3 May 2010
The Lawyer
Tulkinghorn: Scotch missed
Tulkinghorn is perplexed by the behaviour being displayed by his brothers- and sisters-at-law in bonnie Scotland. They appear to have gone stark raving mad, and all over these new-fangled alternative business structures (ABSs) everyone seems to be talking about.
A&O, Cleary and Herbies lead on Bank of Ireland fundraising
Allen & Overy (A&O), Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton and Herbert Smith led a clutch of firms advising on Bank of Ireland’s (BoI) e3.4bn (£2.9bn) integrated debt and equity capital raising.
Aramco sticks with White & Case
Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest oil company, is to continue using White & Case as its go-to adviser despite the fact that the US firm has neither an office, a sponsor nor any permanent lawyers in Aramco’s home jurisdiction of Saudi Arabia.
CC loses ground to UK rivals in US growth stakes
Clifford Chance’s US partnership has shrunk by 21 per cent over the past five years, a trend that signals the struggles faced by the magic circle firm in its continuing attempt to build a successful US practice.
Childs defends US headcount drop as CC posts worst magic circle figures
?Matt Byrne and Andrew Pugh report on CC’s dwindling people power
Election reflection
With the UK general election imminent, which of the political parties is best-placed to understand the relationship between the mainland and offshore economies? By Graham Parrott
Eversheds layoff programme ‘unfair’ to male associate
EVERSHEDS has been ordered to pay £123,300 to an associate who claimed he was dismissed unfairly and suffered sex discrimination during the firm’s redundancy programme.
Eversheds’ whistleblower
MAYHEM on the field, chanting in the stands, provocative gestures, trouble in the tunnel, accusations and denials… all in a day’s work for Eversheds associate Gareth Planck, who is a qualified football referee.
Exchange weathers tough year with 15 per cent turnover hike
Manchester set Exchange Chambers has reported a 15.4 per cent rise in turnover for the 2009-10 financial year, with the figure rising to £21.7m from £18.8m last year.
FFW swoops for Charles Russell’s med neg team
Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW) has hired Charles Russell’s London-based medical negligence team as it looks ahead to a period ofconsolidation in the market.
Firm leaders predict legal listings rush, survey finds
The majority of managing partners think firms will float on a stock market when external investment is allowed, but that none will admit to an interest.
Fools and regulations
The EU’s attempt to regulate hedge funds and other alternative investment vehicles runs the risk of damaging Europe’s fragile economies at a crucial time in their recovery, warns Henry Smith
Freshfields Paris team defects to Willkie Farr
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has lost a team of public law specialists in its Paris office to New York rival Willkie Farr & Gallagher.
Freshfields shifts application deadline for conversion students
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is bringing forward its training contract application deadline for non-law students after seeing a surge in applications.
From Big Law to offshore
It has been suggested that, by diluting core expertise, large US law firms will harm their own brands. Tom Carey looks at why offshore firms might need to think along similar lines
GTM advises Oak Holdings on Yorkshire’s YES! project
Greenberg Traurig Maher (GTM) has scored a full-service mandate advising former Eversheds client Oak Holdings on a major regeneration scheme.
Herbies helps Resolution snap up debt and restart hotel plans
Herbert Smith has helped fund manager Resolution Property restart the development of a 220,000sq ft central London site after it acquired the loan secured against it at a knockdown price.
Hogan Lovells, Slaughters lead stellar cast at Lawyer Awards
The newly merged Hogan Lovells and Slaughter and May could both win the greatest number of gongs at this year’s Lawyer Awards, having been jointly shortlisted in the most categories.
Indian newcomers
Indian companies are increasingly looking to list on the UK markets. Ben Robins and James Ruane explain why Jersey has become the ideal jumping-off point for investors from the subcontinent
Lewis Silkin loses partner to Stewarts Law
Lewis Silkin partner Gareth Brahams has quit the firm to launch an employment practice with litigation boutique Stewarts Law.
Media judges in the spotlight as Eady J’s future is thrown into doubt
Media law has become an intensely controversial area and the demand for reform is growing, with editors and politicians attempting to influence the debate.
Milbank lures Shearman star as Brazilian bar restrictions see firms scrap for work
Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy’s decision to poach Shearman & Sterling’s Brazil head and capital markets star Andrew Jánszky to open a São Paulo office marks the culmination of a five-year courtship with the country.
Moscow tool
Russian clients are increasingly turning to the Channel Islands when it comes to placing business offshore. Nick Ward explains why
O2 deal a good sign for the property market
Mishcon de Reya and Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe have advised on the off-market sale of the O2 Leisure and Retail Scheme on London’s Finchley Road.
Olswang fills top posts for real estate, construction
Olswang has hired a new head of construction to replace current departmental chief Richard Wilson, who is leaving the firm.
On the move
Wedlake Bell has added a new senior solicitor to its pensions team.
One step ahead: Heather Mitchell, The Carlyle Group
General counsel at The Carlyle Group Heather Mitchell sees outsourcing to exceptional people as one of the secrets of her success.
Perfectly reformed
?The latest regulatory reform in the British Virgin Islands is part of the government’s efforts to bring the territory in line with other financial centres. Robert Briant and Anton Goldstein report
Plane reaction
Since the 2007 Air Navigation Order, the Isle of Man has implemented a successful and legally sound aircraft registration project. By Andrew Webb
Postcard from... Singapore
?In the latest of our ’Postcard from…’ series, Hill Dickinson associate Andrew Lee shares his experiences of life in Singapore:
Power addressing
Managing the directors, or directing the manager? Ian Kirk and Paul Wilkes look at where the buck stops when it comes to discretionary delegation of powers relating to offshore funds
PPP hospitals are the financially healthy choice
Specialist healthcare lawyers are playing an increasing and fundamental role in solving a critical issue - the NHS funding crisis.
Profile: Island hoping: John Collis, Conyers Dill & Pearman
As Conyers sets its sights on a base in the Channel Islands, Tom Phillips meets the man driving the expansion strategy, director John Collis
Promotions on the wane – particularly in the UK
The latest firms to announce their partner promotions have all made up fewer than last year.
So what is this Tory proposal for a Bill of Rights?
The Conservatives are committed to replacing the Human Rights Act 1998 with a British Bill of Rights.But what does this actually mean?
The Lawyer Awards: 2010 Shortlist
It’s that time again, when the cream of the legal profession take their seats to discover who will be climbing into a taxi proudly clutching a gong for being the best in their field
There goes the bribe
With the Bribery Bill due to come into effect by the end of the year, Stephen Platt explores what the new legislation will mean for public officials, company directors and offshore practitioners
Things can only get better
The financial year ended last week in the usual flurry of bill-chasing, but the mood was more relaxed than I’ve seen for a while.
Timing right as Links’ new corporate chief is free to focus on client work
With the global networks in place, Jeremy Parr can get on with what he’s best at.
Work Life Quiz: Kit O’Brien, Pardoes Solicitors
What was your first-ever job? Collecting eggs on a battery egg farm. It put me off canned chicken soup forever.
