26 September 2011

Robin Moira White
3

Work Life Quiz: Robin Moira White, Old Square Chambers

Who’s your hero and why? Dr Bart van de Ven, who performed the facial surgery that has allowed me to live my life properly since. [This summer White transitioned from male to female]. What was your first-ever job? Night porter. What was your worst experience as a pupil? Paginating six copies of a 1,000-plus page […]

Property consultant takes £18m High Court hit

The High Court has upheld a professional negligence claim against commercial property consultant Drivers Jonas, ordering it to pay £18.05m to claimant Capita Alternative Fund Services (Guernsey). The claimant, which is the trustee of the Matrix Chatham Maritime Trust, instructed Bond Pearce partner Anna Maxwell, with 4 New Square’s Sue Carr as counsel. Carr also […]

Links, Slaughters lead on De Beers’ Botswana move

Linklaters and Slaughter and May took the lead roles advising on an agreement between the world’s largest producer of diamonds and the government of Botswana. A Linklaters team led by corporate partner Simon Branigan and managing associate Leanne Hoare acted for De Beers Group on a 10-year deal that will see the diamond giant transfer […]

Freshfields racks up fourth victory for Turkey on investment dispute

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has sealed a major arbitration victory for the Republic of Turkey in one of the largest investment disputes on record. A team of international lawyers led by arbitration partners Jan Paulsson, Lucy Reed, Brian King and Noah Rubins represented Turkey in the last of a series of four cases brought against the […]

Hong Kong to Norfolk – the long way round

hen it comes to a healthy ­commute, cycling to and from their place of work is about as far as it goes for the average office worker. And it is safe to say that, come winter, even the most ­hardened cyclists are tempted to leave the bike at home in favour of the sweaty warmth […]

Tulkinghorn: Money for old rope

If you happened to glance up at London’s law firm skyline on ­Friday 16 September, there’s a decent chance you’d have seen a variety of strange creatures suspended from the roofs on ropes. Reed Smith and Hogan Lovells were busy raising money for charity, with both firms’ office tops packed above the rafters with lawyers […]

1

Focus: European firms in London – The English channel

London’s global hub status means many big European practices are enhancing the capabilities on offer at their City bases. By Joanne Harris  The continuing significance of London ­as an international financial centre ­cannot be overestimated, even at a time when much of the world is ­looking eastwards. Over the years this factor has drawn dozens […]

Julie Stobart

Real estate embarks on slow road to recovery

The real estate sector has a long way to go before it regains the healthy levels of three years ago. James Swift reports Real estate departments, the sick men of commercial law firms ­during the depths of the global financial crash, are at last showing signs of convalescence. Figures collated for the top 20 real […]

Deborah Parry

Nabarro guides Great Portland on purchase of Royal Mail site

Nabarro has become Great Portland Estates’ go-to firm as the developer continues to snap up prime central London real estate. Most recently Nabarro has advised Great Portland on its £120m purchase of Royal Mail’s Rathbone Place sorting office. Ashurst acted for seller Royal Mail Group. In a deal that has been touted as a fillip […]

Lee Eng Beng

Singapore firms flex regional muscle

UK firms such as Olswang, Taylor Wessing and Withers may have been making a splash in Singapore, but a number of the city-state’s domestic players are also unveiling their pan-Asia ambitions. ‘Big Four’ Singapore firm Rajah & Tann is a case in point, having recently expanded into Vietnam and Thailand with the launch of offices in Ho Chi […]

Nicholas Clegg

Porter Dodson

Dorset and Somerset firm Porter Dodson effected two mergers in the last financial year, but did not manage to increase its revenue from the £7.6m it generated in 2009-10. That said, director of non-legal services Nicholas Clegg says the additions of one-partner Penzance firm Boase Bennetts & James and four-partner Yeovil ­outfit Batt Sanders & […]

Jonathan Watmough, RPC
2

RPC’s quality drive on track as Bristol beckons

When Reynolds Porter Chamberlain (RPC) makes a strategic move it is usually intended to send a clear message to its insurance industry peers.   The opening of an office in Bristol on the back of a raid on CMS Cameron McKenna is a bold statement, coming as it does just three years after RPC offloaded […]