The Lawyer
26 January 2009
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Ashurst plans to shed 15 secretarial jobs
27-Jan-2009
Ashurst has launched a redundancy consultation that could see up to 15 secretaries lose their jobs.
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Bakers, CC, White & Case launch Kazakhstan fund
26-Jan-2009
Baker & McKenzie, Clifford Chance and White & Case have advised on the creation of a e100m (£90.6m) private equity fund on behalf of Kazakhstan’s sovereign wealth fund.
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Banks’ bailout boom keeps the wolf from the door for finance lawyers
26-Jan-2009
Regulatory lawyers waiting in wings as system is deemed ‘deficient’.
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Barclays’ new hire to cut legal spend
26-Jan-2009
Barclays has revamped the management of its legal function, creating a new chief of staff position to support general counsel Mark Harding.
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Blake Lapthorn launches second redundancy round
28-Jan-2009
Blake Lapthorn has announced a second redundancy consultation, with up to 30 additional members of staff facing the prospect of losing their jobs.
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BLP’s focus on restructuring saves jobs
26-Jan-2009
Real estate heavyweight Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has staved off the threat of redundancy by upping its focus on the restructuring sector.
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BPE Solicitors embraces four-day week
29-Jan-2009
Gloucester-based BPE Solicitors has put 13 members of staff, including three salaried partners, on a four-day week.
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Cadwalader London: five ways to say goodbye
26-Jan-2009
Losing seven partners from its City office highlights the frailties of Cadwalader’s global strategy. It also provides a perfect example of what not to do in the current economic climate.
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Cadwalader threatens to sue London partners
27-Jan-2009
Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft has threatened to sue the seven London partners who are leaving for Paul Hastings, after initially promising an amicable separation.
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Cadwalader trio snubs offer to stay
26-Jan-2009
The New York management of Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft has failed in an attempt to buy back three of the seven London partners who left for Paul Hastings.
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Cadwalader wins role on $68bn Pfizer mega-merger
26-Jan-2009
Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft has scored a lead role on US drug manufacturer Pfizer's $68bn (£49.8bn) acquisition of rival Wyeth, the biggest M&A deal in the world for months.
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Camerons scoops Czech government airline role
26-Jan-2009
CMS Cameron McKenna has been instructed by the government of the Czech Republic on the privatisation of state-owned carrier Czech Airlines.
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Charles Russell moots four-day week to stave off redundancies
30-Jan-2009
Charles Russell has given lawyers the option of a four-day week as it starts redundancy consultations with an unspecified number of staff.
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City’s top firms mop up the banking mess
26-Jan-2009
When it comes to the UK’s banking crisis, if you are not part of the City’s elite it is unlikely that you will win a key role.
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Clarification
26-Jan-2009
On page 3 of last week’s issue of The Lawyer we published a story about US law firm Debevoise & Plimpton suing solicitor Joan Leopold. Recruitment consultancy Taylor Root has asked us to point out that it was not involved in a confidential investigation Leopold was carrying out for the firm. The recruiter was only involved in the matter because it carried out the jobsearch that placed Leopold with Debevoise.
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Cobbetts called in for Fox Hayes wind-up
26-Jan-2009
Cobbetts restructuring partner William Ballmann is advising David Wilson and Julian Pitt of Begbies Traynor on the administration of North East firm Fox Hayes.
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Collas Day advises on tidal energy project
26-Jan-2009
Alderney Renewable Energy has instructed Channel Islands firm Collas Day to construct the world’s first legal framework for a commercial tidal power project in open water.
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Dechert adds Bear in-houser to New York corporate
30-Jan-2009
Dechert has hired a former senior Bear Stearns in-house lawyer to bulk up its corporate and securities group.
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Dentons names Kitchen as next chairman
27-Jan-2009
Corporate partner Martin Kitchen has been named as the new chairman of Denton Wilde Sapte, following a contested election with a total of three contenders.
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DLA Piper switches Saudi sponsor
26-Jan-2009
DLA Piper has broken its ties with a second Saudi sponsor in six months, exchanging Abdulaziz Al Bosaily for Dr Alaa Naji.
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Duran Duran, Snow Patrol spats see Blackstone win litigation double bill
26-Jan-2009
Blackstone Chambers has scooped a brace of leading roles on two high-profile music litigation cases, with co-head Ian Mill QC leading on disputes involving pop groups Duran Duran and Snow Patrol.
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Eversheds, Walkers launch in Singapore
26-Jan-2009
Singapore’s legal market is set to welcome two new law firms, with Eversheds and offshore firm Walkers both launching new offices in the country.
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Ex DLA Islamic finance head launches new firm
26-Jan-2009
DLA’s former global head of Islamic finance Oliver Agha has set up a firm in the United Arab Emirates, establishing a non-exclusive relationship with Pillsbury.
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Eyebrow debate
28-Jan-2009
11.46After recent headlines about Links' New World strategy, the firm was in the High Court on Monday to defend a prof neg claim from Baltic telecoms company Levicom. Not good timing.
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Firms gather to sort Royal Mail potential sell-off
26-Jan-2009
A group of elite City firms has won roles on a possible private sector investment in Royal Mail, with Slaughter and May advising the potential target.
