25 October 2004
The Lawyer
A&O banking hawks attack corporate over £10m losses
Corporate told to produce strategy by December after ‘ten years of failure’; banking group seeks M&A cull
Addleshaws crowns pro bono efforts with Prince’s Trust aid
Addleshaw Goddard’s commitment to corporate social responsibility has led to a significant number of the firm’s employees joining the Prince’s Trust as volunteers. More than 100 staff from the firm’s Manchester office have agreed to provide personal or business mentoring and development assessments to the young people that the charity is helping.
Appeal Court video link-up set to save millions
The Department of Constitutional Affairs (DCA) and the Home Office are in discussions over plans to install a video link in the Court of Appeal which could save the taxpayer millions.
B&M, BLP, CMS scoop Accenture panel slots
Baker & McKenzie (B&M), Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) and CMS Cameron McKenna have won lucrative places on the panel of management consultancy and technology services giant Accenture.
Bard company
The Royal Shakespeare Company receives pro bono help in the US and its sole in-house lawyer is looking for similar treatment in the UK. By Ben Mitchell
Bartering network signs up 20 law firms
East London firm Adams has become the latest law firm to sign up to a professional services bartering network.
Battle Lines Drawn at A&O
Allen & Overy (A&O) banking lawyers sound like they’ve had enough. They’re not exactly about to declare UDI, but the level of frustration is palpable. After three years where they hoovered up the fees on Marconi and Drax, and where the global loans group alone consistently produced profits three and a half times those of their corporate brethren, they now want payback.
Berrymans grows health and safety capability
Berrymans Lace Mawer has hired a partner in Manchester to head health and safety. Chris Green joins from Hammonds, where he was a senior solicitor. He defends and prosecutes health and safety and environmental law breaches. He has advised construction companies on fatal accident prosecutions and has prosecuted regulatory offences for Birmingham City Council. Berrymans partner Vivienne Williams ...
British Energy legal fees to hit £60m
Legal fees for the mammoth British Energy restructuring are about to overtake the payout to law firms on Marconi.
C&I Group regroups after London split
The Law Society’s group for in-house lawyers, the Commerce & Industry (C&I) Group, has elected a new chair after last week’s resignation of candidate Anthony Armitage.
Careers: in brief
Countrywide Legal Indemnities, the specialist legal indemnity intermediary, has launched what it calls “the most comprehensive self-issue legal indemnity pack available”. The pack – the result of two years’ market research throughout the legal profession – is called ‘OnCover’, and offers 16 of the most requested covers, catering for both residential and commercial properties at competitive premiums.
Careers: people
IBB Law has strengthened its commercial property team with senior solicitor Jeff Elphee, who joins the Middlesex firm from London giant SJ Berwin. The firm has also recruited assistant Julian Booth from niche practice Collins Dryland & Thorowgood to its construction division.
CC bags Allianz instruction as Freshfields is conflicted
Clifford Chance’s London office has had its first instruction from German private equity firm Allianz Capital Partners thanks to a conflict at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.
CC battles to keep hold of key clients after Benedict departs
Clifford Chance New York has fought a rearguard action to keep key clients Alliance Capital and Merrill Lynch in the wake of last week’s defection of litigation rainmaker Jim Benedict.
Cleary Gottlieb promotes New York partners as it turns LLP
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton has announced its latest round of partner promotions, making up six lawyers into the firm’s equity.
Cobbetts entices IP partner from Martineaus
Cobbetts’ Birmingham office has taken a partner from new neighbour Martineau Johnson. Mauro Paiano will join Cobbetts in November as head of contentious IP, moving just a few floors from Martineaus. The two firms recently took up separate leases at 1 Colmore Square in Birmingham. Paiano, who is taking an associate with him, specialises in advertising law. He will be Cobbetts’ fourth IP partner nationally. The hires signal Cobbetts’ commitment to developing its IP practice, which operates ...
