8 January 2007
The Lawyer
A bop, a skip and a hump
It seems all the most fun Christmas parties were held outside London. Tulkinghorn allowed himself a little chuckle at the story of a South East firm's managing partner who is now affectionately referred to as 'Skippy' following a Christmas party booze-fuelled amorous encounter with a young associate over the side of a skip.Tie me kangaroo down, sport - that's one way to get a raise.
A&O seeks to lure talent with big-ticket Dubai transactions
Allen & Overy (A&O) is targeting London-calibre transactions for its Middle East office as the firm looks to improve the quality of work in an effort to lure more associates to the region.
Adviser surpriser
K&L Gates (full name Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Preston Gates Ellis, in case you were wondering) opened the doors of its new Berlin office this morning.
Akin Gump ditches Brussels to focus on China
In a radical overhaul of its international strategy, US firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld has pulled out of Brussels and opened its first mainland China office in Beijing.
Akzo bags new GC
Dutch chemicals company Akzo Nobel has hired a new chief lawyer from energy company NUON, following the retirement of general counsel Jan Eijsbouts.
Anderson Strathern wins key role on Crown Estate panel
Scottish firm Anderson Strathern has been reappointed to advise The Crown Estate on its Scottish portfolio on a three-year mandate, after surviving a competitive tender review. The Scottish portfolio includes the seabed around the Scottish coastline and much of the foreshore, rural estates throughout Scotland, including Glenlivet in Moray and Applegirth in Dumfries, and commercial properties ...
Angel to step down as Linklaters chief; succession race begins
Linklaters managing partner Tony Angel is to step down later this year, prompting a succession race at the magic circle firm.
Angel wings it and Becks' pay packet soars
It's always important to pick your moment. Leave while your name is still in lights, when you're still vigorous enough to be a player. That way you can build a career elsewhere.
AstraZeneca banks on patent lawyers for growth
AstraZeneca is extending the reach of its legal team as it hunts for litigators to inspect the patents of acquisition targets in order to find weaknesses in their IP portfolios. The company is currently restructuring its legal group and appointing a new general counsel for subsidiary Cambridge Antibody Technology (CAT).
Bakers extends overseas work scheme to partners
Baker & McKenzie partners will be given the opportunity to transfer to other international offices for up to 18 months under the firm's first formal transfer programme, which is expected to be introduced in July.
Barrister snares top job at property company
Property services company Peverel Group’s top in-house lawyer Richard Bagley is to retire next month after six years.
Barthélémy goes up in smoke
Massive drama in France as gigantic employment firm Barthélémy & Associés (think Thompsons merged with Russell Jones & Walker with a little dash of Lewis Silkin) splinters.
Bingham hires Willkie restructuring ace
US firm Bingham McCutchen has strengthed its New York office by hiring a restructuring partner from Willkie Farr & Gallagher.
Blackstone leads fight against Govt's role in dropped BAE case
Blackstone Chambers is to launch the first legal action against the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), the Attorney General and Prime Minister Tony Blair over the decision to drop an investigation into BAE Systems' involvement with a Saudi Arabian defence contract.
BLP, Gibson Dunn act on Investcorp acquisition
Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) and Gibson Dunn & Crutcher scored lead roles on Bahraini investment bank Investcorp's £157m acquisition of oil services group Moody International.
BLP's fine form stutters as partner exits take their toll
Having navigated a charmed passage to the upper echelons of the UK legal community, Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has hit troubled waters at the beginning of 2007.
Camerons and gibson dunn bag hotel sale
CMS Cameron McKenna and Gibson Dunn & Crutcher both secured roles on the Royal Bank of Scotland's (RBS) disposal of 47 Marriott hotels to an Israeli consortium led by Delek Real Estate. Camerons, led by corporate partners Louise Wallace and Chris Southorn, is advising longstanding client RBS on the reputedly ...
CC's Curtis lands partnership council place
Clifford Chance London-based partner Steve Curtis has been appointed to the firm's partnership council. As first revealed by The Lawyer (18 December 2006), Clifford Chance London partners voted in a rare contested election for a place on the firm's ...
CC's ins and outs shake it all about
So what exactly is going on at Clifford Chance's Frankfurt office? Last month the firm was dealt a heavy blow when two of its most highly rated German corporate partners, Mario Schmidt and Georg Linde, decided to leave the firm to join Willkie Farr & Gallagher in Frankfurt.
Clifford Chance begins China assault with four in Shanghai
Clifford Chance has boosted its mainland corporate China practice by hiring four associates to its Shanghai office.
Clifford Chance kicks off hiring spree in India
Clifford Chance kicks off hiring spree in India" /Clifford Chance has made offers to a first group of qualified Indian lawyers at a time when the country is facing increasing pressure to deregulate its legal services market.
Clydes to open Qatar outpost as licence gets go-ahead
Clyde & Co has been granted a licence by the Qatar Financial Centre Authority and will open in Doha, with the launch planned for March.
Cobbetts counts cost of 30-partner cull
Well, you have to hand it to Cobbetts. While managing partner Michael Shaw admits that "it has obviously been a difficult early part to the financial year", the firm has managed to boost turnover by 2.5 per cent, from £24.2m to £24.8m.
Collyer Bristow makes two-partner swoop
Collyer Bristow has bolstered its London corporate and commercial and family practices with two partner hires.
Covington swoops for senior Akin Gump Euro policy star
US firm Covington & Burling has become the first firm to benefit from Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld’s withdrawal from the Brussels market, taking on senior strategy adviser and Dutch politician Wim van Velzen.
