18 September 2006
The Lawyer
A&O's mouth almighty
Grapevine applauded the chutzpah of the head of Allen & Overy's (A&O) financial institutions group Alistair Asher following the merger between building societies Nationwide and Portman.
People
Clifford Chance has appointed David Byrne as its global head of business development for finance and capital markets. Byrne joins from Linklaters, where he was head of marketing and business development for the finance division.
Well-oiled defence wins genocide case
Despite George Clooney's best efforts at the UN on Thursday (14 September), last week was better for oil companies than those campaigning against genocide in Sudan.
…As total lawsuits against firm breach $20m mark
Coudert Brothers faces a slew of lawsuits across the world, which is costing former partners hundreds of thousands of dollars a month in legal fees.
A rum do
A round of applause to Baker & McKenzie for discovering the best bar in London.
A&O, Addleshaws land roles on UK building society mega-merger
Addleshaw Goddard and Allen & Overy (A&O) have scooped roles on the UK's largest-ever building society merger, with total asset values of more than £150bn and 13-million-plus members.
Acquisition finance update
Allen & Overy's chunkiest deal of the summer was France's largest-ever leveraged buyout, in which partner Stephen Kensell advised Deutsche Bank and Goldman Sachs on the acquisition by KKR and Goldman Sachs Private Equity of Pages Jaunes. Meanwhile, Andrew Bamber had a busy summer, advising the Glazer family on the £575m senior and second-lien refinancing for Manchester United FC, Baugur on ...
Addleshaws, Trowers in shopping mall coup
Addleshaw Goddard and Trowers & Hamlins advised on the £126.1m sale of the historic Victoria Quarter Arcade in Leeds, the North's high-end shopping destination. Built in 1898, the marble and mahogany-panelled arcade is home to retailers including Harvey Nichols, Louis Vuitton and Vivien Westwood, and ...
Another Freshfields partner quits in Germany
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has lost rated corporate finance partner to Norr Stiefenhofer Lutz.
Anthony Hobley: Climate Change Capital
Climate Change Capital's Anthony Hobley is at the forefront of environmental law change, but is suspicious of firms trying to jump on the bandwagon. David Middleton reports
Ashurst, CC called upon for Genting's Stanley bid
Ashurst and Clifford Chance have retained their positions as preferred legal advisers for Stanley Leisure and Genting Group respectively, taking lead roles in the latter's £484m bid for the UK's top casino operator.
Ashurst, Clydes and Freshfields aid UAE AIM float
Ashurst, Clyde & Co and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have all won roles on the first AIM flotation of a company that is fully based in the UAE.
Back to work with a vengeance
As we march into September the M&A market has bounced back to life after the traditional summer lull and is expected to be even busier than this time last year.
Bakers, CC handed SR technics sale roles
Baker & McKenzie and Clifford Chance acted in the SFr1.6bn (£690m) sale of technical services company SR Technics. A provider of technical services to aircraft, Zurich-based SR Technics was originally a subsidiary of Swissair, but was sold to private equity houses 3i and Star Capital in 2002. In the latest ...
Banking and Finance
Banking and finance lawyers remain rushed off their feet because of the M&A boom. But at the same time as firms scramble to win roles advising on cashed-up private equity bids, the increasingly competitive and complex auction process is making ever-increasing demands on lawyers' time - and pockets.
Bar complaints setup due for rejig
The Bar Standards Board's new independent complaints commissioner is set to overhaul the bar's disciplinary and complaints system to increase transparency and efficiency.
BBC scoops Paramount lawyer for senior legal role
BBC Worldwide has hired Paramount Comedy’s lawyer, Andrew Baxter, as head of commercial policy.
Birchams lures CC man to realise corporate ambitions
Bircham Dyson Bell has dipped into the magic circle to boost its corporate team.
Bird & Bird scores local IP expert in HK
Bird & Bird has expanded its Asian IP offering with the hire of partner Shirley Kwok from local firm Vivien Chan & Co in Hong Kong. Kwok specialises in trademarks and has more than 20 years of IP experience in the Chinese market. She has been appointed to head the firm's IP portfolio management team in Asia.
BLG ticked off after advert row
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has dealt a blow to Barlow Lyde & Gilbert, upholding a complaint over a full page advertisement that appeared in the national press.
