28 April 2003
The Lawyer
A full report
The Company Law Enforcement Act of 2001 has given liquidators greater responsibilities. Doug Smith gives the lowdown on the new reporting requirements
A legal drama
For theatre engineering group Stage Technologies, the important thing is that the show must go on. But that doesn't leave much time for legal wranglings. Julia Cahill reports
A&O launches German-Polish investment group
Allen & Overy (A&O) has set up a dedicated group to handle German foreign direct investment into Poland. Four partners and four associates will join the German-Polish group led by Cornelius Fischer-Zernin, A&O's German managing partner. The firm has hired two new senior associates for the group.
A&O makes second hire from the Conseil d'Etat
Allen & Overy (A&O) has hired a second lawyer from the French administrative supreme court, the Conseil d'Etat, to bolster its public and environmental law capability in Paris. Frédéric Mion joins as of counsel and will work with partner Noël Chahid-Nouraï, who joined A&O two years ago from the senior French civil service.
Anthony Gold completes double merger
South London firm Anthony Gold is merging with two local practices, Warren & Co in Streatham and Jockelson McNulty & Co in Walworth. Following the combination, Anthony Gold will have 13 partners and more than 40 lawyers.
Australia's leading banks appoint new legal heads
Two of Australia’s largest banks, Commonwealth Bank of Australia and ANZ, today announced the appointment of new general counsel.Commonwealth Bank has scored Freehills corporate partner John O’Sullivan as group general counsel to take over the top legal role when former head Les Taylor retires later this year.O’Sullivan, a partner at Freehills since 1983, has been an external adviser to the bank for some time. He previously advised on its acquisition of the ...
BLP appoints six to partnership
Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has promoted six lawyers to its partnership, bringing the total number of partners at the firm to 122. The new partners are Greg Calladine-Smith and Ian Waring in real estate, Naveen Vijh in property finance, James Good in planning, Andrea Macaulay in insurance and reinsurance and Steven Williams in construction and engineering. First revealed on www.thelawyer.com/ ...
BLP scores Osborne Clarke partner
Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) is adding to its leveraged finance capability with the hire of a partner from Osborne Clarke's London office.
Clarke Willmott wins Bond Pearce lawyer
Clarke Willmott's Bristol office has hired Hugh Pestell from Bond Pearce in Southampton. Pestell specialises in commercial property with a particular focus on secured lending and will join Clarke Willmott as a partner.
Cleary Gottlieb scoops Siemens work as CC pushed aside
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton has elbowed aside Clifford Chance Pünder to advise Siemens on its €1.1bn (£0.76bn) acquisition of Alstom’s industrial turbine business.This is the first corporate deal on which Cleary has advised Siemens, having previously advised the German giant ...
CMS network plans big four accountancy firm-style tie-up
The eight member firms in the CMS network could be merged along the lines of a big four accountancy firm, according to new CMS executive partner Robert Derry-Evans.
DEAL OF THE WEEK - CVC CAPITAL
Clifford Chance wangles dual role as Willkie Farr scoops CVC
Dentons to make 70 redundancies in London
Denton Wilde Sapte has today confirmed that it is to make up to 70 redundancies in its London office, following an announcement at an internal meeting last night.The firm has now entered consultation with both fee earners and support staff, and those hit are expected to be leaving next month.Up to 40 fee earners will be axed, with the corporate and TMT departments the worst affected.The firm said in a statement: "These cuts reflect a prudent short-term response to ...
DJ Freeman confirms final cuts
DJ Freeman has confirmed the final number of redundancies resulting from the disintegration of the firm and the formation of niche insurance/litigation practice Kendall Freeman.
Eurojust, OLAF join forces to form elite fraud-busting unit
The EU's cross-border judicial network Eurojust has signed a cooperation agreement with EU anti-fraud unit OLAF, which will see the two bodies work together to fight corruption and financial misdemeanours.
Failure to grow London sparks Haarmanns loss
German multidisciplinary partnership Haarmann Hem-melrath has lost highly rated London partner Jay Birch as a result of the firm's inability to grow its London office.
Fees squeezed at commercial bar
The hourly rates of Jonathan Sumption QC and Gordon Pollock QC have all hit the magic £1,000 per hour mark set by Lord Grabiner QC, but solicitors have successfully cut the fees they pay to the majority of the commercial bar.
