23 May 2011
The Lawyer
5 Stone Buildings duo establish Cayman set to cater for international client base
A duo of English barristers has established a set of chambers in the Cayman Islands in a first for the offshore jurisdiction.
A&O defector ends Clayton Utz quarrel
A dispute between Australian firm Clayton Utz and former partner Grant Fuzi, who defected to Allen & Overy (A&O) in February 2010, was settled after Fuzi returned his retirement payment as a goodwill gesture, The Lawyer can reveal.
A&O wins role on formation of Govt’s Business Growth Fund
Allen & Overy (A&O) advised the group of banks behind the creation of the Coalition’s £2.5bn Business Growth Fund (BGF).
Arc Property
There are not many real estate practices that can say the past two years have been a period of explosive growth. The ones that can be more specific and point to a stellar growth rate in 24 months are even rarer.
Ashurst parachutes projects ace into NY
Ashurst will launch its New York project finance team with energy, transport and infrastructure partner Jason Radford, who is relocating to the US at the end of the summer.
Brabners and Reed Smith scoop wind turbine work
Brabners Chaffe Street and Reed Smith both helped wind turbine manufacturer Vestas secure an option to take a lease on a 70-hectare site at the Port of Sheerness in Kent.
Called to account
As Hogan Lovells partners and employees passed through the stages of denial, anger, depression and finally acceptance last week, the rest of the world was digesting the extraordinary news that litigation partner Christopher Grierson had been dismissed for claiming more than £1m in false expenses.
Clydes breaches £200m turnover barrier
Clyde & Co has broken through the £200m turnover barrier, posting a 10 per cent rise in revenue for 2010-11, from £192m to £212m.
Coded messages
Russia’s Civil Code is set for reform. Joanne Harris reports on the ramifications for the legal market
CoL, Kaplan lift lid on LPC graduate success rates
The College of Law (CoL) and Kaplan Law School have bowed to market pressure and disclosed statistics on the final destinations of their LPC students.
Crime out
Russia is tackling its notorious problem of corruption with a little help from overseas, says Joanne Harris
Cross-border in court
The system’s flaws may be legion, but a better alternative to the use of international arbitrators to resolve disputes in cross-border commercial agreements has yet to be discovered, argues Charles Adams
Ex-Dorsey partner joins Mishcon after insider dealing acquittal
Former Dorsey & Whitney partner Andrew Rimmington, whose trial for insider dealing collapsed in 2010, has joined Mishcon de Reya as one of two partner hires intended to give the firm’s corporate team a boost.
Family value: how private client filled the corp gap
Family constitutions, governance, succession planning and plain old hard work are in the spotlight, writes Catrin Griffiths from Monaco
Farrers’ turnover sees 10 per cent increase
Lincoln’s Inn firm Farrer & Co has posted a revenue of £46.7m for the last financial year, an increase of 9.6 per cent from £42.6m in 2010.
Focus: Linklaters and Gianni, Friendly fire
Linklaters’ battle with former Italian ally Gianni over the Credit Suisse-Parmalat negligence action highlights the dangers inherent in referring instructions
Job description
Is an arbitrator an employee, as the CoA would have it, or will the Supreme Court deem otherwise? Philip Clifford and Hussein Haeri examine an upcoming decision that could have huge implications for the profession
John Wood’s £1bn share buy-back sees Ashurst, Slaughters brought in
Ashurst and Slaughter and May grabbed the top mandates on John Wood Group’s £1bn share buy-back proposal in the wake of February’s sale of its oil well support division to GE.
Langleys’ equine law boss is a firm favourite
When law firms talk about hiring winners, it is rare for them to be speaking quite as literally as Yorkshire outfit Langleys does when describing the new head of its equine law practice.
London councils abandon tri-borough legal combo
The councils of Hammersmith & Fulham and Kensington & Chelsea are pushing ahead with greater integration of their legal departments rather than seeking a previously touted three-way combination with Westminster City Council.
On the move
KPMG has appointed Clifford Chance associate Misha Patel as assistant general counsel.
Opinion: Glencore IPO will put employee benefits law to the fore
The forthcoming Glencore IPO has made lots of headlines of a very positive nature.
Osborne Clarke, Skadden bag Motorola-Nokia deal
Osborne Clarke won a role opposite Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom on Motorola’s $975m (£600m) sale of its wireless network infrastructure assets to Nokia Siemens Networks.
Pressure on Hogan Lovells to inform Met of fraud
Pressure is mounting on Hogan Lovells to ask police to investigate senior litigator Christopher Grierson, who was dismissed from the partnership for claiming more than £1m in false expenses over four years.
Profession blows hot and cold over plan for digital copyright exchange
Proposals to introduce a digital copyright exchange may be wishful thinking and could create a two-tier system of IP protection, according to sector experts.
Promoted Hammerson GC launches first legal panel
Hammerson general counsel Sarah Booth is putting together the company’s first formal panel of external legal advisers, with firms currently tendering for places.
Regional rebellion blocks Addleshaws equity rejig
Backlash as partners baulk at uncertainty of proposed system
Rules of law
Regulation of Russia’s legal market is again on the agenda. Joanne Harris finds out what this could mean for practitioners
Shift work: Charlotte Taggart, Lockton Companies
Lockton counsel Charlotte Taggart’s talents have been put to full use in converting the insurance broker into an LLP.
Trowers exits Jeddah after less than a year
Trowers & Hamlins has closed its office in Jeddah less than a year after opening in the Saudi Arabian city.
Tulkinghorn: Hoopla for barrister duo
Blackstone Chambers’ Ian Mill QC and Nick Di Marco have been awarded legendary status by fans of Queen’s Park Rangers (QPR).
Work Life Quiz: Tony Woodcock, Stephenson Harwood
What time do you usually leave the office? Before my associates.
