23 April 2007
The Lawyer
Herbies and Sorrell: friends or foes?
Have Herbert Smith and global advertising magnate Sir Martin Sorrell fallen out? Historically Herbert Smith and the chief executive of the £7.8bn WPP Group have had a cosy relationship, but the tycoon's latest libel settlement found the law firm working with the opposition.
People
•Thomas Eggar has hired litigation solicitor Joshy Thomas from Eversheds. He will be based in the firm's Chichester and Gatwick offices.
75 Per cent confirm retention fears
Nearly three-quarters of respondents to a Law Society survey have said there are problems with employee retention and engagement within the legal sector.
A&O bolsters Paris with Weil raid
Allen & Overy (A&O) has bolstered its Paris office with the hire of public and environmental law specialist Jean-Yves Ollier from Weil Gotshal & Manges.
A&O escalates pay war
Allen & Overy (A&O) has become the latest magic circle firm to announce associate salary hikes.
A&O secures historic syndicated loan double
Allen & Overy (A&O) has advised on the two largest transactions in the history of the European syndicated loan market in the past three weeks.
Arnold & Porter first to break from PQE on associate pay
Arnold & Porter is restructuring its London associates’ remuneration to take account of the changes relating to age discrimination in the UK.
Arthur Cox chief to head Irish finance shake-up
The Irish government announced this morning (Friday 27 April) that it has appointed the managing partner of Dublin-headquartered Arthur Cox, Pádraig Ó’ Ríordáin, as chair of the new Financial Legislation Advisory Forum.
Ashurst boosts Germany with Siemens in-houser
Ashurst has boosted its Munich office by hiring a new partner. M&A specialist Lutz Englisch will join the firm from Siemens in Germany, where he headed its in-house legal corporate M&A team, having joined in 1991.
Ashurst boosts Paris with Orrick hire
Ashurst has bolstered its Paris office with the hire of energy finance partner Sylvie Perrin from Orrick Rambaud Martel. Perrin joined the firm's Paris arm on 16 April, having left Orrick Rambaud Martel on 13 April after negotiating her release from a three-month notice period. Orrick Rambaud Martel has seen a steady flow of partners leave its Paris presence since the Paris arm of San Francisco-based ...
AstraZeneca chooses Freshfields for $15bn deal
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has reinstated itself as AstraZeneca's main UK firm for big M&A deals, scooping a key role on the company's $15.6bn (£7.8bn) purchase of MedImmune.
Backlash against injury lawyers' fees will grow
The Lawyer's coverage relating to the miners' compensation scheme (9 April) made depressingly familiar reading to defendant lawyers. The Woolf Reforms were introduced to increase speed and reduce cost. Since 1999 the cost of claims had risen inexorably and 40 per cent of insurers' outlay now goes to solicitors. It is little wonder that ...
BAE legal chief awarded £1m in pay on top of £5m pension
BAE Systems' retired legal chief Michael Lester has built up a pension worth more than £5m, paying out £250,000 a year, according to the company's annual report.
Bakers' Canadian merger comes to naught
Baker & McKenzie has been looking to expand its Canadian presence, but recent merger talks have failed, leaving one Toronto firm in dire straits.
Big City firms have caps in hand
City transactional lawyers have been talking about little else but liability caps today, after our story that Clifford Chance has introduced a formal policy on the issue.
Bingham loses finance partner to DLA Piper
DLA Piper has poached Bingham McCutchen banking and finance partner Sarah Coucher, marking the latest in a line of departures from the latter’s London finance practice.
Bircham's private client offering gets media savvy
Bircham Dyson Bell has launched a new family group to service its growing private client list with a combination of media and family law advice.
BLP halves promotions but elects more associate directors
Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has promoted six associates to the partnership, fewer than half the record 13 promoted last year.
Bryan Cave boosts London with DWS hire
The London office of US firm Bryan Cave has hired Denton Wilde Sapte (DWS) banking and finance partner Ed Marlow.
Burges Salmon secures Hargreaves Lansdown IPO
Bristol-headquartered Burges Salmon scored an instruction on the landmark flotation of independent financial adviser and stockbroker Hargreaves Lansdown, which will value the company at between £600m and £800m.
