5 November 2007
The Lawyer
3I wins General Electric in-houser
Private equity firm 3i has snared General Electric (GE) senior managing director Kevin Dunn to take up the role of general counsel following the planned retirement of general counsel Tony Brierley.
A&O, Herbies take on TFL Metronet bid
Allen & Overy (A&O) and Herbert Smith are playing key roles in Transport for London's (TfL) bid for Metronet Rail.
Addleshaws leads NHS group PFI scheme
Addleshaw Goddard has acted for Lincolnshire Primary Care Trust, Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust and Derbyshire Mental Health Trust on a trio of hospital and ancillary services deals worth a total £76.5m.
Angel delight
There was a 10-minute paean to outgoing Linklaters managing partner Tony Angel at a recent awards ceremony, the latest of many that no doubt will be given in his honour between now and the end of 2007.
Ashish Vyas: Brent Housing Partnership
Brent Housing Partnership's lawyer Ashish Vyas is a one-man band who has got his work cut out building homes for the future. By Malar Velaigam
Bakers partner joins Barclays Wealth
Baker & McKenzie private banking partner Jonathan Burt has joined Barclays Wealth as a senior wealth adviser.
Bar room blitz
The English bar is in high demand in the world's offshore centres. Three of the bar's key figures explain why
Bermuda
Bermuda's Partnership Amendment Act gives a new lease of life to the traditional partnership structure. Ernest Morrison and Natalie Town report
Bird & Bird celebrates record six months
Bird & Bird is celebrating one of the best half year performances in its history, growing by 24 per cent over the last six months.
BLG raids Hardwicke for PI barristers
Barlow Lyde & Gilbert (BLG) has hired three personal injury lawyers as part of its expansion of its casualty practice.
BLP reports 20 per cent growth at half-year point
Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has reported a leap of 20 per cent in fee income compared to the same time last year, earning £84m in fees in the last six months.
BNFL legal director quits to launch nuclear consultancy
Long-serving British Nuclear Fuels company secretary and group legal director Alvin Shuttleworth has left the company.
Boast dinners
Stephenson Harwood lawyers have singled out the London office hero. After two of Tulkinghorn's hacks commented on the wonderful lunch they were treated to last week, corporate partner Peter Bradley and Tony Edwards, sung the praises of much-loved in-house chef Mick Hale.
Bringing IP to Ireland
Ireland is becoming an attractive location for IP, with foreign companies moving their brands/licensing IP to those located in Ireland. To sustain this position, substantial efforts have been made to introduce measures to ensure that Ireland has the necessary legislative and administrative framework in place to offer sufficient legal protection for IP rights, as well as tax incentives to encourage and foster growth of IP rights in Ireland.
British Virgin Islands
When listing on the stock exchange, a BVI company has the best of both worlds - an offshore constitution with UK-influenced investor protection. By Stuart Bedford and Simon Dinning
Brodies hires Addleshaws technology star
Brodies has beefed up its technology and information group with the addition of former Addleshaw Goddard partner Andrew Rigby.
Call for 'Hall of Fame'
As part of The Lawyer's 20th anniversary celebrations, we're publishing The Lawyer Hall of Fame next month. We've already drawn up a long list through our research, but we want your thoughts too.
Cayman Islands
The volatility of the US sub-prime lending market has highlighted the need for offshore funds to be truly offshore. By Sam Shires and Erin Gray
Caymans: credit crunch
The credit crunch has been severe and the Caymans provide some incredible insights into the overall position in the financial markets.
Charles Russell steers market switch for Aricom
Charles Russell has capitalised on its blossoming relationship with JPMorgan Cazenove to land a lead role on an Anglo-Russian mining company's move from AIM to the main list.
Cherie who?
The launch party for O'Melveny & Myers'international arbitration group was awash with the bar's glitterati, but perhaps the most famous face of all eluded Sir Anthony Evans QC of Essex Court Chambers.
Chinese banks use Norton Rose team for BA debt facility
Norton Rose has scooped a lead role advising on a British Airways (BA) debt facility, funded by a number of Chinese banks.
City's finest support state school scheme
Allen & Overy (A&O), DLA Piper, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Linklaters and Lovells have thrown their weight behind a scheme ...
Clifford Chance matches Wall Street's bonus payments
Clifford Chance has increased its bonuses for US associates to come in to line with Wall Street's leading firms.