Bonelli, Labruna to act on Telecom Italia Mobile rejig
Top Italian independent firms Labruna Mazziotti Segni and Bonelli Erede Pappalardo have taken the lead on the controversial reorganisation of the ?35bn (£23.74bn) Italian telecom giant Telecom Italia Mobile (TIM).
Brabners appoints sports consultant
Brabners Chaffe Street has boosted its sports law team with the appointment of Andy Gray as a sports regulatory consultant. Gray will be a part-time consultant, retaining his position as head of legal affairs at national swimming governing body British Swimming, a post he has held since 1996. Gray advises on disciplinary, regulatory and governance matters, focusing on doping control.
Bread spread
There are many options when trying to raise liquidity. David Drewienka provides an expert analysis of the pros and cons of each
Camerons Sofia chief joins DLA Piper
DLA Piper Weiss-Tessbach, the Austrian arm of DLA Piper, has poached CMS Cameron McKenna's Sofia office head for its Prague practice. Peter Valert, who worked out of both the Prague and Sofia offices at Camerons, was instrumental in setting up the firm's Bulgarian operations and his departure will come as a blow to the fledgling ...
CAT president Bellamy quits for Linklaters
Linklaters has ramped up its London competition practice with the star hire of president of the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) Sir Christopher Bellamy.
CC poaches King & Spalding M&A boss
Clifford Chance’s New York office has netted the co-head of King & Spalding’s M&A group, John Graham.
CC receives post-audit profit boost
Clifford Chance has announced its audited results for the financial year 2005-06 which have adjusted its preliminary profit figures upwards. Average profit per equity partner (PEP), reported earlier this year as £810,000, now comes in at £814,000. This represents a 25 per cent rise from the previous PEP figure of £615,000.
Chairman threatens Kirkpatrick UK
The chairman of Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Nicholson Graham has threatened his London office with "a bloody nose" when the guaranteed payments it has been paying to City partners end in January 2007.
Clifford Chance in ‘doing ok in New York’ shocker
The biggest firm in the universe is persuading the headhunters on Wall Street to return its calls. Clifford Chance’s latest US catch is John Graham, head of M&A at King & Spalding, which The Lawyer revealed yesterday evening.
Clifford Chance waits on China green light
Clifford Chance waits on China green light" /Clifford Chance announced recently that it intends to team up with a Chinese law firm as soon as the Chinese government allows it.
Crowell raids Arent Fox, Dorsey for NY launch
Washington DC-headquartered firm Crowell & Moring has expanded into New York, launching a Manhattan office following raids on Arent Fox and Dorsey & Whitney.
Dechert dragged into Coudert dispute by partner who was forced out
Dechert dragged into Coudert dispute by partner who was forced out" /A former partner of Coudert Brothers in Paris is suing his old firm, former colleagues and Coudert's French merger partner Dechert for h2m (£1.35m).
Desmond Hudson, The Law Society
With the legal profession in the throes of momentous change, new Law Society chief executive Desmond Hudson is determined to have his say on the implementation of the Legal Services Bill
Dewey rebuilds in London with finance hires
The London office of Dewey Ballantine, which is in the midst of merger negotiations with Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe, has raided its US rivals in the City to boost its finance department.
Dewey, Orrick focus on London despite merger negotiations
Dewey Ballantine and Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe's London offices remain focused on their respective independent growth strategies, despite last week's confirmation that the two US heavyweights are in merger talks.
DLA Piper names two UK managing partners
DLA Piper has announced today its two new UK managing partners as a result of a comprehensive firm review across Europe and Asia.
ECJ: Language tests not required
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) yesterday (19 September) threw out the requirement for a lawyer to speak the language of the country he wants to practise in.
Eversheds gets go-ahead for Qatar Financial Centre opening
Eversheds has become the first international law firm to be granted a licence to practise in Qatar's new financial centre.
Fox Mandal Little petitions for government deregulation
Two of India's oldest firms, Fox Mandal and Little & Co, recently merged to create India's largest legal practice, Fox Mandal Little. Fox Mandal's international practice head Som Mandal explains: "The economy in India is booming and there's still a lot of scope for growth."
Freshfields advises MFI as shops go for a pound
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has scooped a role on the disposal of the retail arm of the UK’s largest furniture group MFI.
Freshfields bags Deutsche-UBS mandate on Europe's largest hybrid
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has bagged a lead role on Siemens’ recent placing of Europe’s largest corporate hybrid bond.