Complaint feint
The Legal Services Complaints Commissioner is on a mission to get the Law Society’s complaints-handling in order and is now equipped with powers to impose a £1m fine. By Jon Robins
Corporate deals round-up
Allen & Overy (Johannes Bruski) has advised Praxair on its e397m (£274.2m) acquisition of Air Liquide’s German industrial gas assets. Air Liquide advised by Herbert Smith, Gleiss Lutz and Stibbe.
Cost-cutting drive keeps Freshfields at top spot in German league tables
CC silences critics by leveraging off finance team; Linklaters’ partner reorganisation reaps rewards. By Gemma Westacott
DAC gets corporate work on Crest Nicholson project
Davies Arnold Cooper’s (DAC) plan to develop its non-contentious practice was boosted last month when the firm secured a lucrative instruction from property developer Crest Nicholson on a £1.2bn regeneration project.
Deacons and White & Case settle dispute
Deacons has settled the longstanding litigation against White & Case and the firm’s former partners Mark Fairbairn and Edward Cairns just two weeks before the appeal hearing was due to start.
Disclosure rules could cause chaos say Law Society
The Law Society today (25 October) warned that rushing in new disclosure rules in criminal cases could cause chaos.
DLA raids Wilmer Cutler for financial regulatory expert
DLA is ramping up its financial regulatory practice with the hire of Wilmer Cutler & Pickering lawyer Eva Heffernan.A former of counsel at Wilmer Cutler since 2003 Heffernan joins DLA as a partner.Prior to joining Wilmer Cutler, Heffernan was director and senior counsel at Merrill Lynch Europe where she handled investigations by the Financial Services Authority and the Securities and Exchange Commission. She was previously a trial lawyer with the US Department of Justice.
Doing things by half
Masons, in the run-up to its incomprehensible merger with Pinsents, continues to show admirable precision in its press releases.
Driven to drink
Tulkinghorn would like to extend congratulations to Beachcroft Wansbroughs managing partner Bob Heslett, who recently won his height in brandy.
DWS steers BAR to victory in F1 dispute
Denton Wilde Spate (DWS) secured a win for the BAR-Honda Formula 1 (F1) team last week after the F1 Contracts Recognition Board (CRB) ruled that F1 driver Jenson Button must fulfil his contract with BAR. DWS advised BAR on the CRB hearing in Milan, while Maxwell Bately’s motor sports division advised Button, who had been attempting to break his contract with BAR to enable him to drive for the Williams-BMW team during the 2005 F1 season. He will now honour his existing contract with BAR.
DWS suffers further setback with TMT loss
Denton Wilde Sapte’s (DWS) depleted technology, media and telecoms (TMT) team has suffered another blow with the departure of IP litigation partner John Hull, who is joining Eversheds’ London office. His joining date has yet to be confirmed. The departure leaves the DWS TMT team with just four partners: telecoms specialist John Worthy, Catherine Bingham and Dan Burge and sports law star and board member ...
Fidal scoops EY Law partner
EY Law in Paris has lost yet another partner – this time to rival Fidal.
Firm profile: Margaret Bennett Solicitors
Margaret Bennett Solicitors can lay claim to being something of an anomaly. In fact, all the lawyers at the family law specialist are women.
For argument’s sake
Settling family disputes through mediation is growing in popularity, but more can still be done. Lisa Parkinson reports
For the record...
PRIVY COUNCIL In ‘Caribbean Court of Justice set to replace Privy Council’ (page 2, 20 September), it was inaccurately reported that the appellate jurisdiction of the Privy Council would end in November 2004 with respect to Caribbean states. Although a new court is being launched, which has subsequently been delayed, the jurisdiction of the Privy Council will continue for the foreseeable future. It was also incorrect to state that the new court will have discretionary powers ...
French polishing off
Tulkinghorn was disappointed to miss the Law Society’s media dinner the night before the annual conference in Birmingham.
Gibson Dunn makes push in Brussels
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher has expanded its embryonic Brussels presence taking on Howrey Simon Arnold & White partner David Wood and Crowell & Moring partner James Ashe-Taylor.
Going, going gong
Imagine the scene: you’ve just won one of the main prizes at a glittering awards bash; your celebrations are in full flight; your mates are congratulating you; your future is secure and life is sweet. Then BAM! You turn around and the worst has happened – someone’s nicked your gong.