Clifford Chance set to launch gay network
Clifford Chance set to launch gay network" /Clifford Chance is setting up a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) network just months after settling a sexual orientation discrimination claim from former competition partner Michael Bryceland.
CMS looks to 'Deloitte' integration model
CMS Cameron McKenna, CMS Bureau Francis LeFebvre, CMS Hasche Sigle and the six other firms in the CMS network are planning an integration that would see them drop their historic names and regroup under the CMS banner.
Communication breakdown
The pages of The Lawyer may be awash with partner moves, but the one that had tongues wagging the most last week - at Tulkinghorn Towers at least - was that of Allen & Overy's (A&O) global head of communications, David Crundwell.
Cravath whips up bonus storm
For once, it wasn't the money that surprised the market; it was the timing. Last Tuesday (30 October), New York's bluest of blue-blood firms broke the trend for end-of-year bonus reporting by announcing its 2007 associate bonuses in October.
Credit crunch prompts CC redundancies in NY
Clifford Chance has laid off six associates from its structured finance group in New York.
Debevoise swipes Linklaters partner
Debevoise Plimpton has snared Linklaters London corporate partner Guy Lewin-Smith.
Dentons launches partner alternative
Denton Wilde Sapte has become the latest firm to introduce the managing associate role as part of its alternative career path structure.
Dewey & LeBoeuf creates 'a role for everyone'
The management structure of Dewey & LeBoeuf has been dramatically overhauled into a complex matrix of committees with the intention of placing responsibility in the hands of the partnership.
Dewey eyes Namibian power project completion
Dewey & LeBoeuf is making progress with Namibian developer NamPower in its efforts to close one of the world's longest-running power projects.
Dewey forefather shows forethought
We all know the importance of law firm names, especially when there's a merger afoot. Many a long hour has been wasted, ahem, spent coming up with the definitive name for post-merged entities, with the supremacy of one dead white male over another the ultimate topic of debate.
DLA Piper private equity co-head joins Hill Dicks
DLA Piper’s joint head of private equity Darryl Cooke is to leave the firm to head up Hill Dickinson’s Manchester corporate practice.
Dorsey & Whitney hires EC head of tax
US firm Dorsey & Whitney has hired a key tax official from the European Commission to bolster its UK contentious tax team.
Drought pout
Ever have that feeling that you've forgotten to pay the bills?Tulkinghorn, being the shrewd lawyer he is, has never been in that situation - but Eversheds has.
Dubai: stock exchange
Dubai’s new stock exchange is the first step towards putting the country on the international investment map. Pervez Akhtar and Kamar Jaffer report
Eversheds
Eversheds_office.jpg" alt="Eversheds" /Eversheds is bucking the trend in trainee recruitment by radically overhauling its online application form to make it fairer for those from non-traditional backgrounds.
Eversheds loses employment rainmaker
Eversheds head of international employment Viv Du-Feu has left the firm for Welsh-based commercial firm Capital Law.
Eversheds reports 10 per cent growth
Eversheds has seen half year turnover grow in line with its three-year strategy with a 10 per cent increase to £196m from £176.4m for the same period last year.
FFW raids Dubarry to go it alone in Paris
Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW) has completed the dismantling of its European Legal Alliance, taking seven partners from former ally Dubarry Le Douarin Veil to set up its own Paris office.
FFW reports 19 per cent half-year growth
Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW) has joined the ranks of firms posting double digit growth for this half year, raising turnover almost 19 per cent to £39.3m.
Finland's Hannes Snellman outstrips rival Roschier
Hannes Snellman has leapfrogged Roschier to become Finland's largest law firm after a massive 39 per cent leap in turnover.
Firm profile: Corren Troen
After Martinis at the top of the Sears Tower in Chicago in 2003, Paul Corren and Per Troen, then partners at Osborne Clarke , decided to go it alone. They opened up their boutique outfit Corren Troen in London and the firm has since grown to 16 fee-earners off the back of their ...
Firms' freethinking
With the recruitment market as competitive as ever, law firms should be getting more and more serious about the freebies it doles out to potential trainees. Pens, Post-it notes, corporate umbrellas and mugs just don't really cut it anymore.
