21 April 2008
The Lawyer
People
Lovells has hired Libby Hannan as an associate in the dispute resolution practice. She was previously counsel in the litigation department at GlaxoSmithKline.
3-4 South Square restructures management team
Commercial set 3-4 South Square is to scrap its head of chambers post in May when Michael Crystal QC stands down after 24 years in the role.
A&O elects new US boss
Allen & Overy's (A&O) New York office has elected a new managing partner and gained another member on the firm's global partnership board.
A&O faces costs post-mortem after BlackBerry judgment
BlackBerry manufacturer Research In Motion is set to scrutinise the details of the £5m-plus bill that Allen & Overy presented it with following a patent battle with wireless technology company Visto.
After the gold rush, the litigation
Since last summer US lawyers and bankers have been waiting for the wave of predicted disputes and litigation tobegin.
Apil head slams Govt's PI reforms
The newly appointed president of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (Apil) Amanda Stevens has kicked off her year-long term with a scathing attack on the Government.
Ashworth quits O'Melveny for Lovells
O'Melveny & Myers London office co-head Chris Ashworth is set to leave the firm to join Lovells.
Bakers creates client development role
Baker & McKenzie has hired Hildebrandt International consultant Julia Hayhoe in the newly-created role of head of client development in London.
Banks set to appeal OFT charges ruling
The eight law firms which failed in their attempt to prove overdraft charges as fair are set to appeal today’s landmark judgment, TheLawyer.com has learned.
Beachcroft adds four to litigation partnership
Beachcroft has bucked the partnership promotion trend by making up four dispute resolution partners out of a total of six.
Beachcroft woos Eversheds health team
Beachcroft has swooped on Eversheds for a five-strong health team that includes sector chief David Weatherburn, who according to his peers is worth up to £4m in revenues.
Broken class
From 30 June class actions will be allowed in Italy, but unclear new legislation could leave the system in disarray.
Canon Europe to size up legal panels
Canon Europe has launched its first-ever series of formal panel reviews in emerging markets, targeting jurisdictions such as Russia and Dubai.
CB Equity Partners swoops for former Landesbank Berlin GC
German private equity firm CB Equity Partners has hired Landesbank Berlin's former general counsel Dariush Ghassemi-Moghadam as a partner in its transactional team.
Chiomenti bags six Asian offices with China merger
Italian firm Chiomenti has boosted its Asian practice after signing a merger deal with Sino-Italian firm Birindelli & Associati, adding six new offices in Asia.
Clifford Chance hands Spanish chief executive partner role
Clifford Chance has elected Spain managing partner Ignacio Ojanguren as executive partner for finance, joining managing partner David Childs' management team for the firm.
Clive Howard: Russell Jones & Walker
What was your first-ever job?Cleaning up tables in a café. I still remember the rudeness of customers.
Cobbetts' partnership shake-up necessitates restructure of real estate finance dept
Cobbetts' real estate finance practice is to be restructured following the loss of five lawyers resulting from a firmwide partnership overhaul earlier this year.
Coffee and Cake give Osborne Clarke a tasty bit of business
Osborne Clarke has finalised two major deals after being instructed by Milestone Capital Partners to act on the takeover of Coffee Nation and by media agency Cake on its sale to Havas Media.
College of Law plans Manchester invasion
The College of Law has stepped up its war with BPP Law School by announcing plans to launch a branch in Manchester.
Collyers IP partner jumps ship for Reprieve deputy director role
Collyer Bristow IP partner Clare Algar is to leave private practice to join human rights charity Reprieve as deputy director.
Croydon link pays off as Dickinson Dees London wins regeneration role
The London practice of Newcastle-based Dickinson Dees has been given a significant boost, with the firm winning a double advisory role for the London Borough of Croydon's regeneration plans.
Curb Your Separated at Birth Enthusiasm
In January, Tulkinghorn was busy matchmaking Pillsbury chairman Jim Rishwain and Clifford Chance consultant Donna Wacker - aka Curb Your Enthusiasm's Larry and Cheryl David.
Dawsons adds to litigation and employment teams
Dawsons has kick-started a recruitment campaign with the appointment of Jill Andrew as an employment consultant and Laura Harcombe as a partner in its dispute and litigation practice.