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Former Tyco GC joins E&Y in global role
30-Jan-2009
Tyco's former EMEA general counsel Trevor Faure is to set to take on the global general counsel role at Ernst & Young, leading a team of 300 lawyers.
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Freshfields to launch ‘cross fertility’ programme
29-Jan-2009
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is to launch an intensive two-week programme to reassure associates that they have a future with the firm.
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Freshfields, DLA scotch Indian wedding rumours
26-Jan-2009
Rumours of tie-ups between UK and Indian firms have abounded since Clifford Chance sealed a best friends relationship with top Indian firm AZB & Partners (TheLawyer.com, 14 January).
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Freshfields, Links team up on Xstrata rights issue
29-Jan-2009
Mining group Xstrata is set to launch a £4.1bn rights issue, leading to mandates for magic circle rivals Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Linklaters.
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Fulbright: revenue and PEP up 7 per cent
28-Jan-2009
Fulbright & Jaworski has reported relatively robust financial figures for the 2008 calendar year, with revenue and profits both rising by around 7 per cent.
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Gary Johnston: Mathys & Squire
26-Jan-2009
If you weren’t a lawyer, what would you have been? Professional bingo caller.
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Getting it together: top networkers wax lyrical on joined-up thinking
26-Jan-2009
Creating a global firm through alliances is a long and complex business. A two-day conference organised by The Lawyer explored the issues surrounding delivering global legal services.
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Greenberg rejigs management team
26-Jan-2009
Greenberg Traurig chief executive office, Cesar Alvarez, has been appointed firm wide executive chairman.
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Greenwoods broadens reach with City branch
26-Jan-2009
Personal injury boutique Greenwoods is to open a City office as part of ongoing expansion plans.
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Herbert Smith lands Nortel job
26-Jan-2009
Herbert Smith is advising Ernst & Young on the administration of the European businesses of Canadian telephone manufacturer Nortel Networks.
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Herbies targets Abu Dhabi office for growth
26-Jan-2009
Herbert Smith London finance partner Andrew Newbery is relocating to the Middle East to head the firm’s office in Abu Dhabi.
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I only recently signed a Linklaters training contract... should I be worried?
26-Jan-2009
Our scoop on Links redundancies led one reader to ask: 'I only recently signed a training contract with them... should I be worried?" You decide.
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K&L Gates secures sweet Chicago home with Bell Boyd deal
30-Jan-2009
K&L Gates and Chicago-based Bell Boyd & Lloyd confirmed the merger of the two firms following a partner vote today.
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Linklaters in High Court defending negligence claim
27-Jan-2009
Former Linklaters partner Andrew Legg gave "careless and negligent advice" in a dispute between two telecoms companies, the High Court was told this week.
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Linklaters v Freshfields: the arms race starts here
26-Jan-2009
Linklaters’ shock ‘New World’ partner cull sparked by magic circle fight for supremacy
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Linklaters: 270 London jobs to go
29-Jan-2009
Linklaters has confirmed that between 100 and 120 of its City lawyers will lose their jobs, while 130 to 150 members of business services staff will also be affected.
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Links’ unlucky 13 per cent
26-Jan-2009
Linklaters is always newsworthy, but TheLawyer.com’s scoop last Friday that it was considering culling its partnership generated heated debate. Some context is required.
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Litigation Special Report: All together now
26-Jan-2009
Efforts to get EU member states to adopt a unified approach to certain areas of law is a tricky business. Kevin Roberts and Alan Owens look at two reports aiming to unify a European-wide strategy.
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Litigation Special Report: Caught cold
26-Jan-2009
Legislation enacted in the wake of 9/11 is now being used to police the financial services sector, and the UK’s recent Landsbanki Freezing Order has led some to fear they may have unwittingly broken the law.
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Litigation/Middle East
26-Jan-2009
No one could have predicted that UK legislation brought in post-9/11 would be used to force the arm of overseas financial markets.
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Magic circle trainees kept on despite recession
28-Jan-2009
Magic circle firms are continuing to take on a high proportion of trainees despite the economic turmoil and redundancies, The Lawyer can reveal.
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Magisters sets up shop in Kazakhstan
26-Jan-2009
Ukrainian firm Magisters has extended its international presence by opening an office in Kazakhstan.
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Merrill slashes six senior legal jobs
27-Jan-2009
At least six senior legal roles at Merrill Lynch have been axed as part of the investment bank's global restructuring.
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Middle East Special Report: Arabian blights
26-Jan-2009
Previously touted as many firms’ saving grace, the Middle East economy has finally started to suffer. Which firms are strong enough to weather the storm and which will be left out in the cold? asks Jonathan Ames
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Middle East Special Report: The main event
27-Jan-2009
The Middle East has become a hot spot for Western law firms over the past few years, and in recognition of this The Lawyer is hosting its inaugural Business Development in the Middle East Conference in April this year. Tom Phillips sets the scene…
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MoFo cuts 201 jobs in latest round of layoffs
28-Jan-2009
Morrison & Foerster announced today that it is making 53 lawyers redundant across its offices in the US.