Firms mull offers as Legal Services Bill gains Royal Assent
"Nobody wants to be the first to set up an alternative business structure," says Neil Kinsella, chief executive of Russell Jones & Walker.
Freshfields chases Bloxham for £100k costs
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is pursuing its former insolvency partner Peter Bloxham for £100,000 costs following his failed age discrimination claim.
Freshfields launches China competition practice
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer will launch a dedicated competition offering in mainland China for the first time by parachuting in a London-based partner and by promoting a senior associate to counsel.
Fulbright London takes energy partner from WFW
The London office of Texan firm Fulbright & Jaworski has snared an energy partner from Watson Farley & Williams (WFW).
GC100 chair calls for secondment pledge
The chair of the in-house lobbying group GC100 has called on law firms to ensure that all potential partners spend at least two spells on secondment at companies.
Generation gap proves too much as Nardulli splits with Gianni's old boys
Giovanni Nardulli's three months as managing partner of Gianni Origoni Grippo & Partners must surely count as the one of the shortest and most intense reigns of any law firm chief.
Gibraltar: non-doms
Any change to the status quo regarding the taxation of non-domiciled UK residents will provide countries such as Gibraltar with an opportunity to cash in, says Joey Garcia
Gilbert & Tobin launches alliance with King & Wood
Australia’s Gilbert & Tobin has entered into a strategic alliance with China’s largest commercial law firm King & Wood.
Guernsey: business
Guernsey is preparing itself for an overhaul of its company law, but there is still much to be ironed out. By Paul Christopher and Gemma Campbell
Guernsey: employment
Employees on Guernsey have been given extra protection thanks to recent alterations to the island’s employment laws. By Tom Crawford
Guernsey: trusts
The new Trusts Law should help Guernsey remain attractive in such a competitive market. Christian Hay and Gareth Bell talk us through the changes
Heather Mills and Mishcons part company
Heather Mills has parted company with her divorce lawyer, Anthony Julius of Mishcon de Reya, a week after being dropped by her media spokesman Phil Hall.
Herbert Smith rockets ahead on half-year figures
Herbert Smith has been the year's outstanding performer so far as UK firms begin to take stock at the half-year stage.
Herbies dispute specialist joins Camerons
CMS Cameron McKenna has hired Herbert Smith senior associate Ben Holland to its partnership.
Hogan suffers double loss in London
US firm Hogan & Hartson has lost two key partners from its corporate and employment teams in London.
Howes Percival fields rugby club acquisition
Regional law firm Howes Percival is representing Ian Lenagan on his takeover of Wigan Warriors Rugby League Club.
ILaw kicks off growth strategy with double hire
Technology boutique iLaw has continued its expansion drive with the creation of an employment team through the hire of two senior counsel.
Infosys targets law firms with new legal outsourcing business
India’s second largest IT company Infosys Technologies is set to target UK and US firms through the launch of its legal process outsourcing (LPO) business.
Ireland: market expansion
The push to make Ireland attractive to the global business market has turned it into more than just an administrative back office, says Fintan Clancy
Irwin Mitchell takes lead on Legal Services Act
Irwin Mitchell was quick to launch new initiatives with the Automobile Association (AA) and RAC last week, just days after the Legal Services Bill received Royal Assent.
Isle of Man: funds
The Isle of Man has launched two new funds aimed at attracting top overseas investors. Simon Harding and Paul Branford report
James George: Nabarro
What car do you drive?What Jeremy Clarkson refers to as a Beetle or something much more rude - a 911.
Jersey: fraud
Recovering assets through the criminal courts can be a tricky business. Stephen Baker reports on how Jersey's civil courts are about to get busier as new confiscation legislation comes into force
Jersey: funds
The success of light regulation in Jersey has given rise to the ultimate attraction for sophisticated investors - a new, unregulated fund regime. By Richard Thomas and Tim Morgan
Kendall Freeman seals US merger as insurance market reaches saturation
London-based Kendall Freeman's merger with Boston firm Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge last Tuesday (30 October) has sparked speculation about which UK firm is next for a transatlantic merger.
Linklaters Cologne breaks free to launch Oppenhoff & Partner
Linklaters.jpg" alt="Linklaters Cologne breaks free to launch Oppenhoff & Partner" /Linklaters’ abandoned Cologne operation will relaunch independently as Oppenhoff & Partner.
