20 April 2009
The Lawyer
A&O and Linklaters refresh Britvic’s £300m bank loan
Drinks maker Britvic has renegotiated its £300m banking facility, with Allen & Overy (A&O) and Linklaters winning key mandates.
Addleshaws comes up smelling of roses with waste management scoop
Europe’s largest waste PFI has seen Addleshaws strike up relationships with new clients.
All being fair and equal…
The legal profession has come a long way in recent years, with many - but not all - lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender (LGBT) people no longer having to fear that their chance of partnership will be jeopardised if lunchtime conversations turn to discussions about weekend activities.
Brick Court lures Lord Hoffmann as door tenant
Retiring Law Lord, Lord Hoffmann, is joining Brick Court Chambers as a door tenant.
Bridge McFarland
After outgrowing its Lincoln base, Bridge McFarland is marking 2009 as the year to expand its presence in the North East.
Charles Russell picks BLG for negligence defence
Charles Russell has instructed Barlow Lyde & Gilbert (BLG) to defend a £4m claim brought against it by a former client.
City Lawyers Soc slams LSB for shunning review
The City of London Law Society (CLLS) has urged the Legal Services Board (LSB) to acknowledge corporate clients in its regulatory agenda.
Davis Polk corporate chief leaves City for NY
The London-based head of Davis Polk & Wardwell’s corporate group Tom Reid has relocated from the City to New York, The Lawyer can reveal.
Dell review set to axe inherited panel firms
Computer manufacturer Dell is carrying out a root-and-branch review of its roster of UK external advisers with the aim of creating a number of individual sub-panels.
DWF launches risk and compliance team in Manchester
DWF has launched a risk and compliance team in Manchester, taking on Deborah Chrimes (far left) from Hammonds as head of the department.
Firms line up as Barclays initiates panel review
Barclays has launched a major panel review, inviting firms to bid for the 120 places on its legal roster.
Focus: Career changes, Pastures new
With all the recent layoffs, maybe it’s time to change tack altogether. The Lawyer meets a restauranteur, an author and a handbag designer, who all said farewell to the law to follow their dreams
Freshfields adds four to new Abu Dhabi HQ
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has bolstered its Abu Dhabi practice by moving to new headquarters and relocating four associates from other offices to the emirate.
Germany Special Report: The überfirms
The fight to be top of the German legal market is in full swing, with some unexpected changes in the past 12 months. Aled Griffiths reports
Hadef cuts six from lawyer line-up as firms reassess Middle East strategies
United Arab Emirates (UAE) firm Hadef Al Dhahiri & Associates, which has rebranded as Hadef & Partners, has laid off six corporate finance lawyers as it bids to reposition itself during the downturn.
Hausfeld settles with trio in airline action
Hausfeld has reached a settlement with three individuals who sought to strike out the UK portion of a settlement reached in the US courts.
Hextalls back on firm footing
The speed at which insurance firm Hextalls went into a prepacked administration last week (15 April) left the resultant firm having to make some quick decisions about its future.
Jonathan Porteous
What was your first-ever job?Descaling a tower at a concrete factory with hydrochloric acid. Drops kept flying off the broom into my face.
Law Soc, Stonewall launch first major gay careers survey
Study aims to establish if gay and lesbian lawyers are coming up against a different glass ceiling
Milbank adds commercial litigation in City
Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy has launched a commercial litigation practice in London, hiring DLA Piper partner Julian Stait to handle technology disputes.
Mills & Reeve faces action over MBO advice
Mills & Reeve is facing a professional negligence claim after the advice it gave to a company chief executive allegedly resulted in the businessman’s daughters paying a £1.3m inheritance tax bill.
Mishcon adds two rungs to career ladder
West End firm Mishcon de Reya has created two new positions in the pathway to partnership following an 18-month review of its career structure.
Nabarro trials conflict avoidance audit service with Sperry Marine
Nabarro is piloting a low-cost alternative to disputes after developing a conflict avoidance system for clients.
New dawn at Mayer Brown as firm goes back to US roots
The power base at Mayer Brown is set to return to the US as London-based vice-chair Paul Maher exits the firm’s management.
Private Equity Special Report: Emission impossible
The Government’s efforts to reduce companies’ carbon emissions will have a far-reaching effect on private equity funds. By Sue Woodman
Private Equity Special Report: Pipe dream
As the usual investors in public companies dry up along with the market, now’s the time for Pipes to come into their own.
Republishing libel – what’s the story?
Derek Draper and Damian McBride certainly intended their ‘Red Rag’ blog to stir up controversy by smearing the reputations of their political enemies, and they hoped that by doing so they would ultimately damage the Conservative Party.
Simmons tech ace makes in-house switch
Simmons & Simmons’ former head of information communication and technology (ICT) has left the firm to join Dutch food trader Nidera as general counsel.
SJ Berwin scores role for British Land on sale of Broadgate estate
SJ Berwin is understood to be advising property company British Land on its potential sale of a 50 per cent stake in its £2.5bn Broadgate office estate in the City of London.
Skadden and Latham lead on Qatari bond issue
A duo of US firms has won lead roles on the State of Qatar’s recent $3bn (£2bn) sovereign bond issuance.
SRA gets a roasting as deferrals leave students out in the cold
Stories about law firms asking their future trainees to defer their start dates have dominated The Lawyer’s student website Lawyer2B.com in recent weeks. Barely a week has passed without at least one firm conceding it has asked future trainees to push back their start dates.
Succour little children: Tara Camm, Save the Children Alliance
As general counsel of the International Save the Children Alliance, Tara Camm is committed to keeping all of the charity’s global members pulling in the same direction.
Tulkinghorn: Burning questions
It’s not just the credit crisis creating panic at law firms. Over at the Bishopsgate office of Latham & Watkins, partner Bill Voge recently had to abruptly abandon an interview with one of Tulkinghorn’s scribes when a fire alarm rang through the US firm’s corridors.
US firms post dismal City figures
After such a bad year - and an even worse one predicted - US firms may struggle to remain committed to the London market
US, Canadian tie-up on Dentons’ radar
Denton Wilde Sapte has rekindled its merger ambitions amid growing interest from suitors in North America.
Ward Hadaway puts Manchester office launch on back-burner
Ward Hadaway has shelved plans for a Manchester office launch, preferring to ride out the recession before making a firm commitment.
Watson Burton moots Middle East expansion
Watson Burton is looking to expand its focus beyond North East England with a Middle East launch slated for the next 12 months.