CC risks banks’ wrath with due diligence liability cap
Clifford Chance has implemented a formal policy of liability caps in all of its corporate due diligence deals despite strong resistance from certain banks, a move that will be watched closely by other City firms experimenting in this field.
City firms go happy capping
Our revelation that Clifford Chance has capped liability across the board on corporate due diligence will get City M&A partners scrambling to review their policies.
Cobbetts raids Wedlake Bell for London launch
Cobbetts has hired two partners from City firm Wedlake Bell to head its London corporate finance practice.
DCA flies in for Indian liberalisation talks
The Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) began its visit to India today (26 April) to discuss the liberalisation of its legal market.
DCA profit provokes lawyers' outrage
The civil courts made £45.5m in profit last year – almost 15 per cent of its net intake from fees – a Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) consultation paper has revealed.
Dentons halves partner promotions
Denton Wilde Sapte has promoted only 12 associates to its partnership, under half the number of promotions compared with last year.
DMH Stallard brings in property specialist
DMH Stallard brings in property specialist" /DMH Stallard has appointed Guy Bate into the firm's partnership. Bate specialises in landlord and tenant disputes (both commercial and residential), general property disputes, such as boundary and party wall disputes, and property-related negligence claims. ...
Dust Cover
A forthcoming Lords ruling concerning an asbestos claim will pave the way for all future decisions in this area. Peter Williams reports
DWF snares Cobbetts family law team
North West firm DWF has hired the entire family practice team from Cobbetts.
Egorov to become first Russian firm in ‘Londongrad’
Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners is to become the first Russian law firm to launch in London.
Eversheds scores Euro 2012 victory for Poland
Eversheds advised the Polish government on its winning pitch to co-host the Uefa 2012 European Football Championship.
FFW opens its doors in virtual world Second Life
Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW) is the first law firm to launch an office in virtual world Second Life.
Florida's Akerman overhauls management structure
US firm Akerman Senterfitt has moved to create its first-ever firm president, nominating its chief operating shareholder to the role.
Freshfields bullish after loss of China head
The news that Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer's head of China Douglas Markel had quit for Simpson Thacher & Bartlett hit late last night. See story.
Freshfields unveils new role for lateral hire
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has created a new job description for a senior lateral hire focused on developing the firm’s employment practice.
Fulbright swoops for Jenkens litigators
Fulbright & Jaworski has taken on four litigation partners from collapsed Texan firm Jenkens & Gilchrist.
Fun and games @ Howrey
Thanks are due to Howrey for providing an innocent, but still amusing, email-related titter that is altogether more tasteful and innocent than any smutty Bradley Chait-style disaster.The email address of Washington antitrust partner Scott E Flick is flicks@ howrey.com. Reasonably amusing. IP senior associate Nelson Kee is better - keen@howrey.com.But let's leave it to a London partner to come up with the goods. Stand up (if you can) David Stone.
Garrigues surpasses e250m revenue barrier
Garrigues is set to become the first Spanish firm to break the e250m (£170.14m) barrier, predicting a revenue growth of around 15 per cent this year.
GC100 chief backs legal work experience scheme
The Chair of the GC100, National Grid's company secretary and general counsel Helen Mahy, has called on all in-house departments and law firms to offer work experience to school children from deprived areas.
Germans win out in Taylor Wessing promotions
Taylor Wessing has promoted 11 lawyers to partnership with the majority based in Germany.
Goldstein exit sees Olswang become more ‘grown up’
Olswang become more ‘grown up’" /Olswang’s partners’ weekend in February was a little more exciting than the usual strategy outing. Along with the usual considerations about how the firm was planning to expand abroad and which new areas of business it fancied targeting, the partners had the little ...
Government sued over Carter reforms
Black and Asian lawyers have taken legal action against the Department of Constitutional Affairs (DCA) and the Legal Services Commission (LSC) over the legal aid reforms, it was revealed today (25 April).
Growing Howrey moves City team
Howrey's London operation is gearing up for an office move to double its size in the capital.