Freshfields closes in Singapore
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is to pull the plug on its two-partner Singapore office.
Freshfields, Linklaters score Gondola roles
Speculation finally ended last Tuesday (12 September) after Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer confirmed that it is advising regular client Cinven on a potential £559m bid for Gondola. Linklaters, meanwhile, has scooped an instruction to advise Gondola, which owns the Pizza Express and ASK restaurant ...
Giuliani's firm set to make a splash in City
Bracewell & Giuliani, the firm of former New York Mayor and prospective presidential candidate Rudolph Giuliani, is launching in London and is on track to be fully operational by the end of the year.
Going solo - the best route to partnership?
Ambitious lawyers want to attain partnership in a firm for a variety of reasons, both personal and financial. But what is the best route to achieving this goal? And what about those with an entrepreneurial spirit? Is the satisfaction greater still in going your own way and starting your own firm from scratch?This question has come to the fore ...
Govt declares FSA authority over LSE
The government pledged on Wednesday (13 September) that, if the London Stock Exchange (LSE) passes into foreign ownership, the Financial Services Authority (FSA) will retain regulatory control over it.
Grapevine
Good news for monoglots everywhere: yesterday the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that a lawyer does not have to speak the language of the country they want to practise in.
Guernsey's Ozannes completes Jersey launch
Ozannes has finally opened its Jersey office, six months after it announced its intentions to be the first Guernsey firm to make such a move.
Hackney Council wins £300K from Nike after IP infringement
Hackney Council has won £300,000 from sportswear giant Nike for copyright infringement after the company admitted misusing Hackney's logo.
Hammonds reeling from double exit
Hammonds' Manchester office has not managed to escape the recent flood of partner losses following the end of the firm's equity partner lock-in on 31 July. The firm lost its respected regional corporate head Stephen Levy to Pinsent Masons and is set to bid farewell to ...
Harbottles solves a problem for Maria
The hills are alive with the sound of music for Harbottle & Lewis after the firm won a competitive pitch to advise 10 upcoming stars in the BBC’s latest hit reality show.
Help find a tome a home
Plenty of books cross Tulkinghorn's scribes' desks begging for review, most of them so dull that they're piled up waiting for a suitable home.
Herbert Smith develops Thai dispute resolution capability with local hire
Herbert Smith has bolstered its dispute resolution practice in Thailand by hiring leading litigation and arbitration specialist Surapol Srangsomwong.
Hill Dickinson strengthens with reunification
Hill Dickinson strengthens with reunification" /In 1989, shipping firm Hill Dickinson broke up and became two firms. Hill Dickinson looked to grow and diversify in the North West, while Hill Taylor Dickinson wanted to concentrate on expanding its international marine practice.
Horseplay
Yorkshire-based divorce lawyer Marilyn Stowe of Grahame Stowe Bateson had fun at the races recently when her firm sponsored the Strensall Stakes at York.
How the West was fun
What would you do with six months' full-paid gardening leave? Tulkinghorn would invest in a fine case of oak-aged scotch and spend one half-year sipping it. Not so IP partner Nicola Dagg, who was faced with the same question after leaving the Lovells partnership for Allen & Overy (A&O).
Human rights groups slate Colombia's new Peace and Justice Law
Colombia's president Alvaro Uribe's record at curbing the bloodshed caused by crossfire between the country's left-wing guerrillas and right-wing paramilitaries was key to his re-election in May. But in seeking to complete a demobilisation of paramilitaries that was agreed earlier in the year, President Uribe, a former lawyer, has passed a law seen by many as equally destructive.
iLaw name sparks English-Irish battle
The new three-partner IP/IT boutique set up by former partners at Osborne Clarke and DMH Stallard has been hit with a lawsuit in its first week of operation.
Is plea bargaining a realistic option for UK justice?
Recent focus on the cost and effectiveness of serious cases has highlighted the absence of plea bargaining as an issue. The inevitable comparison with the US has ensured that the Government's Fraud Review recommended that it be taken forward. Commentators from both prosecution and defence argue that significant savings in time and money ...
Israel-Lebanon conflict sparks litigation quagmire
London lawyers are tied up dealing with litigation arising from the 34-day war between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, over a month after fighting ended.
