25 July 2011
The Lawyer
A&O reels in Gide trio for new Casablanca outpost
Allen & Overy (A&O) has become the first of the magic circle firms to announce its intention to open an office in Africa, with the firm scheduling a Morocco launch for the autumn.
A&O takes Westbrook through refinancing of Shell-Mex House
Allen & Overy (A&O) has advised private equity group Westbrook Partners on the £338m refinancing of what is thought to be one of the most expensive properties ever bought in the UK.
Addleshaws takes axe to back office
Addleshaw Goddard has made 31 business services staff redundant following a 30-day consultation. The move followed the announcement that net profit at the firm had dropped by 17 per cent for the 2010-11 financial year.
Asian rich list hike prompts Withers’ Singapore launch
Withers is investing in Singapore as the growth of wealthy individuals in the South East Asia region rockets.
Barristers tread boards for Romeo trial
“O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?” These are the familiar words spoken by Juliet Capulet from her balcony.
Big and tough
Lawyers agree that Saudi Arabia is a major blip on their radars, but its culture means it remains a difficult legal market to navigate. Dale McEwan reports
Buse Heberer Fromm
Since the merger with Munich-based firm Spitzweg last year, Buse Heberer Fromm has seen a significant boost to its tax practice.
Clean fight
Environmental laws governing the production of biofuels must be based on accurate science and open debate, argues Susie Wilks
Clydes set to cherry-pick BLG teams pre-merger
Clyde & Co has drawn up a shopping list stipulating exactly which teams it wants from Barlow Lyde & Gilbert (BLG) to allow the proposed merger between the two firms to go through.
DLA Piper moves to replenish Aussie offices after Phillips Fox merger fallout
DLA Piper has begun rebuilding its Brisbane office after it suffered departures in the run-up to the firm’s merger with DLA Phillips Fox, taking on two partners and their support teams from Australian firm Dibbs Barker.
Focus: Mourant Ozannes: Channelling energy
Mourant and Ozannes were a natural fit for a merger, but the combined firm needs to expand in the Caribbean and Asia to have a true impact on the offshore world
Linklaters on board as Eircom heads for major restructure
A raft of law firms are lining up for the restructuring of Irish telecoms group Eircom, one of the biggest this year.
Matrix QC slated as first Sikh High Court judge
Matrix Chambers silk Rabinder Singh QC is being widely tipped to become the High Court’s first Sikh judge in the coming weeks.
News Corp shells out £3k an hour for Grabiner
One Essex Court’s Tony Grabiner QC is understood to be pocketing £3,000 an hour for his advice to News International parent News Corporation in relation to phone-hacking.
Norton Rose seals triple listing for mining outfit
Norton Rose capitalised on its expansion into Canada and Australia to guide Allied Gold Mining through a triple listing on the London, Toronto and Australian stock exchanges.
NoW phone-hacking saga: the legal line-up
News International’s woes have created a new market for the media pack. Since the allegations of phone-hacking first emerged back in 2009 a handful of claimant lawyers have urged the owner of the News of the World (NoW) to come forward to answer questions about payments to private detectives.
On the move
Richard Creamer continues to get his teeth into legal practice following his promotion to partner in the dental team at Hempsons.
Opinion: No room for error in Leveson LJ’s hacking inquiry
As the noise surrounding the phone-hacking issue becomes ever louder and the list of casualties ever longer, in the eye of the engulfing storm sits Lord Justice Leveson’s inquiry.
Scotland’s mightiest firms face up to the downturn
Scottish chiefs put brave face on stagnant figures as deals conveyor belt keeps rolling.
Slaughters, Macfarlanes secure Chi-X sale brief
Slaughter and May won a competitive tender to advise alongside Macfarlanes on the acquisition of equity exchange Chi-X Europe by BATS Global Markets.
Smarter living
Businesses must smarten up to deal with the changing environment, say John Houghton, Sarah Holmes and Duncan Tilney
Staffing up
Dale McEwan looks at how law firms have adapted their recruitment methods in response to an altered legal sector in the UAE
The genius loci of law firms
As if opening in Canada, hiring 24 laterals in a year and wrestling with pre-vote merger negotiations wasn’t enough, Clyde & Co is also moving offices next month.
Tube hits Freshfields with £140m-plus negligence claim
London Underground sues magic circle firm over Metronet advice
Tulkinghorn: Tenants’ super strength
Tulkinghorn always suspected that the Blackstone Chambers lot were hardcore, but even he was surprised by some of their antics earlier this month.
United front: Clare Wardle, Kingfisher
Ex-barrister Clare Wardle finds strength in numbers when dealing with the challenges of her role as Kingfisher general counsel.
Work Life Quiz: Sue Wilson, Irwin Mitchell
What was your first-ever job? A lifeguard in County Sligo.
