6 November 2000
The Lawyer
A VIEW FROM SÃo PAULO
A surge of confidence can be felt in São Paulo and its business community these days, and it inspires the international lawyer to adopt a similar level of confidence about Brazil. You meet international and local bankers everywhere, and businessmen with renewed confidence suggesting they are beginning to fulfil their potential for a leading role in Latin America and eventually a greater role on the world stage.
a year ago this week
Ashursts to open in New York
A&O advises Gas Natural on £9bn bid
Allen & Overy (A&O) is understood to be at the heart of a Spanish power struggle in which Gas Natural, Spain's gas utility and an affiliate of oil and gas group Repsol, is planning a hostile bid for electricity company Iberdrola.
Amvescap
Amvescap in £1.05bn bid for fund managers Perpetual. Amvescap advised by Schroders Salomon Smith Barney, De Guardiola Advisors and Ashurst Morris Crisp. Perpetual advised by Merrill Lynch, Cazenove and Simmons & Simmons (Mark Curtis, Grant Macpherson, Adrian Mayer, Jacqueline Petts, Marcus Young)
Arnold & Porter and Camerons join forces for US biotechnology work
CMS Cameron McKenna and Arnold & Porter are working alongside each other in a client-sharing pact which was brought about by the departure of leading practitioner Julian Thurston from Camerons.
Arthur Cox appoints new managing partner
McCague replaces Ian Scott who will resume practice within the firm as a partner in the industrial and commercial property department.
Australian lawyer beats off contempt ruling
Solicitor, Simon Harry Parsons, was charged with contempt after another solicitor reported him for accusing Justice Barry Beach of "having his hand on his dick".
Baker & McKenzie poaches managing partner from Dunhills
David Nathan has been confirmed as the national managing partner, ending a four-month hunt for a new leader after Paul Malliate resigned in July.
Benchmark
Benchmark Group and JER Partners in limited partnership to buy six London properties from MEPC for £250m. Benchmark JER 1 Limited Partnership advised by DJ Freeman (Jonathan Lewis, Jonathan Martin, Graham Chase and John Clark). MEPC advised by DLA (Nigel Dunmore and Richard Crossfield). Lending banks Eurohypo and Deutsche Bank advised by Clifford Chance (Mark Rees-Jones).
Benchmark group and jer partners
DJ Freeman's role as adviser on this complex acquisition and financing is confirmation of its foothold in real estate finance since hiring the Stones Porter team in October 1998. Former Stones Porter banking partner John Clark was in the four-partner team led by DJ Freeman's chief executive, property partner Jonathan Lewis.
Blackstone Chambers hires EU expert
Nicholas Khan joins the set next week after 11 years at the European Commission.
BOOK REVIEW
Strategic Human Resource Management: A Guide to Action by Michael Armstrong, published by Kogan Page (ISBN 0749433310)
Brief encounter: Watson Farley
A little more than two years ago, Watson Farley & Williams bought itself a chunk of the competitive Singapore legal market when it purchased Sinclair Roche & Temperley's operation for an undisclosed, but "substantial" sum.
Brobecks poaches Watsons corporate lawyer
He recently participated in the flotation of TPSA (Polish Telecom) on the London Stock Exchange and represented SDX Business Systems plc in a public takeover by Lucent Technology. Brobeck's managing partner, Tom Kellerman says: "Richard's experience in the UK and abroad will significantly enhance out UK corporate finance capability and help better serve both out UK and US technology clients, particularly in the areas of takeovers.
Buchanans woos Eversheds' Halliday
Buchanan Ingersoll is continuing its aggressive City recruitment drive by hiring Eversheds' former head of international banking.
Building bridges to the future
"You'd have to be an idiot not to make money in this market," said one leading property lawyer to me at lunch the other day. "I just wonder when it's all going to come crashing down. And what happens to those firms that aren't making much money now?"
Camerons loses seven partners from Warsaw
CMS Cameron McKenna's Warsaw office is reeling from the loss of seven partners within a single month, with associate departures expected in the coming weeks.
Carlton Fields first Florida firm to open in Silicon Valley
US firm Carlton Fields is the first Florida-based law firm to open an office in Silicon Valley.