Deans Court secures Court of Appeal ruling for HMRC
Manchester-based set Deans Court Chambers has won a unanimous Court of Appeal judgment that dismissed Midlands Co-operative Society's claim that it was eligible for a VAT rebate.
Debevoise promotes one in City, five in New York
Debevoise & Plimpton has promoted a total of six to the partnership in its corporate and litigation departments.
Dickinson Dees' private client dept sees sole partner promotion
North East firm Dickinson Dees has promoted only one partner this year compared with two promotions last year and five in 2006.
DuPont Fabros Technology recruits new GC
Real estate investment trust DuPont Fabros Technology has hired a new general counsel from mobile telecoms company Sprint Nextel.
Eggars, BPE to act on Evans cycles buyout
Cheltenham-based BPE and South East firm Thomas Eggar have won places on the private equity buyout of high street chain Evans Cycles.
Euro stars
What could be more tiring than cycling to Paris from London? Cycling there and back, perhaps. The last time Tulkinghorn mounted a bicycle, they were called penny farthings and served absolutely no good purpose whatsoever.
Eversheds given nod for Abu Dhabi office
Eversheds has been granted a licence to launch an office in Abu Dhabi in a move designed to strengthen the firm's Middle East practice.
Exchange Chambers finds crime still pays
North West set Exchange Chambers has posted a record turnover of £17.9m for the 2007-08 financial year, with crime still contributing the most to total revenue.
Former NatWest MD to chair Legal Services Board
The former managing director of the NatWest Group David Edmonds will be the first chair of the Legal Services Board (LSB).
Freeth Cartwright first to show off financials
Nottingham-based Freeth Cartwright has become the first firm to release financial figures this year, announcing a rise in turnover from £31.2m to £33.5m.
Freshfields and Linklaters scoop key roles on RBS £12bn rights issue
Linklaters scoop key roles on RBS £12bn rights issue" /Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Linklaters have secured the key legal roles in Royal Bank of Scotland's (RBS) record £12bn rights issue.
Freshfields' Perry Noble quits the law
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer's London-based finance chief Perry Noble is retiring from the firm to pursue a career outside the law.
FSA to create elite external adviser list as credit crunch bites
City watchdog the Financial Services Authority is compiling its first-ever list of go-to external lawyers as turmoil in the sector it regulates continues apace.
Future of legal market on show at Georgetown
The continuing integration of the global legal market was underlined last week when partners from magic circle firms descended on Georgetown University in Washington DC.
Glass half full
The boom days of cheap debt may be over for now, but the private equity market remains an optimistic place.
Hammonds boosts Manchester corporate ranks with DWF man
Hammonds has raided DWF for corporate finance partner Ian Gillis to ramp up its Manchester operation.
Herbies client BAA under fire from Competition Commission
The Competition Commission signalled its intention to force a break-up of the near monopoly BAA operates in the supply of airport services in the UK.
Herbies in U-turn over managing partner role
Herbert Smith senior partner David Gold has overturned anearlier management decision and installed a managing partner at the firm.
Herbies offers hedge funds a spring clean
Herbert Smith has set up a team that will spend time in-house with hedge fund clients to ensure they do not commit market abuse.
Herbies on song for music publisher sale
Herbert Smith client Imagem Music has won an auction to buy classical music publisher Boosey & Hawkes from private equity house HgCapital.
HR Focus: Money talks on Middle East pioneer trail
The Middle East has traditionally been a controversial destination for lawyers to be posted to, but the region is emerging as something of a hotspot in the current economic climate.
IP and TMT associates left behind in a promotion round to forget
Compared with last year, 2008 has been an unexceptional promotion round for many senior associates in the top 100 firms. But for those in the IP and technology, media and telecommunications (TMT) departments, it was just another year of being almost completely overlooked.
Irwins keeps focus on PI with three promotions
Irwin Mitchell is continuing to build its personal injury (PI) practice, with three of its four partnership promotions coming in the key practice area.
Italy
With Silvio Berlusconi reinstalled as Italy's prime minister, observers could be forgiven for thinking the country has not moved on since 2003. But they would be wrong.
Law Society of Scotland to sell HQ
The Law Society of Scotland has put its Edinburgh offices up for sale.