Kennedys chiefs are worlds apart
It seems that the 10-hour time difference between Sydney and London really is proving to be a bit of a problem for senior management at Kennedys.
Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Nicholson Graham: A fine romance
Two years after taking over Nicholson Graham & Jones, Kirkpatrick has not lost its thirst for global expansion. But potential merger partners should know this - it's picky
Landmark wins 4-5 Gray's Inn junior
Landmark Chambers has poached highly rated planning junior Robert Walton from 4-5 Gray's Inn Square. Walton joins Landmark today (18 September). Walton's practice covers planning, local authority and transport law and he has acted for parties including the Secretary of State for Transport on issues relating to the Channel Tunnel Rail Link. Landmark head Christopher Katkowski QC said the hire affirmed the set's profile in planning law.
Law firms left sweating as clients ramp up in-house IP capabilities
But the trend of IP lawyers going in-house may not necessarily be bad for law firms. By Ben Moshinsky
Le Breton & Associés
Le Breton & Associés sees itself as an innovative and forward-thinking firm. However, it has been part of the French legal market for a very long time. It was founded in 1527 as a firm of notaries, and historical clients include such cultural luminaries as writers Victor Hugo and Jean de La Fontaine, as well as philosopher Michel Foucault.
Leading Portuguese firm splits
Lisbon law firm F Castelo Branco & Associados has split as one of the founding partners has quit to start up another new firm with seven of the firm's lawyers.
Linklaters still keen on Asia
LINKLATERS still has Asia set firmly in its sights. China has proven to be a lucrative market for Linklaters this summer. The firm recently advised Australia's Telstra Corporation on its $254m (£135.6m) cash acquisition of a 51 per cent stake in China's largest real estate and home improvement website, SouFun Holdings.
LoanCheck struggles to build panel due to conflicts
Claims firm LoanCheck is struggling to build a legal panel for suing financial institutions and brokers and is citing law firms’ conflicts of interest as the problem.
London chiefs face fraud claim as Coudert unravels
Coudert Brothers' former chairman and London managing partner have become embroiled in the quagmire of litigation that has engulfed the firm since its spectacular collapse last year.
Low costs keep North West firms ticking over
Apart from the revelations about Avalon, The Lawyer UK 100 Annual Report once again shed light on the way the market in the North West is currently looking. The good news for law firms in the region is that costs remain low.
Mayer Brown nets heavyweight DC trade team
Mayer Brown Rowe & Maw’s Washington DC office has scooped three prized trade partners from Miller & Chevalier, including its head of international trade litigation, Duane Layton.
Media litigators swarm on BBC after Panorama football expose
A flock of media boutiques is circling the BBC after it aired an episode of Panorama about corruption in football.
Milbank opens in Beijing after six-month wait
Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy has launched an office in Beijing to boost its Asian presence.
Nabarros and Freshfields advise LandSecs on A&O mall
Nabarro Nathanson and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have scooped mandates to advise on the redevelopment of Allen & Overy’s (A&O) City headquarters.
Nabarros partner takes new Emea role at Oracle
Global technology company Oracle has hired its first director of litigation for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (Emea), scooping IT disputes partner Sara Ellacott from Nabarro Nathanson.
New twist on age-old issue
As if law firms didn't have enough to contend with on diversity, next month the age discrimination law comes into force. And according to HR professionals, recruiters and employment lawyers, there are some very tricky issues about to surface.
Nexus Solicitors
The story of Nexus Solicitors begins six years ago, when five lawyers from medium-sized national firms decided that they wanted something more out of their careers.
Norton Rose cuts billable hours targets
Norton Rose has responded to its associates' concerns about working hours by slashing the number of chargeable hours needed to be paid a bonus.
Nottingham Law School boss quits ahead of London launch
The dean of Nottingham Law School professor Michael Gunn has quit, leaving a hole in senior management at a crucial time in the school’s development.
NTL adds finance nous with in-house additions
NTL has hired two new in-house lawyers to strengthen its internal M&A and finance capability.
O2 names new legal head as GC quits for BAE post
Mobile telecommunications group O2 has appointed competition head Justine Campbell as its new general counsel, after Phillip Bramwell took the top legal job at BAE Systems.