Firms look elsewhere as SIF work dries up
The Fourteen firms on the Solicitors' Indemnity Fund (SIF) panel saw a downturn in work last year, with the insurer paying out £8m less in fees than the previous year.
Former Arthur Andersen head unveiled as Clifford Chance US COO
Arthur Andersen’s former head of North America has resurfaced at Clifford Chance as the firm’s new US chief operating officer. Terry Hatchett, who was a partner at Andersen’s for 34 years until its catastrophic end, will work closely with John Carroll, CC’s managing partner of the Americas region as well as the practice area leaders and regional management.
Former Dechert securitisation co-head joins Mayer Brown
Dechert’s former co-head of securitisation Richard Ambery has resurfaced at Mayer Brown Rowe & Maw. Ambery joined Dechert five years ago from Clifford Chance, with a mandate to build a securitisation practice. He specialises ...
Fox Williams
Fox Williams is recruiting, but only a certain sort of lawyer will do
Fruitless existence
Following Tulkinghorn's recent exposé on Linklaters' decision to withdraw jellybeans from its meeting rooms, he can now reveal that the firm is pursuing further perverse initiatives with its client offerings.In the latest move to cut costs, it is rumoured that Linklaters has removed all fruit from its meeting rooms. Initially, it restricted the contents of its fruit bowl to ...
George Galloway instructs Davenport Lyons
George Galloway, the Labour backbencher suing The Daily Telegraph, has picked media firm Davenport Lyons to act for him. Galloway said last week that he will sue the newspaper for libel after it accused him of taking as much as £375,000 a year from Saddam Hussein in return for support for the fallen dictator. First revealed on www. thelawyer.com/lawyernews, 23 April
Gibson Dunn star joins Dewey Ballantine
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher has lost its co-head of insurance and reinsurance litigation David Grais to the New York office of Dewey Ballantine. Grais, who had been with Gibson Dunn since 1998, has a practice focusing on insurance and reinsurance, IT litigation and general commercial litigation. First revealed on www.thelawyer.com/lawyernews, 23 April
Hale and Dorr gets its pound of flesh
Hale and Dorr has settled its bizarre spat with a former secretary over the repayment of £750 – making the Red Cross very happy in the process.
Hammonds in London retreat
Hammonds has retrenched on its aim to build a London private equity practice to rival that of Macfarlanes with the appointment of Leeds partner John Jones as national practice head.
Hammonds partner defects to Speechly Bircham
Hammonds has lost banking and finance partner Andrew Knight (left) to Speechly Bircham. Knight, who acts for banks and other lending institutions, will head Speechly Bircham's finance team.
Hammonds: 'We take no prisoners'
They might not look like much, but Hammonds has signalled an early warning to those competing in TheLawyer.com Fives Football Tournament, to be held on Sunday 13 July. The firm emerged victorious from events organiser Top Corner's recent Legal and Financial Cup, held in Amsterdam. Hammonds captain Charles Frost said: "We've entered TheLawyer.com Fives a few times without much luck. It's a big industry event, so we're keen to carry this good form through to the 13 ...
Herbert Smith, Gleiss and Stibbe ramp up international alliance
The Herbert Smith-Gleiss Lutz-Stibbe best friends alliance has become significantly more intimate, with office-sharing arrangements now in place across Europe and Asia.
Judge cuts Couderts' fees on Global Crossing bankruptcy
Coudert Brothers has been denied full payment of its second round of fees for the reorganisation of Global Crossing, after a judge ruled against a $54,000 (£34,000) pay-out for the firm's summer associates.
Keeping an eye on the competition
The full results of the implementation of the Competition Act 2002 have yet to be seen, but with its strict regulations, there are likely to be fireworks in Ireland. Helen Kelly reports
Lame excuse
Aren't training courses an eye-opener? When Simmons senior partner Janet Gaymer was on the couch as part of a management course, the psychiatrist told her: "I've only ever had a profile like yours once in my entire career." Which got Gaymer thinking. The psychiatrist had talked earlier about some characters from even seedier walks of life than law. Aunty Val wondered whether her true vocation was in fact running a paramilitary organisation.Seen in this new light, ...
Land Securities and Warner Estates to review panels after DJ Freeman split
Two key DJ Freeman property clients, Land Securities and Warner Estates, look set to part ways with their former adviser, after both companies instigated a review of their panels following the demise of the City firm.