Lawyer stands down as head of insolvency body R3
Nabarro restructuring and insolvency head Patricia Godfrey has stepped down as president of R3, the association of business recovery professionals.
Lawyers blow hot and cold over new Law Soc adverts
A Law Society advertising campaign, which aims to promote solicitors to the public, has met with a mixed response from the legal profession.
Laytons hires Rosenblatt employment head
Laytons Solicitors has bulked up its employment team with the recruitment of Rosenblatt Solicitors' head of employment Keith Corkan as a partner.
Learning curve: Matthew Burgess, Independent Schools Council
His job may only have existed since January, but Independent Schools Council GC Matthew Burgess is spoiling for a fight
LG makes up five in real estate, wealth planning and corporate
LG has promoted five lawyers to its partnership - the largest single number to be made up in four years.
Litigation: from Russia with Lovells
Lovells has launched a domestic litigation practice in Russia with the recruitment of senior associate Yevgeny Perkunov from Chadbourne & Parke.
Lovells upbeat despite loss of Italy private equity chief
Lovells' international private equity team, which was hit hard by the departures of Oliver Felsenstein and Marco Compagnoni in 2005 and 2006 respectively, suffered a further blow this month when Italian chief Andrea Accornero jumped ship to Simmons & Simmons (www.thelawyer.com, 11 April).
Mills & Reeve promotes three in Brum
Mills & Reeve has promoted seven to its partnership, three of whom have been made up in Birmingham in line with the firm's pledge to increase its capability in the second city.
Mishcon de Reya: Gold's standard
The fallout from Princess Diana's death almost spelled the end for Mishcon - but a decade on the firm is in robust health
National Express
McGrigors has offices in London, Belfast and Manchester, which proves, says managing partner Richard Masters, that it's more than just a Scottish law firm
Norton Rose raids Duane Morris Singapore
Norton Rose raids Duane Morris Singapore" /• Norton Rose has raided US firm Duane Morris for corporate star Adam Summerly to ramp up its Singapore capabilities. Summerly has had more than 10 years' experience in the South East Asian markets and was one of six Duane Morris partners to launch the ...
Norton Rose ramps up Singapore with Duane Morris hire
Norton Rose has raided US firm Duane Morris for corporate star Adam Summerly to ramp up its Singapore capabilities.
Norton Rose set for rejig as disputes star Bagge retires
Norton Rose is to shuffle its dispute resolution team following the retirement of litigation star James Bagge at the end of this month.
Norton Rose's China crisis
Many would think the biggest problem when it comes to recruiting new lawyers is finding the right talent. However, because of Olympic fever, for Norton Rose's Asia operations it's not so much finding the lawyers that's the problem as knowing where to put them.
Not getting Slaughtered
Not getting Slaughtered 25-April-2008Last night was the retirement party of Slaughter and May senior partner Tim Clark.
Old Square hire bolsters employment practice
Old Square Chambers has scooped barrister Robin White from Farrar's Building to boost its employment capabilities.
Oligarchs' legacy is writ large
A curiosity over the past couple of years has been the increase in the number of Russian oligarchs bringing legal proceedings in the UK.
Out to lunch
As Hugh Nineham will surely attest, if you can't stand law firm catering there are many City restaurants that would be happy to oblige you.
Pannone makes up nine new partners
Pannone has made up nine partners this year, with promotions being made across the board.
PARTNERSHIP 2008: Linklaters: A record-breaking year
A record-breaking year for female associates continued apace this week with promotions round at Linklaters - the last magic circle firm to unveil its new partners. Previous Partnership 2008 blogs.
Private equity
Private equity executives - and their advisers - were in their element last year, with more deals coming through than they knew what to do with. Post-August that's changed, with deal flow all but drying up on the back of a scarcity of debt finance.
Promotions halved at SJ Berwin with eight getting the nod
SJ Berwin with eight getting the nod" /SJ Berwin has slashed the number of new partners made up in its annual promotions round by 50 per cent.
Promotions plummet to 28 at Linklaters
Linklaters has made up 28 new partners, a drop of more than a quarter compared to last year when the magic circle firm promoted 38.
Quinn Emanuel bags Kirkland partner for City litigation launch
US litigation firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart Oliver & Hedges is set to launch in the UK under Kirkland & Ellis restructuring and litigation partner Richard East.
