 trainees by pulling their names out of a hat, Tulkinghorn was surprised to receive a press release from McGrigor Donald, the Scottish firm with which KLegal merged earlier this year, boasting of the success of its trainee lawyer training regime.It would seem that McGrigors has become the first firm to achieve full accreditation from the Law Society of Scotland for its Professional ...
The Lawyer/Unicef to present Child Rights Lawyer Award
The winner of The Lawyer/Unicef Child Rights Lawyer Award will be announced on Wednesday at an evening hosted by The Law Society
The Leader Column
Enough, already. It's rather a relief to be in a city that isn't obsessed with the Clifford Chance associates' memo. In New York, that's so last month.CC's woes haven't advanced the cause of the transatlantic merger. Certain UK partners like to think that the recession on Wall Street will force top US law firms to look internationally for work, but this ...
Top charity lawyer quits DLA for Wrigleys
DLA's Sheffield office has lostthe head of its charities team Godfrey Smallman (left) to the Sheffield office of leading private client firm Wrigleys. Smallman, who has nearly 23 years of legal experience, has built up a significant number of charity clients, including the Sheffield Church Burgesses Trust, the Bluecoat & Mount Pleasant Educational Foundation and the Sheffield Royal Society for the Blind.
Trowers handles Oman disposal for BP
Trowers & Hamlins has completed another Middle East-related instruction from BP by advising on the disposal of its controlling interest in its Oman operating company BP Oman SAOG
Whiff or without you
So much for clients getting worried over Clifford Chance 'padding' its billable hours. One general counsel said she cares less about how much a firm bills and more about how presentable its partners are.Said general counsel on one occasion even decided against instructing one partner on the basis that he "smells". She went on to say that she was happy with whatever a firm ...
Wragges heads to London for stab at private equity
Will Wragges' existing client relationships help it to achieve mid-market glory? asks Husnara Begum