Orrick finally wins bid for China offices
Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe has won its long-running bid to obtain operating licences for the mainland China offices it acquired from defunct firm Coudert Brothers. It is understood that the judiciary bureaus have granted permission for the amendment of the licences for both Coudert's Beijing and Shanghai offices. Orrick is now expected to launch officially in mainland China later ...
Panorama fallout steals Freshfields’ thunder
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has dominated the news this week. It’s had more partners leaving, it topped the M&A charts, closed its Singapore office and on Thursday night in the wee small hours it managed to help MFI flog its retail stores for the princely sum of one British pound.
Partner of the month
Clifford Chance's rapport with Permira is well publicised, with partner Matthew Layton heading the client relationship team at the magic circle firm. Less well known is the fact that three other partners, including Simon Cooke, make up the private equity house's point-people at the firm.
Phillips Fox joins up with Perth outfit
Australian firm Phillips Fox is to merge with the Perth partnership of Gadens Lawyers, boosting its presence in the Western Australian city.
PHSO invites tenders for first legal panel
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) is creating its first-ever legal panel.
Planning tax slammed as hindering infrastructure projects
Government planning proposals have come under attack from industry groups, who slam them as unrealistic and a hinderance to PPP and PFI projects.
Popham uncontested in CC election
Clifford Chance senior partner Stuart Popham is set for another four-year term of office after the nomination process yielded no other candidates for the post. The deadline for nominations expired earlier this week. Popham was the only partner to have his name put forward, ...
QBE overhauls claims-handling panel
Insurance giant QBE is revamping its claims-handling legal panel.
Reed Smith and Richards Butler make first joint hire with Verizon coup
Merger partners Reed Smith and Richards Butler have made their first joint hire ahead of the January 2007 completion of its tie-up.
Regulatory roundup
In an unprecedented move, the Court of First Instance overturned the European Commission's decision to clear the merger between Bertelsmann Music Group (BMG) and Sony Music. The surprise decision, announced in July, was the first time clearance by the Commission has been reversed by the Court of First Instance. The move followed an application by the Independent Music Publishers and Labels Association, advised by senior partner Scott Crosby and of counsel Jane Golding of Brussels-based ...
Richards Butler HK to snub Reed Smith
Reed Smith" /Richards Butler's Hong Kong office looks set to sever ties with Richards Butler London and US suitor Reed Smith.
Rodger and out
Former Allen & Overy (A&O) PR supremo Iain Rodger really pulled out the stops for his umpteenth and final leaving do, taking the time-honoured strategy of treating his best-loved colleagues and contacts to a night at the pub next door.
Scran maketh the man
Amid the money, suits and skyscrapers of the London legal world, it's heartening to meet a man still in touch with his humble roots. And Nigel Savage, chief executive of the College of Law, is that man.
Securitisation sensation
Increased lending, new laws and more sophistication and understanding in the marketplace mean the Russian securitisation market is in the ascendency. By Martin Bartlam and Karin Artmann
Shadbolt bolsters French arbitration team
Shadbolt & Co has doubled the number of partners in its small Paris office by absorbing an arbitration boutique.
Shoosmiths scores IP victory for Jimmy Choo
Shoosmiths has bagged a win for new client Jimmy Choo, forcing retailer New Look to pay £80,000 in damages and withdraw more than 1,000 shoes that copied Jimmy Choo's design.
Simmons grinds out Kraft win in Sara Lee coffee pod patent dispute
Simmons & Simmons' IP group has teamed up with the in-house IP lawyers at Kraft Food to win a crucial patent victory at the European Patent Office (EPO).
Simmons raids Norton Rose for capital markets head
Simmons & Simmons has bagged former Norton Rose associate to head its debt capital markets practice. Former Norton Rose senior associate Jochen Seitz will join Simmons & Simmons’ Frankfurt office in October. Seitz will head the Frankfurt capital market debt practice, according to German publication Juve.
Simmons trials associate sweeteners
Simmons & Simmons has followed Linklaters' example by rolling out a new range of benefits to pamper hard-working London associates and trainees.
SJ Berwin turns on the charm in India campaign
SJ Berwin turns on the charm in India campaign" /SJ Berwin is stepping up its operations in the Indian market by entering formal referral relationships with a group of local law firms.
Skadden knocked from top spot as M&A tables reveal massive slump
European M&A activity has plummeted in Q3 according to the latest data from mergermarket, dropping to volume levels not seen since Q4 2004.