Linklaters lands Rio Tinto-BHP deal
Linklaters has been drafted in on its second major mining deal in a week, advising British mining giant and longstanding client Rio Tinto on its £50bn approach from Australian rival BHP Billiton.
Links and Norton Rose act on DRC mining mega-merger
Linklaters and Norton Rose have secured the recommended merger of two mining giants with assets in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Links signs two deals for regained client DIC
Linklaters has won back Dubai International Capital (DIC) as a client, completing two mega-deals for the emirate’s investment arm in one week.
Lovells sees 10 per cent turnover rise at half year
Lovells has reported fee income of £225m for the first half of the 2007-08 financial year, a rise of 10 per cent on last year’s figures.
Lovells steps in to Second Life for pro bono fiesta
Lovells has embraced the power of technology to celebrate Pro Bono Week in cyberspace.
Lovells tinkers with lockstep again
Lovells is reviewing its lockstep once again with the intention of allowing partners in economically weaker jurisdictions to enter the equity.
Mauritius
Mauritius is tightening up its financial regulation in a bid to become a key global market. By Malcolm Moller
Mayer Brown promotions bonanza sparks debate over partner status
Mayer Brown promotions bonanza sparks debate over partner status" /News that Mayer Brown has made up a bumper crop of new partners in London has met with a mixed response in the marketplace, with users of TheLawyer.com engaging in a heated debate about the firm.
McGrigors targets AIM with new team
McGrigors has formed a dedicated capital markets team with the intention of ramping up its AIM capability.
Mifid arrival is a damp squib as the Continent misses deadline
Ready or not, Mifid is here, but it is virtually pointless without full implementation. By Margaret Taylor
New rules on regulation
A new draft bill has been proposed that will allow regulators to impose alternative penalties on employers who commit regulatory breaches, including on-the-spot fines.
Norton Rose boosts tech team with associate hires
Norton Rose has lured two senior TMT associates from Allen & Overy (A&O) and Baker & McKenzie by offering them partnership.
Norton Rose scoops DWS Islamic finance star
Norton Rose has dealt a blow to Denton Wilde Sapte (DWS) by poaching highly-rated head of Islamic finance Farmida Bi.
Norton Rose snubs Brazil for Turkey in global focus
Norton Rose snubs Brazil for Turkey in global focus" /Norton Rose has refocused its international strategy to centre on emerging markets in the East.
Offshore
What a difference a year or two make when it comes to the expansionary tactics of offshore law firms.
Opinion: In the hiring line
The trouble with recruitment – especially for in-house counsel – is that it is always driven by a need and that need is generally going to be that you have too much work for the current resources. So how do you manage a significant recruitment while doing the day job?
Outer Temple breaks new ground in Middle East
Outer Temple Chambers is to become the first barristers' set to have a physical presence in the Middle East with a launch in Abu Dhabi next Monday (12 November).
Parish's actions speak louder than his words
09-Nov-2007Parish's actions speak louder than his wordsBack in February Norton Rose's banking chief Stephen Parish lashed out at rival firms following a disastrous week in which Ashurst poached his head of energy in the Middle East and Herbert Smith took two of his finance partners.
People moves
Peters & Peters has made up Ben Summers to the partnership in the firm's fraud and regulatory team. Summers joined the firm in March 2003 as a barrister, having trained and practised at fraud set QEB Hollis Whiteman.
Pinsents and SJB set for £200m turnover
At the half-year stage Pinsent Masons and SJ Berwin are both on course to break the £200m barrier by the end of the financial year.
Pitmans adds London duo in Reading
Thames Valley firm Pitmans' recruitment campaign has intensified with the firm hiring two London partners for its Reading office.
Powell Gilbert secures House of Lords patent clarification
IP boutique Powell Gilbert has won its first House of Lords decision since it split from Bristows in March, clarifying the rules on patent ownership in the process.
Private client: Building bridges
What do onshore law firms look for when referring private client work offshore? The lawyers responsible reveal all
Righting the wrongs
Law Society of Zimbabwe head Beatrice Mtetwa has been beaten and persecuted. Now she is looking for international support in her quest for justice
RSP principles win legal and banking market approval
Lawyers and bankers gave a thumbs up to the recently issued principles for retail structured products (RSPs) after two feedback meetings were held last month.