CENTRAL LONDON RENTS
Whatever the ins and outs, London remains the second most expensive city in the world in which to rent office space, according to research conducted by CB Hillier Parker. London's West End and City lie in third and fourth places to Tokyo's Inner and Outer Central districts, which romp home in first and second places with total occupation costs of £103.89 and £89.82 per square foot respectively. London's West End is calculated at £89.37 - although if recent reports are anything to go ...
China Petroleum
China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) in $3.5bn (£2.4bn) global share offering. Sinopec advised by Herbert Smith (Jeremy Xiao and Tim Bellis), Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom and Haiwen & Partners. Global coordinators Morgan Stanley Dean Witter Asia and China International Capital Corporation advised by Simmons & Simmons (Nick Norris) and
City firms prepare for Dwr Cymru takeover
City firms are gearing up for a fight as Glas Cymru launches its second bid for Dwr Cymru (Welsh Water) with a £1.8bn offer financed wholly by debt.
Clifford Chance
Clifford Chance is establishing a market conduct group in response to client concerns over the UK Financial Services and Markets Act. Finance partner Chris Bates will head the international group. It will advise clients, in particular financial institutions, on market conduct. It is intended to cover a range of areas, from futures and capital markets to corporate finance and M&A.
Clifford Chance loses Chinese partner to Jones Day
Zhoa joins Jones Day from Clifford Chance's Shanghai practice - the first international law firm to open up in that city in 1993 when the Chinese Ministry of Justice relaxed the rules against foreign law firms practising in China.
Collins Stewart
SJ Berwin won the work on Collins Stewart's £326m IPO because of a previous deal - thanks to corporate partner Graham White, who joined the firm from Dickson Minto last year. Earlier this year, SJ Berwin was invited by the chief executive and chairman (White already had existing relationships with both) to pitch for ...
Collins Stewart
Collins Stewart Holdings in £32bn London Stock Exchange IPO. Collins Stewart Holdings advised by SJ Berwin (Graham White). HSBC advised by Norton Rose (Mark Lloyd-Williams).
Credit Agricole
CrÈdit Agricole Indosuez and OnMedica invest in internet chemist Pharmacy2U. CrÈdit Agricole Indosuez and OnMedica advised by SJ Berwin (Graham White) and Slaughter and May (Tihir Sarkar). Pharmacy2U advised by Osborne Clarke.
Deacons team quits to join PwC Legal's employment law group
Top 10 Australian firm Deacons has been rocked by the departure of its national head of workplace relations, along with his team and a number of clients.
DEAL OF THE WEEK - Sinopec
Simmons & Simmons has been enjoying a purple patch in Hong Kong. The $3.5bn (£2.4bn) global share offering for the Sinopec is the latest in a series of significant Asian deals for the firm. It carried out its first Chinese initial public offering (IPO) back in 1997 for power company Beijing Datang. The firm actively pursued the Beijing Datang deal - partner Colin Leaver approached the company when he was based in Hong Kong in the early 1990s - and it has evidently paid off. On the back ...
Digest
White & Case has bolstered its Moscow office by appointing new partner Marc Polonsky from magic circle firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and senior associate Maxim Levinson from finance group Yukos. The global US firm now has almost 30 lawyers in the Moscow office, which boasts clients such ...
Digest
Crutes has appointed new partner Paul Forster from Carlisle-based Burnetts. Forster joins the commercial litigation team and brings with him specialist experience in civil litigation, commercial, contract and property disputes.
Digest
The Lawyer's editor-in-chief Sean Brierley has been promoted within Centaur Communications to become the head of new magazine development. He joined The Lawyer in 1998 as editor. "Sean's leadership has transformed The Lawyer into the clear market leader," says publishing director Rachel Lesiter.
Digest
Barlow Lyde & Gilbert's senior partner Ian Jenkins is resigning on 31 October after serving three terms in the position. The 76-partner firm will vote for a new partner in the spring. The successful candidate will be expected to work alongside 55-year-old Jenkins until the autumn. Barlow Lyde is well known for commercial and insurance litigation.
Digest
The House of Lords: in last week's feature on the House of Lords, the case of R v Secretary of State for the Home Department, ex parte A was omitted from the table. Philip Sales of 11 King's Bench Walk and Pushpinder Saini of Blackstone Chambers, instructed by the Treasury Solicitor, were the successful counsel for the appellant. Allan Levy QC of 17 Bedford Row and Victoria Maude of Bridewell Chambers were instructed by Mackesys for the respondent.