Recusal refusal was misconduct, says OJC
The Office of Judicial Complaints (OJC) has ruled that the actions of Mr Justice Peter Smith, who should have recused himself from a hearing, amounted to misconduct.
Reed Smith dumps Richards Butler brand
Reed Smith dumps Richards Butler brand" /All offices in the Reed Smith network will trade under the Reed Smith name as of 1 May with Richards Butler being dropped from the firm's European brand.
Resident upheaval
Changes to the way non-doms are taxed are part of a Government drive to make the private equity sector pay a 'fairer share'. But what will this mean in practice?
RJW's 4 Legal start-up to target bulk claims market
Russell Jones & Walker (RJW) has launched a company aimed at fast-tracking bulk claims work in a bid to become the leading player in the high-volume claims market.
Roschier raids Mannheimer for Swedish arbitration veteran
Nordic firm Roschier has bagged veteran arbitration partner Claes Lundblad from Mannheimer Swartling to boost its Swedish practice.
SFO granted BAE appeal
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has been granted an appeal to the House of Lords in relations to BAE Systems, the administrative court decided today (24 April).
Shearman Germany decimated in Mannheim walk-out
Shearman has lost an entire German office, with its Mannheim team of 30 splitting off to form a new firm.
Shearman to put faith in youth
Shearman & Sterling is grooming the next generation of leaders as part of a revamped global strategy following the closure of its Mannheim office this week.
Shoosmiths ready to welcome non-lawyer partners
Shoosmiths has joined the growing number of firms promoting non-lawyers to partnership level equivalent in its latest round of partnership promotions.
Slaughters rebuttal leads to Rock High Court showdown
Slaughter and May advised the Government on its rebuttal of Northern Rock investors' demands, making court action almost certain.
So Farr so good
It's what every good CEO is supposed to do. And what many a law firm leader doesn't.
Speechly hikes family, immigration depts
Speechly Bircham has made a series of hires, bolstering its family law practice and raiding Harbottle & Lewis for two new immigration lawyers.
The £5.2m cost of following orders
Allen & Overy (A&O) won't say how many trainees and paralegals it used for its work for Research In Motion (RIM) in its BlackBerry patent case against Visto.
The Apprentice analysed...
Each week we watch as Sir Alan Sugar yells 'YOU'RE FIRED!' at one of The Apprentice wannabes.
The untouchables
Economists and bankers expect the Italian credit system to remain largely unaffected by the global credit crunch.
Turner Parkinson
Turner Parkinson doesn't dabble in publicly-listed companies. "We avoid it like the plague," says Nick Davenport, senior partner at the 13-year-old firm. Instead it prefers to concentrate its company commercial line, which accounts for 25-30 per cent of its turnover, on privately-owned businesses.
UAE nationals set for first UK training contract
CC and Trowers & Hamlins are teaming up with the investment company Dubai Holding to offer the first-ever training programme in English law for UAE nationals.
Unregulated Jersey fund is a first for Mourant
Mourant du Feu & Jeune has become the first law firm to establish an unregulated fund in Jersey.
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.
Weilding power
Weil Gotshal & Manges is keen to position itself as king of the US firms in London, and what better way to do this than chip away at its rivals' partnerships?
Why sunny Spain is an attractive option for non-doms
When thinking of a place in the sun and looking at the possibility of moving to Spain to work, individuals may not be aware that Spanish legislation has a special and beneficial tax regime that might be applicable.
Willkie's Nusbaum names successors
Willkie Farr & Gallagher today (24 April) announced a new management structure, a move that has confirmed the identity of the successors to iconic chairman, Jack Nusbaum.
Woof justice
Tulkinghorn's best friend is the brandy bottle. It is obedient and does not require walking. But he understands that other people have dogs to play this role.
Wragges scoops Clifford Chance associate as partner
Clifford Chance structured finance senior associate Kieron Dwyer is to join Wragge & Co's growing banking and finance team as a partner.
Wragges signs lease on new Birmingham HQ
Wragges signs lease on new Birmingham HQ" /Wragge & Co is preparing to move into new headquarters in Birmingham, putting an end to a one-year search for bigger premises.