Hammonds appoints new Leeds head
Hammonds has promoted Simon Miller to head the firm's Leeds office. Miller has been with the firm's commercial and dispute resolution practice since 1993 and became a partner in 2000. As a solicitor-advocate he has appeared in numerous interim applications, conducted trials and has also appeared in the Court of Appeal. Miller succeeds the previous ...
Hammonds partners join Hill Dickinson and Hogan
Two partners who quit Hammonds earlier this month have resurfaced at new firms.
Herbert Smith joins KKR banks on Alliance Boots bid
Herbert Smith is advising the syndicate of banks providing the finance for Kohlberg Kravis Roberts’ (KKR) proposed takeover of Alliance Boots, The Lawyer understands.The US private equity house, alongside Alliance Boots deputy chairman Stefano Pessina, is receiving financial advice mainly from UniCredit Markets & Investment Banking, JPMorgan Cazenove and Merrill Lynch.
Herbies makes moves to boost Dubai
Herbert Smith is strengthening its Middle East presence with one partner transferring from Paris and another two set to move across in the summer.
Hook, line and sinker
Tulkinghorn has been asked to point out that the recent diary piece (9 April) about the launch of a new sports law boutique by a group of Bird & Bird partners, Hunter Shooter & Fisher, was in fact a joke. Not true. Fallacious.
Howard Kennedy, Martineau lead the way in venture capital trusts
Howard Kennedy and Martineau Johnson were the most active venture capital trust advisers during the 2006-07 tax year, each acting on six of the industry's 26 fundraisings.
ILaw snares Irwin Mitchell litigation head
New IP boutique iLaw has made its first lateral lawyer hire, raiding Irwin Mitchell for commercial litigation head Amina Somers.
Irish Court of Appeal drive gains momentum
The Irish government has taken the first steps towards creating an appeal court to take on cases from the overworked Supreme Court.
Irish utilities body launches legal panel
The Northern Ireland utility regulator is creating its first-ever legal panel and is targeting ambitious mid-tier firms, having previously relied on Wragge & Co.
Irwin Mitchell makes up seven to partnership
Personal injury powerhouse Irwin Mitchell has matched last year’s partner promotions with seven promoted to the partnership.
It's not about PQE, you see
The inexorable rise of associate power has reached Arnold & Porter.
Join the club
News reached Tulkinghorn last week of a subject very dear to his heart - golf. Many are the hours the great man has whiled away at the nineteenth, occasionally even leaving the clubhouse to putt a few balls.
Kraft adds finishing touch to in-house IP team with raid on Howrey
Kraft has scooped promising associate Calum Smyth from Howrey's London office to complete its new in-house patents team.
Latham London leads fight for justice in Eastern Europe
The European arm of Latham & Watkins is upping its pro bono effort, with London clocking up 4,000 hours on its own.
Law Soc doesn't get Carter
The Government has yet again felt the wrath of the legal profession over Carter's legal aid reforms. See story.
Lawyer Awards 2007 judges' panel: for the biggest event of the year
•Michael Forbes Smith, director general, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators•James Crawford, head of City investment, Savills Commercial•John Llewellyn-Lloyd, CEO, Noble & Company•Ian Gray, managing director, Candover•John Kennedy, chairman and CEO, IFPI•Roger Smith, director, Justice•Kate Thirlwall QC, head of chambers, Seven Bedford Row•Sir Hugh Laddie, consultant, Rouse & Co International•Helen ...
Linklaters lands duo from German authorities
Linklaters has expanded its media regulation practice with the hire of in-house counsel Karen Sokoll from the German Commission on Concentration in the Media (KEK).
London firm blocks Iranian bid to claim 'Lost Paradise' treasures
London-based firm Lane & Partners has landed a High Court ruling that means the Iranian government cannot reclaim ancient treasures of its 'Lost Paradise' that were allegedly smuggled out of Iran.
Lovells boosts banking team with Linklaters hire
Lovells has added a partner to its London banking practice, hiring Linklaters associate Shelley Mottershead.