Legal Widow
"They're talking about doing away with lockstep," said the Lawyer, toying with his chicken chasseur on Saturday night.
Life's what you make it
Ireland's enthusiasm for foreign investors in life sciences makes the country the ideal European hub for the sector. Raymond O'Rourke reports
Linklaters and Gianni Origoni plan for future merger talks
Linklaters has given the clearest signal yet that it intends to merge with Italian ally Gianni Origoni Grippo & Partners.
Linklaters gifted CIBC as PAI sings its praises
French private equity group PAI's championing of Linklaters has helped win the law firm its second instruction by CIBC World Markets on CVC's recent £372m acquisition of Danske Traelast.
Lord Chancellor in silks U-turn
The Lord Chancellor has today indicated that he will be getting rid of the silks system by swapping it for a quality-mark set up by the barrister profession.The surprise concession by Lord Irvine ironically follows on the heels of his decision to appoint more silks than ever before in the recent round of appointments. The Office of Fair Trading is also investigating whether the system is anticompetitive.Speaking at the ceremony for the presentation of silks awards, Lord ...
Lovells ramps up German finance with double hire for Frankfurt
Lovells has bolstered its Frankfurt office with two lateral hires to the finance team.
Mail bait
Regular readers will recall Tulkinghorn's recent account of Poppleston Allen's eNews, which had been plaguing email inboxes with vast amounts of commentary on the Licensing Bill, with only Paddy Whur breaking the tedium with news of the Chancellor's move to make Bingo a tax-free 'sport'. Whur has contacted Tulkinghorn to thank him for raising his profile with his partners - very gracious of him, even if there are only five at the firm, so it shouldn't be ...
Mathesons tops deal table
Riverdeep deal catapults Mathesons to the top spot as Ashursts maintains its stronghold on the Irish M&A market
McDermott partner quits for Orchard
McDermott Will & Emery has lost another London partner, following the decision of corporate specialist Richard Beresford to join niche city firm Orchard.
Meissner quits Luther Menold for Latham
Luther Menold has lost real estate partner Martin Meissner to Latham & Watkins. Meissner joined the US firm’s Frankfurt office today and will specialise in real estate transactions, property finance, real estate restructuring and privatisation.
Merricks' commercial litigation head quits to go it alone
Tony Guise, the head of commercial litigation at Merricks, has left the firm to set up on his own.
Ministry of Justice set to slim tribunal system as costs soar
The Irish Ministry of Justice has published a proposal to reform the country’s tribunal system, which costs millions of euros a year in lawyers’ fees
Minter Ellison slated by report into HIH collapse
Minter Ellison has received a roasting in the Royal Commission's final report into the collapse of Australian insurance giant HIH, as rivals Blake Dawson Waldron have come off more lightly
New claims manager prompts Axa panel shake-up
Axa is reviewing its legal panel following the appointment of new claims manager David Williams, the company’s former casualty and reinsurance manager. Axa last reviewed the panel in 2001, when 16 out of 30 firms lost their places. The review is of all existing panel firms. These are: the Andersen Partnership, Badhams, Beachcroft Wansbroughs, Berrymans Lace Mawer, ...
Nishimura links up with Tokiwa in Tokyo
One of Japan's largest law firms, Nishimura & Partners, has further bolstered its numbers after signing a deal to merge with fellow Tokyo firm Tokiwa Sogo Law Offices.
Norton Rose forms property litigation team
Norton Rose has launched a new property litigation unit to further boost work in the area. The firm has appointed senior associate John de St Croix to head the three-lawyer team.
Norton Rose secures second CGI instruction
Norton Rose is riding the current wave of German property investment in the City after landing its second deal within weeks for open-ended fund CGI.
Now you see me…
On tape the CMS network's new head honcho Robert Derry-Evans is the perfect company man; off tape he's actually alright. Naomi Rovnick reports
Olswang stunned by £19m High Court negligence claim
Olswang to vigorously defend action; claimants allege bad advice and absenteeism at crucial meeting
Opinion
Every law student knows that there is only one person in this country who belongs to the executive, the legislature, and the judiciary: the Lord Chancellor. But should the status quo survive? Or, indeed, will it?