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Morgan & Finnegan faces dissolution
26-Jan-2009
US intellectual property boutique Morgan & Finnegan is on the brink after 12 of its 17 partners quit.
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Moves roundup: 26 January 2009
26-Jan-2009
Longstanding Travers Smith corporate partner Oliver Barnes has retired. Barnes was a former head of the corporate practice and recently sat on the firm’s LLP conversion committee.
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Nixon Peabody launches Israel group
30-Jan-2009
US firm Nixon Peabody has launched an Israel practice group to advise on inbound and outbound Israeli transactions.
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Nixon Peabody promotes seven across US offices
26-Jan-2009
Nixon Peabody has elected seven lawyers to its partnership with the group due to take up their new positions on 1 February.
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No5 opens immigration practice in Brum
26-Jan-2009
No5 Chambers is set to launch a human rights and immigration practice in Birmingham.
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O’Connors
26-Jan-2009
A witty website, including personal anecdotes from the team, aims to present O’Connors as a professional but entertaining law firm.
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Olswang: second redundancy round, 45 to go
30-Jan-2009
Olswang has launched a second redundancy consultation and is proposing to cut 45 jobs.
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Opinion: Firms should be shy of retiring their partners
26-Jan-2009
Life expectancy is rising by 15 minutes every hour. For a 45-year-old partner it will have increased by five years by the time they retire at 65. Partners will, therefore, need to support themselves for 25 years or more after the end of their working lives.
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Optima brands law firm model ‘unsustainable’
26-Jan-2009
AN “unsustainable” partnership model is driving small firms to the brink of collapse as profit margins tumble, Optima Legal has warned.
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Orange squeezes Bevan Brittan out of new panel
26-Jan-2009
Mobile phone giant Orange has left Bevan Brittan out of its new-look panel.
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Paris Smith chief ends 10-year reign
26-Jan-2009
Southampton firm Paris Smith’s senior partner Richard Smith has retired after 10 years at the helm. Nick Vaughan, who specialises in commercial property, lending and charities law, replaced him as senior partner at the beginning of this year.
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Pinsents expands offices in Manchester, Edinburgh
26-Jan-2009
Pinsent Masons has taken on extra floorspace in Manchester and Edinburgh to allow it to expand its presence in the cities.
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Postcard from... Kazakhstan
29-Jan-2009
Like most aspiring lawyers I have attended numerous interviews, and like many when asked to describe our strengths I would reply “I like to face new challenges”. Yet when I found myself on a flight bound for Almaty to work as a legal assistant for GRATA, there was a small part of me that wished I had answered “I’m quite good with numbers”.
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Private client special report: Nisi does it
30-Jan-2009
After a decade of high profile cases and escalating payouts, 2009 could herald the reform of arcane divorce laws, says Peter Baughan.
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Private client special report: the two faces of commoditisation
30-Jan-2009
Commoditisation is a reality of 21st Century business – the only way to combat its effects is to accept it, says Michael Alden.
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Quinn Emanuel: double digit revenue, PEP hikes
29-Jan-2009
US litigation firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart Oliver & Hedges has reported one of the best sets of financial results for the 2008 financial year, with revenue up 15 per cent on the previous 12-month period.
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Redundancies continue to hit mid-market players
26-Jan-2009
Law firm redundancies have continued apace, with Addleshaw Goddard, Ashurst Denton Wilde Sapte and SJ Berwin all making cuts.
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Revenue and profits static at Greenberg Traurig
26-Jan-2009
Greenberg Traurig has posted virtually static year-end results, with the 1,800-lawyer firm managing a 0.25 per cent increase in revenue and a 0.5 per cent rise in average profits.
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Ropes & Gray makes 106 support staff redundant
30-Jan-2009
Boston-headquartered Ropes & Gray has announced that it was laying off 106 of its support staff, the equivalent of around 10 per cent of its non-lawyer personnel across all departments in the firm.
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Simmons shuts Rotterdam, focuses on Amsterdam
27-Jan-2009
Simmons & Simmons has decided to close its Rotterdam office and move all its Dutch lawyers to Amsterdam.
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Simpson Thacher downsizes Sao Paulo launch
28-Jan-2009
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett has delayed its plans to launch an office in Sao Paulo
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Special report: private client
30-Jan-2009
Three new private client special reports discuss topical issues affecting the sector. Read here for the details.
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The hard cell: Clare Algar, Reprieve
26-Jan-2009
As the executive director of human rights charity Reprieve, Clare Algar welcomes President Obama’s focus on the rule of law.
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Tyco poised to review Eversheds’ status as sole external adviser
26-Jan-2009
The terms of Eversheds’ status as manufacturing company Tyco’s sole external legal adviser are up for review as the contract comes up for a 12-month renewal.
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US firms pin hopes on Obama
26-Jan-2009
It is not often we get to say this, but last Tuesday history was made.
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Web Week
26-Jan-2009
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.
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Wilson Sonsini blames downturn for 113 layoffs
26-Jan-2009
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati has become the latest US firm to announce it is making layoffs, with job cuts totalling 113 employees.