Lovells replaces retiring council members
Lovells has elected five members to its partnership council, with the posts to be taken up at the beginning of May. New additions include Spanish practice head Jose Maria Balana, German dispute resolution head Detlef Hass and head of business restructuring Robin Spencer. They are joined by London-based financial services partner Emily Reid and French dispute resolution partner Thomas Rouhette. The five replace retiring members Lesley Ainsworth, Jeremy Cole, Robert Kidby, Michael ...
Lovells shrugs off defection to land BNP Paribas case
Lovells is advising BNP Paribas on its defence of allegations over sex discrimination despite losing key employment partner Lisa Mayhew to Jones Day last year.
Magistrate slams Govt for age discrimination
A UK magistrate has launched a campaign against the Government’s policy that forces magistrates to retire at 70 years old.
Mallesons duo joins DLA Piper's Dubai team
DLA Piper has strengthened its Dubai office with two hires from Australian firm Mallesons Stephen Jacques.
Mcdermott lands bnp paribas CDO work
McDermott Will & Emery won a pitch to advise BNP Paribas on the multi-currency collateralised debt obligation (CDO) of leveraged loans for Pemba Credit Advisers.
McGrigors keen on City break
The rumours of a merger between Eversheds and McGrigors have so far proved unfounded, but where there's smoke…
More firms enter the fray as rival bidders move for ABN
A line-up of UK, US and Dutch firms is advising Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), Santander and Fortis on their battle with Barclays for ABN Amro.
More turmoil at Watson Burton as Leeds founder joins rival
Newcastle-based Dickinson Dees has hired corporate specialist Mark Warburton, a founding partner of Geordie rival Watson Burton's Leeds office.
New phase for Yukos sell-off as Italian utilities come to the table
The politically charged auction of Yukos assets to Italian utility companies Enel and Eni has cemented Salans' relationship with Enel on Russian acquisitions.
Nishimura adds muscle with Japan tie-up
Nishimura & Partners and Kokusai Burmon of Asahi Law Offices will become Nishimura & Asahi on 1 July. The two firms confirmed their merger a year after they announced a plan to create a combined firm to counter the arrival of foreign firms launching in the jurisdiction. The combined firm will have more than 300 lawyers and will be housed in Nishimura's current building in Tokyo. Both firms say they agreed to merge in order to keep up with the current demand for skilled Japanese ...
Norton Rose rebuilds in Dubai under new chief
Norton Rose rebuilds in Dubai under new chief" /Norton Rose is overhauling its troubled Middle East practice just months after losing several big-hitting lawyers.
Norton Rose to reveal seats of power
Norton Rose's 400 lawyers are waiting with bated breath to find out where they will be sitting when the firm moves into its new office next month.
OFT backs private competition cases on back of Which? action
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has issued proposals that could make private competition cases the norm.
OFT escalates banking investigation
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is stepping up its scrutiny of the retail banking sector with the announcement today (26 April) of a market study into current account charges.
One Garden Court's speciality aims dashed by Carter reforms
Family law chambers One Garden Court has set a long-term target to become London's pre-eminent chambers in its field, but sees the Carter reforms as a major hurdle.
Personal Injury: Lying shame
Should those who exaggerate personal injury claims be forced to forego the aspects of payouts to which they are entitled? By Alejandra Hormaeche
PI and Clinical Negligence
Gemma Westacott, deputy editor, TheLawyer.com
Please Mr Morley, can I have some more?
Pay, glorious pay. Allen & Overy (A&O) has dug deep to stay ahead of its competitors in the pay war unleashed two weeks ago by Clifford Chance. Or at least, that's what we thought.
Pole to pole
From the comfort of Tulkinghorn's fireside chesterfield sofa, he hears that Allen & Overy (A&O) corporate partners' most recent get-together was more jamboree than sophisticated tête-à-tête.
Puma picks hengeler for advice on PPR buy
French luxury group PPR's ?5.32bn (£3.64bn) acquisition of Puma landed Hengeler Mueller its first major instruction from the sports label.