Digest
The Lawyer would like to clarify a point made in last week's story on assistant's salaries. The rise to £45,000 for assistants at Allen & Overy refers to six-month qualifieds rather than newly qualifieds as stated.
Digest
Kennedys has announced that it will open an office in India in January 2001. The firm, which specialises in international dispute resolution, is taking advantage of the recently deregulated Indian insurance market. The office will be located in New Delhi and will be headed by former Kennedys' partner Neeraj Tuli, who is a member of the New Delhi bar. He has experience in professional indemnity, product ...
DLA takes on Garretts Leeds office
The news follows speculation that Garretts was to close its loss-making Leeds practice, as predicted in The Lawyer (23 October). The 31-fee-earner team joining DLA includes commercial and technology partner Richard Bonnar, transport partner Nick Painter and real estate partner Tim Field. For full story see The Lawyer on Monday 13 November.
Edwards Geldard and Eking Manning merge
Edwards Geldard has expanded its East Midlands presence by merging with Nottingham-based Eking Manning to create a 40-partner firm. The merger follows full-partnership votes in both firms in September and boosts its annual fee income to £15m.
FINANCE
Let's admit from the outset that launching a tax practice hardly elicits whoops of excitement. It may not be the sexiest work in the world, but at the moment a good tax partner is at the top of a lot of managing partners' wish lists.
FOREIGN LAW FIRMS IN RUSSIA
Russia
Freshfields wins £750m horse betting deal
Freshfields has fought off competition from two rival magic circle firms to advise Arena Leisure on a consortium bid for horse racing media rights worth £750m.
Fujitsu chief quits
The new entity - Fujitsu Siemens Computers BV - was launched on 1 October. Hyams, vice president of legal and commercial affairs at the European arm of the Japanese computer conglomerate, left the same day.
Grantchester
Grantchester Holdings sells four retail warehouse parks to Coal Schemes for £126.56m. Coal Schemes advised by Lovells (Robert Kidby). Grantchester Holdings advised by Clifford Chance (Andrew Sykes).
Greek
Greek electricity transmission system restructures in compliance with EU Directive. Public Power Corporation of Greece advised by Norton Rose (Richard Metcalf, assisted by Jonathan Evans and Ioanna Stephanaki), ESB International from Ireland and Greek consultants LDK, led by National Economic Research Associates (NERA).
Haarmanns doubles UK tax capability
German firm Haarmann Hemmelrath & Partner has hired a second tax partner for its growing London office.
Hempsons lands Bird & Bird partner
IT specialist Bird & Bird is losing the head of its health group to niche firm Hempsons.
Indonesia
Herbert Smith will be hoping to cash in on renewed interest from the West in Indonesia.
Initial public offering
Initial public offering (IPO) of Pearson-owned Spanish group Recoletos. Recoletos advised by Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (John Byrne). Global coordinator and bookrunner Goldman Sachs advised by Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton London (Sebastian Sperber).
Land Securities set to review legal advisers
Land Securities' proposed acquisition of Trillium has raised questions about future legal provision, currently provided by Nabarro Nathanson and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer respectively.
Langleys accused of misusing Blair connection
Langley & Co, which is representing the lawyers bringing unfair dismissal claims against CMS Cameron McKenna's CIS group, has been accused of improperly using Cherie Booth QC's political connections.
Latham & Watkins set for Euro expansion with Frankfurt office
US firm Latham & Watkins is pressing ahead with its plans for European expansion and is set to open an office in Germany within the next six months.
LCD forces anti-judge web-site to close
In an online open letter to the Lord Chancellor, James Hulbert denounced five judges who heard cases in which he claims he was denied justice.
Leagues ahead
Can it really be true? After years of neglect, can the big City firms really be starting to take property seriously again?
Leaving the law
A career in law no longer has to be a career in life and Sidley & Austin's Robert Plehn is the latest to leave his comfortable partnership for a new start. Abigail Townsend reports
Legal widow
We had a clear-out of toys at half term. The children and I spent an enjoyable couple of days turning their bedrooms upside down, deciding which toys would carry on living with us and which would go for a holiday to the Oxfam shop. At first, it was only the bald dolls and the legless teddies they could bear to see leave the house, but when they realised where the toys were going - to the houses of kids who might never have had a real Barbie doll - they pitched in with will. Middle-class ...