Gold unveils new management structure at Herbert Smith
Herbert Smith’s senior partner elect David Gold has unveiled the new management structure he is hoping to install when he takes office next April.
Grapevine
White & Case and Hong Kong firm Deacons could teach theBritish Royal Family a thing or two about bitter divorces.
Grapevine
Postcode lotteryForget banking and corporate for a moment, Allen & Overy (A&O) has another tricky decision to make concerning its new Spitalfields office. After raising the considerable ire of the locals, construction is now ploughing ahead.
Hammonds ditched as sale of Interflora goes to Addleshaws
Addleshaw Goddard has pushed Hammonds aside to advise first-time client Interflora on its increasingly difficult sale to private equity group 3i.
Hearsay
Which US firm has a handy condom machine in the client reception area of its London office?
Herbert Smith Brussels gets new managing partner
Herbert Smith has appointed Craig Pouncey as the new managing partner of the firm’s Brussels office.
Herbert Smith closes first RBS leveraged financing after panel win
Herbert Smith has closed its first leveraged financing for Royal Bank of Scotland after winning its coveted place on the £100m plus deals panel last November.
Herbies head of litigation wins senior partner fight
Head of litigation David Gold has won the two-way race to become Herbert Smith’s next senior partner, beating practice partner Richard Fleck to the punch.
Homing in on home working
Home working is now more popular, and freelance lawyers are a flexible option. By James Knight
Insurance boost for Richards Butler
Richards Butler has bolstered its insurance and reinsurance group with the lateral hire of Hill Dickinson partner Chris Zavos.
Insurance rates slashed by 10 per cent
Overall rates for solicitors’ professional indemnity dropped by 10 per cent this year, according to early predictions.
Kendall wins groundbreaking insurance case for Lumbermens
Kendall Freeman has secured a landmark result in the High Court for insurance client Lumbermens Mutual Casualty Company.
Kid mapping
Parental disputes over children have never had a higher profile – and the most contentious area is the enforcement of contact orders. Kevin Hand and Rebecca Bailey-Harris report
Knowing one’s own tricks best
Like the first cuckoo of spring, Tulkinghorn is sad to report the first mention of Christmas. And to mix metaphors further, just as members of the constabulary are getting younger, the Yuletide references are arriving earlier every year.
Law Soc C&I Group receives double blow
The Law Society’s group for in-house lawyers, the Commerce & Industry (C&I) Group, was left reeling last week by the resignation of national vice-chair Anthony Armitage and the breakaway of its London arm.
Lawrence Graham finds new home
Lawrence Graham has finalised its deal for new premises at More London just days before the firm is expected to announce whether merger talks with Tite & Lewis have been successful.
Legal aid, referral fees, compensation culture dominate Law Society agenda
Legal aid, referral fees and the compensation culture dominated proceedings at this year’s Law Society conference.
Lovells accused of ‘drafting witness statements’ as Villalba draws to close
Counsel for Stephanie Villalba, the former investment banker suing Merrill Lynch in a record £7.5m discrimination claim, last week made a closing statement alleging the bank’s law firm Lovells had “centrally drafted” witness statements.
Lovells to launch dedicated Spanish tax practice
Lovells has launched a standalone tax practice in Spain with the appointment of the former Spanish director general of taxation and former deputy director general of tax policy.
Masons hire sees RPC boost construction dept
Reynolds Porter Chamberlain (RPC) has bolstered construction by scooping a partner from Masons. Ron Nobbs, a construction and projects specialist, was a partner in Masons’ construction and engineering group. His appointment closely follows the recruitment of Michael Blackburne, formerly head of construction litigation at
New Blackstone heads to target competition work
Blackstone Chambers’ newly-elected heads Ian Mill QC and Thomas Beazley QC have a tough task building on the success of their predecessors at the top public and commercial law set.
New complaints body launched
A new body to deal with complaints against the legal profession was formally launched today (28 October) by the Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer.