Right to wear veil down to judge, says JSB
The Judicial Studies Board (JSB) has published new guidelines on whether the wearing of the full veil by Muslim women in court should be allowed.
Salans takes Osborne Clarke partner for tech push
Salans has hired former Osborne Clarke partner Robert Courtneidge, a consumer finance and technology expert, as a consultant to boost the firm's London financial services practice.
Sidley opens in Sydney
US firm Sidley Austin has poached a managing partner from a local Sydney firm to head its new office in the Australian business centre.
Simpson Thacher raids Freshfields for Beijing launch
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett has poached Freshfields partner to launch its new office in Beijing.
SJ Berwin Germany targets £20m turnover
SJ Berwin's German arm is on course to hit a £20m turnover this year after initial figures indicate a revenue boost of around 25 per cent.
SJ Berwin latest to reveal bumper promotions
SJ Berwin has followed its City rivals by announcing the promotion of 16 associates to its partnership, its largest number to date.
SJ Berwin mourns real estate partner
SJ Berwin has been rocked by the death of star real estate partner John Eldridge.
Skadden latest to scoop Barclays/ABN role
Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom is the latest firm to have grabbed a key role on the landmark £45.5bn merger between ABN Amro and Barclays.
Slaughters best friend in Singapore tie-up
Slaughter and May’s Australian best friend firm Allens Arthur Robinson (AAR) is to expand into the Singapore market after brokering a joint-venture deal with local firm TSMP Law Corporation.
Soave and sophisticated
As an esteemed arbiter of all things alcoholic, Tulkinghorn was delighted to learn that Italian law firm Puopolo Geffers Rosen & Bosin has launched a team entirely dedicated to wine.Called 'Lex Vini', the group is an extension of the expertise the firm has apparently developed after 10 years of focusing on vintners as an industry sector.Ten years as wine experts? That's nothing. Tulkinghorn knows a few partners in the UK who can claim far longer track records than that.
Steven Zdolyny: North West Development Agency
Having built up his team from nothing while overseeing a number of key projects, North West Development Agency head of legal Steven Zdolyny is making very real progress. By Julia Berris
Taylor Vinters ups charity nous with QC
Taylor Vinters has hired sector specialist Janet Turner QC, formerly head of the legal function at the WRVS (Women's Royal Voluntary Service), to bolster the firm's charity expertise. Managing partner Christine Berry was keen to note the appointment was not a defensive move, adding that Turner's hire reflects the firm's wish to service a wider range of projects.
TCC dismisses largest claim
The Technology and Construction Court (TCC) has dismissed its largest-ever claim against an engineer - worth $100m (£49.98m).
The work-life quiz with Declan Redmond
What was your first-ever job?I had an actual McJob - to fund my studies.
There's more to the South East than the City
Recruitment at all levels in the South East (excluding London) is becoming increasingly candidate-driven and ever-more competitive, yet firms in the provinces are enticing potential candidates from the City by accentuating the differences in working life, and we are no longer just talking about quality of life.
Today's associates waiting a year longer for partnership
The latest round of promotions for 2007 have revealed that it takes an average of 8.6 PQE years for UK associates in the top 10 UK firms to be promoted to the partership, a rise of almost a year compared with promotions in 2004.
TwoBirds raids Linklaters for Swedish drive
Bird & Bird has raided Linklaters for the magic circle firm's head of litigation Henrik Bielenstein.
Wachtell joins action on ABN Amro sell-off
New York M&A behemoth Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz is the latest firm to profit from the approved £45.5bn merger between Barclays and ABN Amro.
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.
Wilkin Chapman first off the blocks to report turnover hike
Wilkin Chapman first off the blocks to report turnover hike" /The first UK firm to publish its figures in this year's financial reporting season has claimed a record turnover increase for 2006-07.
Woolf lobbies Brussels on Asian liberalisation
Law Society president Fiona Woolf is visiting Brussels today to lobby the European Commission on the liberalisation of legal services in Asia.
Woolf urges immediate action for "embezzlement" lawyer
The Law Society has stepped in to defend a solicitor’s human rights after the Russian government publicly accused him of embezzlement.