Let's get logical
After suffering during the 1980s, Logica has managed to rebuild its business while at the same time downsizing its legal department. Chris Brock discovers how the in-house team has been instrumental to the company's efficiency.
Lord Chancellor pushes for more judges
The Lord Chancellor's Department says the hike is required to help tackle the predicted workload increase caused by the implementation of the Human Rights Act and the Immigration and Asylum bill.
Merill Lynch
Merrill Lynch launches alternative energy investment trust New Energy Technology for £200m. Merrill Lynch New Energy Technology advised by Norton Rose (Andrew Mitchell
MoFo appoints new chair
San Francisco firm Morrison & Foerster (MoFo) has elected senior finance partner Keith Wetmore as the firm's new chair.
Morris Manning adds to IT group with two new hires
Atlanta-based firm Morris Manning & Martin is strengthening its IT capability by appointing two new technology partners.
Nauta Dutilh
Nauta Dutilh chairman Henri Ophof has resigned along with managing partner Job van der Have. Both leave the firm less than a year after the elections, citing personal differences as the reason for their departures. Van der Have was re-elected as managing partner, but Ophof did not stand, and was replaced by Johan van Marwijk-Kooj, who pledges to continue the firm's independent stance.
News in brief
The Lord Chancellor's Department (LCD) has hit back at claims that it is considering scrapping the lay magistracy. It admits it has set up a research project to assess whether the current balance between the use of lay magistracy and Stipendiaries is correct but insists that the Government is committed to the principle of the lay magistracy.
News in brief
The libel trial of former Tory MP, Neil Hamilton against Mohamed Al Fayed over the "cash for questions" allegations kicks off on Monday (15 November). It will be heard before Mr Justice Morland at the Royal Courts of Justice in London. The hearing is expected to last 15 days. Leading libel barrister, George Carman acts for Al Fayed and Desmond Browne for Hamilton.
News In Brief
The Supreme Court of Canada has for the first time appointed a woman to be its most senior judge. Beverley McLachlin, who was assigned to the High Court in 1989, will become Chief Justice of Supreme Court at the beginning of January. She replaces Antonio Lamer who is retiring.
Norton Rose re-elects Lewis
Lewis's re-election, which was uncontested, follows the recent agreement within the firm to give managing partner, Roger Birkby a third crack of the whip.
Novartis
Novartis UK has replaced Sally Shorthose, who left to join Clyde & Co along with a former colleague from AstraZeneca. Shorthose's old colleague Sally Jennings had already left the UK arm of electronics and computer company Dell to take up the appointment as general counsel.
Olswang fills Berwin Leighton's shoes for Lloyds venture work
Olswang has completed its first-ever deal for private equity house Lloyds TSB Development Capital.
One King's Bench
One King's Bench Walk (Anthony Hacking QC) has taken on six new tenants: Sara Staite from 2 Harcourt Buildings (Roger Henderson QC); Neil Mercer from Mitre Court Chambers; Janet Waddicor from One Crown Office Row (Robert Seabrook QC); and Charles Howard QC from the now defunct New Court Chambers. Stephen Wildblood QC of Albion Chambers and Heather Swindells QC of St Philip's Chambers join as door tenants.
Opinion
At the moment, it seems that every City firm is looking to recruit. In this time of apparent boom, we are enjoying business growth and increased profitability. For firms to cope with client demands and exploit the current economic climate, we need the right lawyers with the right level of expertise to do the work. Competition to recruit is fierce, with lawyers often having the luxury of several options. In a marketplace where supply and demand are working against the recruiting firms, ...
Pillar
Pillar Property and Equitable Life Assurance Society convert their limited partnership into Jersey-based institutional unit trust. Pillar Property advised by Gouldens (David Roberts and Tom Budd). Equitable Life advised by Denton Wilde Sapte (Nichola West).
Pinsent Curtis in Swedish Link-Up
The alliance will include partner and assistant secondments, referrals and aligning IT systems and training.
Public power corporation
While others have focused on the project potential of Eastern Europe, Norton Rose has carved a profitable niche further south, boosted by its Greek office. Norton Rose is the only UK firm licensed to practise in Greece after it relaunched there as Law Office Howard in August to avoid the criminal proceedings facing 10 UK firms for operating illegally.