Slaughters partner goes to HK to strengthen ties
Slaughter and May has put Asia at the heart of its international agenda by sending corporate partner George Goulding to Hong Kong to deepen relationships with its three Chinese best friends.
Solicitors Regulation Authority launches referral fees inquiry
The Law Society’s Regulation Board yesterday (20 September) agreed to review and overhaul the principles governing the use of referral fees by solicitors’ firms.
Sonsini, the scandal and the 'Mad Dog'
The row surrounding Hewlett-Packard has dominated the US press for the past few weeks. There have been all sorts of righteous editorials decrying the "free-wheeling" Silicon Valley business practices that the nation thought it had rid itself of when Enron went down the pan.
Taylor Macmillan rides in on IP/IT boutique wave
A three-partner litigation boutique has launched in London's West End bringing together lawyers from News International, Carter-Ruck and Mishcon de Reya.
Tayor Wessing makes triple property hire
Taylor Wessing has boosted its European real estate practice with the hire of three new lawyers. Environmental lawyer Luke Hinchley joins the firm from Norton Rose. He will work alongside former Norton Rose partner Brian Greenwood, who joined Taylor Wessing in April as head of environment and planning, as well ...
Telecom Italia furore deepens as private equity groups circle
The potential €35bn sale of Telecom Italia Mobile (TIM) has been thrown into doubt as a political scandal grows over the reorganisation of its parent company, Telecom Italia.
The work-life quiz Keith wilson
Name: Keith Wilson
Top international deals
UNITED STATES
Trigen takes Eversheds lawyer as head of legal
Anglo-German biopharmaceutical company Trigen has recruited Eversheds lawyer Justin Penman as its new head of legal. As Trigen’s sole in-house counsel, Penman has overall responsibility for all legal matters, including protecting Trigen’s confidential information, liaising with external counsel and the company’s patent and trade mark attorneys, and general contract negotiation and management.
UK's £13m lawyer hails from Warrington
Nobody would have guessed it, but the UK's richest lawyer lives not in the leafy streets of North London, but in Warrington. In August The Lawyer revealed that Andrew Nulty, senior partner at Avalon Solicitors, took home a profit of £13m in 2006.
Under-fire Sonsini instructs Bush lawyer for HP hearing
Silicon Valley’s legendary technology lawyer Larry Sonsini, name partner of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, has hired one of the country’s leading white collar crime lawyers as he comes under fire for his role in the Hewlett Packard (HP) leaks scandal.
Unilever ditches local counsel as part of in-house legal restructure
Unilever has overhauled its internal legal team, scrapping local general counsel in favour of a matrix reporting system for senior in-house lawyers.
US firms make the most of an Indian summer
A quick glance at this summer's deals show that US firms in particular are getting stuck into India's booming capital markets economy. Dorsey & Whitney is emerging as one of the leading international firms for Indian IPOs, having bagged six floats in the last year. According to a survey by Asian Legal Business, Jones Day featured on four floats, while
Varrenti splits due to divergent strategies
Italian independent firm Varrenti Bassan Lenzi & Associati has reorganised internally, with Alessandro Varrenti separating his practice from that of fellow name partners Fabio Bassan and Maurizio Lenzi.
Web Week 18/09/06
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.
Welcome to the first Lawyer News Daily
Just a few hours into the week and the real estate news is coming thick and fast – especially when it comes to law firm premises.
Wembley project hit by further litigation
The construction of the new Wembley Stadium will go down in history as one of the most litigious projects ever to take place in the UK. Australian builders Multiplex and solicitors Clifford Chance have already won a breach of contract claim against steel contractors Cleveland Bridge in the High Court. Cleveland Bridge is appealing and has ditched its original solicitors
Winning bid
The complexity of private equity buyers' bids are putting pressure on law firms to provide more free work at bid stage, even though such bids may fail. By Richard Sharples
Wragges confident of City prospects with office growth
Wragges confident of City prospects with office growth" /Birmingham-based Wragge & Co is staging a fight-back in London, renting a third floor in its 3 Waterhouse Square building.
Wragges Conkers all
Autumn. Season of mist, mellow fruitfulness and the Conker Cup. As the nights draw in and the fruits fill with ripeness to the core, Tulkinghorn simply can't wait until 5 October, when the Wragges-sponsored event kicks off (with help from Lovells) at the Great Eastern Hotel.