S&C promotes third UK associate in as many years
Sullivan & Cromwell has made up one London associate to partner for the third year in a row.
SCB banks on old friendships
It is good to see some in-house teams favour strong relationships over massive cost-cutting panel reviews. All six of the international corporate firms on Standard Chartered Bank's panel have kept their places after its most recent review.
Separated at birth
Cast your mind back to the mid-1980s and the delights of The Russ Abbott Show. The show's most famous character, C U Jimmy, finished third in a Glasgow Herald poll to find 'The Most Scottish Person In The World'. (First place was Jimmy Krankie, oddly.)
Sérvulo and Ferreira join forces for global focus
The Portuguese legal market has seen its second merger this month, with Lisbon's Sérvulo Correia & Associados announcing a link with Ferreira Pinto & Associados.
Sharing the load
According to research by Affiniti, demand by employees to work at home is set to rise to two-thirds of the UK workplace by 2011. This is not a statistic that any organisation can choose to ignore, let alone the legal industry, which is renowned for its long-hours culture.
Shearman & Sterling: Empire state
Shearman's previous success in London is eroding away, but can a new organic growth strategy turn things around if NY is pulling in the opposite direction?
Shearman targets M&A and corporate in Abu Dhabi
Shearman & Sterling has vowed to ramp up its corporate and M&A capabilities in Abu Dhabi as part of the office's five-year plan.
Shearman ups US associate bonuses
Shearman & Sterling has become the latest US firm to jump aboard the associate bonus bandwagon.
Shearman's Moore withdraws Freshfields claim
Former Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer partner Lois Moore has dropped the age discrimination claim against her former firm, The Lawyer can reveal.
SJ Berwin lawyer quits for Martineau
SJ Berwin competition law associate James Dilley has taken up the post of competition partner at the London office of Martineau Johnson.
Skadden raids Weil for European restructuring head
Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom has snared Weil Gotshal & Manges’ head of restructuring to head up its European restructuring practice.
Slaughters boosts associate salaries
Slaughter and May boosted its associate and trainee pay last week, making its lawyers among the best paid in the City.
Star performers report growth above 20 per cent
Ashurst, Bird & Bird, Herbert Smith, Nabarro and SJ Berwin are the star performers of the financial year at the half-year stage.
Stephenson Harwood boosts revenue by 23 per cent
Stephenson Harwood’s revenue has swelled 23 per cent to £38.6m for the first six months of the year.
Stonewall names A&O, BLP, SJB, Weil and others diversity champions
Twelve new law firms have been added to Stonewall’s diversity champions programme after demonstrating that they have taken practical steps to ensure a positive working environment for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender staff.
Switzerland: hedge funds
Switzerland is slowly becoming a player in the hedge fund market, but it can do more to attract investors, says René Bösch
Taylor Wessing names new real estate head
Taylor Wessing has appointed Keith Barnett to head its UK real estate practice following the decision by Adam Marks to step down on 1 November.
The Hong Kong connection
Hong Kong fortunes are inextricably linked to China. However, the city's role has evolved over the years.
Trademark changes: good for lawyers, bad for owners
On 1 October 2007 a new system for examining UK trademark applications was introduced.
Two decades of change
Here's a confession. For the past few weeks I've been reading every single issue of The Lawyer ever published. This isn't some bout of deranged masochism, rather it is in preparation for our 20th anniversary special next month and for 2008, when we turn 21.
TwoBirds scores Dutch customs team from Simmons
Bird & Bird has launched a new trade and customs practice in Europe, landing a four-lawyer team from Simmons & Simmons in the Netherlands.
Unhappy endings
It’s ironic that the redundancies in New York this week happened at Clifford Chance, a UK-headquartered firm.
Web week
Lawyers are getting into Second Life. This year has witnessed the creation of the Second Life Bar Association and the launch of Field Fisher Waterhouse's new office. Now the imaginary world has its own patent and trademark office.
Wedlake Bell handed Edwin Hill sale role
Wedlake Bell was instructed by commercial property agency Edwin Hill on its £26.9m sale to Canadian property and professional services company Altus Group.
Wragges predicts £127m turnover and £470k PEP
Birmingham-based firm Wragge & Co is predicting a 15 per cent hike in turnover at the half-year level, doubling the rate of growth at this time last year.