News Corp legal chief quits role
News Corporation’s general counsel Arthur Siskind has quit his role at the Australia-based media giant.Siskind is stepping down as general counsel on 31 December, after 30 years with the company, to become senior adviser to the company’s chairman Rupert Murdoch. He will be replaced by News Corp’s deputy general counsel Lon Jacobs who will takeover from the start of 2005.
Norton Rose designer HQ finalised
Norton Rose has finalised a deal which will see the firm move into new Foster and Partners-designed headquarters in 2007.
Norton Rose in Falklands’ first AIM float
Norton Rose has advised on what is believed to be the first Falkland Islands company’s admission to AIM.
Opinion
Concern has been growing over the potential conflicts faced by magic circle law firms when they are instructed to act against a major financial institution. Some major banks are now even stipulating that panel firms must give an undertaking not to become involved at any level against them if they are to retain their place on the panel.
Parlour games
The divorce of Arsenal FC footballer Ray Parlour and his wife Karen broke new ground in terms awards. Liz Vernon sets the record straight
Piper-Gray Cary tie-up gets the nod
DLA’s merger suitor Piper Rudnick has plugged the gap in its West Coast strategy after voting through its merger with Palo Alto’s Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich.
Retention rates at top 50 firms promise stability for trainees
Burges Salmon, Salans and Wragges employ 100 per cent of trainees but attrition still costs £43m. By Gemma Charles
RFU signs up Farrers sports star
The Rugby Football Union (RFU) has recruited Karena Vleck from Farrer & Co as the organisation’s new in-house lawyer and company secretary.
Separated at birth
Everybody wants to go global these days. It’s not enough to be top of your game in one place, you’ve got to be everywhere. International. So it’s appropriate that Liverpool FC’s new Spanish manager, Rafael Benitez, late of Valencia, doubles as the managing partner of expansionist Channel Islands firm Mourant du Feu & Jeune. The strategy of the man who won the UEFA ...
Shaw Pittman opens Taipei branch
Shaw Pittman has opened an office in Taipei and launched a strategic alliance with Taiwan firm Chien Yeh Law Offices. Partner Yitai Hu (right) joined the US firm in April and will head the Taipei office, which will advise primarily on IP. Chien Yeh Law Offices was founded in 1972 and now has 20 lawyers spread throughout its offices in Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsiung. ...
Shearman unveils new global management team
Shearman & Sterling has unveiled its new global management team with German partner Georg Thoma and New York-based John Madden appointed co-managing partners of the firm.
SJ Berwin boosts tax group with Revenue commissioner
SJ Berwin has bolstered its tax practice with the appointment of a special commissioner who was recently involved in a landmark hearing regarding the taxation of family-run businesses.
Skadden beats Davis Polk to Ashtead deal
Skadden beats Davis Polk to Ashtead deal" /Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom has nudged aside Davis Polk & Wardwell to land a new client, UK-listed equipment hire company Ashtead.
Sumitomo trial settles
The Sumitomo fraud trial – one of the country’s longest-running civil cases – settled yesterday after just two weeks in court.
Tack is the new black
Move over, London. Milton Keynes is the UK’s new fashion capital. Well, at least it is in the eyes of Addleshaw Goddard’s technology, media and IP group.
Taylor Wessing Frankfurt raids Freshfields for new real estate partner
Taylor Wessing has recruited a new partner to its Frankfurt real estate practice.
The sweet smell of distress sees vulture funds eye Sainsbury’s
The supermarket giant is in trouble and the bondholders are twitching nervously. By Helen Power
The work-life quiz
Stephen Stephens, head of real estate, Lawrence Graham
Two new partners bolster BLP real estate
Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has bolstered its real estate practice with the appointment of two new partners.
US mergers rise 25 per cent
Law firm merger activity is on the rise in the US, as the size of smaller firms continues to dwindle, according to a new survey.
White & Case completes City relocation
White & Case has moved into its new City premises at 5 Old Broad Street, next to the Bank of England. The firm has taken 117,000sq ft on four floors, with an option to take an additional 25,000sq ft if necessary. White & Case has been in the London market for more than 30 years and was previously located at 7-11 Moorgate. An increase in the firm’s London headcount, which has grown by 400 per cent over ...