Partner loss clouds Pillsbury’s ChevronTexaco relationship
Pillsbury Winthrop may be in danger of missing out on work for its prized client ChevronTexaco, after losing one its top litigators to Jones Day.
Partnership promotions suffer
Linklaters' dip in making up partners reflects general trend across the magic circle; economic downturn held responsible
RBS nod sees Freshfields lose Westbury work to White & Case
White & Case has usurped Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer to act for housebuilding group Westbury on its £150m private placement.
Real estate deals round-up
SJ Berwin (Jon Vivian) advised joint venture vendors British Land and Gazeley on the £25.2m sale of their estate at Enfield to Legal & General. Berwin Leighton Paisner acted for Legal & General.
Roger Davey
In our 7 April issue, in 'Bridewell tenant forced to apologise', it stated that Roger Davey had settled his dispute with Sally Clarke. We have been asked to make it clear that Mr Davey has never admitted that he made the allegations that were the subject of Ms Clarke's complaint, nor did he apologise for doing so. Mr Davey will strenuously defend any complaint made against him to the Bar Council.
Shepherds bags Taylor Woodrow
Taylor Woodrow has appointed Shepherd + Wedderburn as its principle Scottish property adviser after a two-month competitive tender.
Skadden bills snowball on Kmart
The spate of US bankruptcies is continuing to pay dividends for lawyers, with Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom emerging as the latest firm to rack up millions of dollars in fees.
Survival Techniques
The three big accountancy-tied firms, Tite & Lewis, Landwell and KLegal, may no longer be aimimg to challenge the magic circle, but they are proving their critics wrong and hanging on in there. Helen Power reports on the ups and downs of MDPs
The blushing bribers
If you can feel a hum of anti-cipation in the air and the atmos-phere around you is sparking with electricity, it can mean only one thing - The Lawyer Awards are getting closer. That's right, the premier event in the legal calendar™ is only two itty-bitty months away. Which is why Tulkinghorn feels he should nip lawyers' crass attempts at bribery in the bud right now.Like last year, Tulkinghorn has received some hilarious buy-off attempts, from exclusive inter-views ...
The Leader Column
It is perhaps symptomatic of the frenzy gripping the Italian legal market that Il Mondo magazine last week joined Linklaters with a new prospective merger partner, Pavia e Ansaldo. Finely tuned to a market with an insatiable appetite for gossip, the magazine honed in on speculation that Linklaters’ new, revised agreement with long-term ally Gianni Origoni is much looser than its old tie. Thus, ...
The story so far
Last week, The Lawyer reported that SJ Berwin is preparing a US-style class action on behalf of pension fund investors against an array of US companies hit by corporate scandals. The firm is working on the case on a contingency fee basis, even though this is barred by the English Law Society. It is doing this by exploiting a loophole that allows such fees to be used as long as cases are handled in conjunction ...
Theodore Goddard loses five fee-earners as Addleshaws merger takes effect
Five further Theodore Goddard fee-earners are to join banking partners Michael Black and Jayesh Patel at Denton Wilde Sapte next week, now that the City firm has confirmed its merger with Addleshaw Booth & Co.Black and Patel, along with six partners due to go to Salans, have their final day at Theodore Goddard today (30 April).Salans will also take on five Theodore Goddard assistants. One will join the employment team with partners Peter Cooke and Jane Bullen, two media/film ...
Thomas Eggar boosts London corporate team with Manches hire
In a move to bolster its corporate presence in London, southeast firm Thomas Eggar has poached top Manches corporate partner Jean-Paul da Costa to head its City corporate/commercial team.Da Costa has been a partner in Manches corporate and technology group since mid-2001, before which he was head of corporate and commercial at Piper Smith & Basham. He has also served as in-house counsel ...
Tite & Lewis partner defects to Reynolds
Tite & Lewis has lost highly-rated litigation partner Fiona Walkinshaw to Reynolds Porter Chamberlain.
Try and try again
Lawyers have been slammed for charging huge fees on the raft of tribunals plaguing Ireland. Jon Robins asks: is it fair comment or just another excuse for lawyer-bashing?
Whitney Moore elects new managing partner
Dublin firm Whitney Moore & Keller has elected litigation partner Gerry Carroll as its new managing partner
Wragges' surprise signing: can he do the business?
Emma Vere-Jones on Adrian Bland's Midlands defection from Eversheds to arch rival Wragges.
