30 March 2009
The Lawyer
Ashurst and S&W scoop Cairn Energy share placing mandates
Ashurst and Shepherd & Wedderburn (S&W) have led the advice on Cairn Energy’s £116m share placing.
BLP’s McKeeve set to flex firm’s real estate muscle
Berwin Leighton Paisner’s (BLP) new private equity chief Raymond McKeeve is planning to use the firm’s real estate expertise to carve out a niche in the market.McKeeve returned to private practice last week after a year-long spell with client Robert Tchenguiz at his R20 investment vehicle.
Dewey City partner sets up new office in Madrid
Dewey & LeBoeuf is preparing to launch a Madrid office, with a London partner spearheading the initiative.
Ed Lewis, Weightmans
What was your first-ever job?I worked as a farm labourer in the summer following my GCSEs.
Farrers brings in film financing expert
Farrer & Co has recruited partner Nigel Palmer to its media group and banking team.
Fladgate triumphs in £17m planning row
The High Court has thrown out a £17m claim brought against Fladgate Fielder by Land Securities.
Focus, Law firm management: A year of living dangerously
If last year was bad, the first three months of 2009 have been even worse.
Freshfields leads on partner promotions
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has led this year’s promotions round, making up a total of 14 to its partnership.
Glad scientists: John Stewart, The Wellcome Trust
As general counsel for The Wellcome Trust, John Stewart has found science to be a lot more interesting than it was at school. By Tom Phillips
Hill Dickinson hires equity partner from Manchester firm Berg Legal
Hill Dickinson has hired Jonathan Dover from fellow Manchester firm Berg Legal, where he was an equity partner.
In this week’s issue…
Practice area: PropertyThe result of property litigation can often pivot on the suitability and skill of the expert witness. This Property Special Report examines how choosing the person with the right credentials is only half the challenge. Equally as important is managing their appearance in front of the judge by, among other things, briefing them on their duty to the court, reminding them of the (often forgotten) burden of proof in civil proceedings ...
Keep calm and carry on
Ever since the onset of the recession there’s been talk of a paradigm shift within the law. This week Matt Byrne interviews managing partners of mainly transatlantic firms for their views, but that’s not the whole story:
Kennedys scraps bonus in favour of payrise for all
Insurance firm Kennedys is to abandon its bonus scheme in favour of frmwide salary rises.
Latham's City revenue takes 12.8 per cent hit
Latham & Watkins’ London office reported a 12.8 per cent drop in revenue for the last financial year.
Norton Rose's Bi awarded Muslim accolade
Norton Rose banking partner Farmida Bi has been named in the inaugural Muslim Women Power List 2009. Bi, the only practising lawyer to be chosen, joined Norton Rose from Denton Wilde Sapte in July 2008 as part of the firm’s push into Islamic finance.
O’Melveny puts brave face on Kavanagh exit
The new head of O’Melveny & Myers’ London litigation group David Foster mounted a bullish defence of his firm’s disputes capability in the City last week following the exit of partner David Kavanagh to Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom.
Orrick and Slaughters called in to oversee £1.1bn North Sea gas talks
Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe and Slaughter and May have been appointed to advise on talks between Centrica and North Sea gas producer Venture Production.
Osborne Clarke steers Haynes sale
Osborne Clarke has advised Haynes Publishing on the sale of its book production business to JF Print, which was advised by Thring Townsend.
Property Special Report: Can I get a witness?
Identifying the right expert witness and drilling them as to what will be expected are crucial precursors to having them take the stand and satisfy a judge, argues Gerard Khoshnaw
Punching above its weight: Norton Rose holds it own in corporate ring
HSBC rights issue has seen Norton Rose steal a march on its magic circle rivals.
Quinn Emanuel desperate for Dan
Was A&O’s Dan Cunningham’s exit perfect timing for all concerned? asks Julia Berris
Recession is no excuse for discrimination
Clare McConnell, chair of the Association of Women Solicitors and a partner at Stephenson Harwood
RJW rewrites rulebook with direct equity hire
Russell Jones & Walker (RHW) is breaking with tradition and looking to hire directly into its equity after making its first-ever lateral equity partner hire.
SJ Berwin secures Whitehall Capital fund advisory role
SJ Berwin has won a mandate from the Government to advise on the establishment of its Capital for Enterprise fund.
Slaughters, A&O score Cadbury bond issue
Allen & Overy (A&O) and Slaughter and May have won lead roles on Cadbury’s £300m bond issuance.
SRA critics call for corporate specialism
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) must fundamentally reform how it regulates corporate firms to restore the profession’s confidence in the watchdog, a report by former Ministry of Justice (MoJ) civil servant Nick Smedley has found.
Stewarts in family way with two hires
Litigation boutique Stewarts Law has hired a partner apiece from Manches and Withers as it bids to compete with them in the family sphere.
The first signs of recovery?
No to meltdown: firms predict revival in 18 months and commit to traditional associate gearing model
Tods Murray’s bid to scotch ‘damaging’ rumours
Market gossip in an upmarket is little more than a gentle annoyance. In a downmarket, on the other hand, it can be extremely damaging.
TPP Law
The concept of PPP is being tested severely during the recession and what happens next will also test niche firm TPP Law.
Trio work on daimler investment deal
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Shearman & Sterling and Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom are advising on the sale of a $2.7bn (£1.9bn) stake in Daimler to Middle East investors.
Tulkinghorn: Ivories coasting
Dancing his way through the offices of The Wellcome Trust, John Stewart is one smooth operator.
Turcan Connell promotes non-lawyers to partner status in readiness for ABSs
Scottish private client firm Turcan Connell has promoted two non-lawyers to partner-equivalent status in preparation for the introduction of alternative business structures (ABSs) to the legal market.
UBS institutes slow release plan for in-house lawyers’ bonuses
Banking giant UBS has revamped bonus packages for its in-house lawyers, holding back payments in a bid to tie in top staff.
US firms in London Special report: Capital gains
Turning challenges into opportunities is a positive response to any potentially deleterious market condition. Matt Byrne and Julia Berris reflect on how US firms in London are achieving this
Web week
Salans announced last week that it plans to offer staff a four-day week and, while readers of TheLawyer.com praised Norton Rose for doing the same thing, those posting comments on the site were less flattering towards Salans.
Withers dips its toe in Virgin territory
Withers is set to make its first foray into the offshore legal sphere with the launch of a British Virgin Islands (BVI) office, The Lawyer can reveal.
WolfBlock fails to keep the wolves from the door
The financial crisis claimed another US law firm victim last week when 300-lawyer Philadelphia firm WolfBlock called time on its long history.