PUTIN'S REGIME
Russia
PwC and Standard Chartered Bank settle claim
The bank claimed PwC gave it flawed advice when it was considering buying the United Bank of America in 1987. Standard sued and was awarded record damages of $341 million, but the ruling was overturned. Many of the charges against PwC were thrown out but Standard was allowed to put in a claim of negligent misrepresentation. The bank again sought to rake in $341 million plus interest. The sum paid out by PwC in settlement has not been disclosed
Retreat from Moscow
Russia
Shoosmiths loses marine capability
Shoosmiths has lost its shipping practice to south coast firm Lester Aldridge after it poached two marine-specialist partners and an associate to open a new office in Southampton.
Sidley & Austin hires Asian law specialists for Los Angeles office
Sidley & Austin has recruited a team of lawyers with Asian expertise to bolster its Los Angeles practice.
Sidley & Austin poaches partner from rival US firm
The US qualified lawyer joined Sidley & Austin's London office yesterday and will boost the team of US lawyers working on finance, securities and acquisition deals.
Simmons & Simmons boosts its Italian and Hong Kong presence
Simmons & Simmons has boosted its international corporate and financial practices in Italy and Hong Kong, taking on two new partners.
Simmons partner quits for Gallaher
City law firm Simmons & Simmons is losing a litigation partner to tobacco manufacturer Gallaher Group.
Smiths Group retains TI head of legal
TI Group general counsel David Lillycrop is to become head of legal at Smiths Group, the new company created by the engineering giant's £4.5bn merger with Smiths Industries.
Space wars
Shimmering in a sea of stone, steel and glass, London's City and Docklands offer a company on the move no end of choice for a new headquarters. The property boom, kept tight with a steady drip of new prelet properties rather than an unseemly speculative rush, has seen a healthy crane count over the last couple of years. Law firms have been riding the crest of the wave too, both in terms of advising occupiers and developers on lettings and construction and taking advantage of the bubble ...
Talk about communication
The increasingly global reach of major City firms and their ever-growing size benefits clients in many ways, but only if the firms' internal communications systems are effective.
Technology, Media and telecoms
Global share offering of Dutch biomedical company IsoTis. IsoTis advised by Stibbe Simont Monahan Duhot. Global coordinator and bookrunner UBS Warburg advised by Allen & Overy (Alexander Cohen).
The Claims People
The Claims People Group floats on Alternative Investment Market. The Claims People Group advised by Eversheds Manchester (David Bowcock). Nominated adviser Grant Thornton. Broker Hoodless Brennan & Partners advised by Wedlake Bell ...
The Leader column
There is a constant refrain on the part of recruitment partners at law firms. It goes something like this: Students - bright, no commercial awareness, legal knowledge frankly ropey. Oh, and increasingly expensive, thanks to the salary wars.
The personnelity
Partners in commercial law firms have never been more mobile and hiring a whole team is now common practice. Even 10 years ago, it was almost unthinkable for a partner to leave an established City practice, let alone to leave for a practice in its infancy. Now, hardly a week goes by without news of well-known lawyers joining another law practice - whether a UK or US firm, or the associated law firm of one of the big five accountants. However, it takes more than a number of bought-in heavyweights
Tribunal throws out claims against CMS Cameron McKenna
The cases against the firm, brought by former CIS group lawyers Dmitri Chebotarev and Natasha Thompson, were dismissed because of an "inordinate and inexcusable delay' to the release of details in the case.
White & Case raids on Weil Gotshal and CC bear fruit
White & Case has revealed the first clutch of deals it has completed since wooing Maurice Allen and his team from Weil Gotshal & Manges.
Wigan
Wigan and Leigh NHS trust contract health PFI to Pemberton Care. Wigan and Leigh NHS trust advised by Garretts (Hamid Yunis). Special purpose vehicle Pemberton Care advised by McGrigor Donald. Senior debt provider The Royal Bank of Scotland advised by Addleshaw Booth & Co.
Wiriadinata breakaway group links with Herbert Smith
Indonesian firm Wiriadinata & Widyawan has lost a chunk of its practice after five lawyers left to set up an association with Herbert Smith.