Cozen, Wolf Block in talks to create Philly powerhouse
Philadelphia firms Cozen O'Connor and Wolf Block Schorr & Solis-Cohen are in merger talks to create Pennsylvania's largest legal presence.
Debevoise makes up first London counsel for two years
US firm Debevoise & Plimpton has promoted seven associates to counsel, including two in its London office.
Dewey and Orrick abandon merger talks
The planned merger between Dewey Ballantine and Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe has been abandoned amid wrangling over management control, ending one of the most anticipated combinations of the year.
Diageo appoints new US GC
Diageo has filled the vacant North American general counsel role, replacing Wally Martinez who quit the company to become managing partner of Hunton & Williams.
Dirty pucker
Tulkinghorn has actually been left considering his plans for Christmas 2007 after all the best party stories came out of Birmingham.One head of a Birmingham-based chambers was given his own fright in the night when he was intoxicated (just) enough to approach an unknown reveller at a New Year's Eve party for a midnight kiss. Unbeknownst to him the stranger happened to be one of Tulkinghorn's scribes. They're everywhere, you know.
Dorrk balk
Tulkinghorn has claimed some big scalps in his time, but he was more than a little pleased with himself last week when sources revealed the real reason behind the collapse of the Dewey Ballantine and Orrick merger talks.
Dundas builds in London with Herbies property litigation head
Dundas & Wilson has swooped on Herbert Smith, hiring the firm’s head of property litigation Martin Thomas.
Eversheds scores £10m Tyco contract
Engineering conglomerate Tyco has ditched between 175 and 200 firms in favour of a £10m agreement with Eversheds.
Faegre & Benson makes up 11, one in London
Faegre & Benson has announced its partner promotions for 2007, making up 11 new partners from its associate ranks.
Faegre beefs up in Germany with Willkie hire
Faegre & Benson has raided fellow US firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher hiring a corporate partner to boost its Frankfurt office.
FFW plans associate bonus as part of firmwide growth drive
Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW) is considering implementing its first-ever associate bonus scheme after holding a two-day partnership meeting to look at growth plans.
Fire Authority appoints first legal chief
The London Fire & Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA), the body responsible for the London Fire Brigade, has appointed its first head of legal and democratic services. Davina Fiore, currently head of legal services and monitoring officer at the London Borough of Haringey, will take up the new position in April. The role is a merger of the LFEPA's previously separate head of legal and head of democratic services positions, which follows a shake-up of its internal legal function in the ...
Five quit Linklaters to launch Romanian boutique
Linklaters Romania office has suffered a setback following the defection of five lawyers to launch their own independent firm in the country’s capital, Bucharest.
Former Linklaters IP chief returns at Howrey
One of the world’s leading intellectual property lawyers has come out of retirement to join Howrey.
Founder's departure causes Italian merger
Italian firm Camozzi & Bonissoni has merged with Italian corporate finance boutique Varrenti Avvocati Associati, creating one of the largest firms in Italy.
France's leading boutique splits
French firm Barthélémy et Associés has split, leading to the creation of a new 29 partner firm called Capstan.
Garrigues launches in Poland ahead of CEE offensive
Spanish firm Garrigues has launched an ambitious expansion plan for the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) market with a launch in the Polish capital Warsaw.
Get out flaws
What constitutes a ’material breach’ is becoming a central problem for those wishing to terminate long-running IT contracts. By Sarah Walker and Carolyn Greene
Gibson Dunn swoops on Goldman for latest hire
US firms have continued their 2006 trend of looking beyond private practice to make lateral hires, with Gibson Dunn & Crutcher taking on an associate general counsel of Goldman Sachs.
Grapevine
Poor old Travers Smith. It's terribly good at midmarket buyouts, but absolutely hopeless when it comes to strategy.
Hackney seeks meeting of minds on children's rights
Hackney Learning Trust head of law and company secretary Tom Lewis-Brooke has proposed a multidisciplinary initiative to head off judicial reviews of decisions over children's services.
Hammonds renews Italian alliance
Hammonds Rossotto and Hammonds have signed a new agreement to extend the firms’ alliance.
Hammonds rocked by construction turmoil
Hammonds' construction practice has been left reeling as one partner left last week and another partner was suspended pending a disciplinary hearing.
Harbottles misses out on Becks transfer action
A squad of lawyers from both sides of the Atlantic had been negotiating David Beckham’s transfer to Major League Soccer team LA Galaxy since mid December, The Lawyer can reveal.
Herbies beats Freshfields to BAA investigation role
Herbert Smith has beaten Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in a beauty parade to advise BAA on an investigation into the UK airport operator by the Competition Commission.
Herbies raids Bird & Bird for life sciences advance
Herbert Smith has dealt a blow to Bird & Bird by securing the hire of rated life sciences partner David Wilson.
Hextalls raids DMH for insolvency star
Hextalls has beefed up its insolvency team with the addition of Richard Curtin.
Honours list recognises legal professionals
The founder of Bindman & Partners Geoffrey Bindman QC was knighted for his services to human rights in the New Year's Honours List. Other lawyers to be knighted included His Honour Stephen Oliver QC, presiding special commissioner and president of the VAT and Duties Tribunal, and director of public prosecutions and head of the Crown Prosecution Service Kenneth MacDonald. Freshfields ...
International Stars: World-shakers
Another display of excellence: to accompany The Hot 100, The Lawyer reveals the 40 lawyers who have been making the biggest waves outside the UK. As the profession's globalists, these lawyers will help shape 2007
IP, IT and Telecoms
2006 was a huge year for IP. Lawyers disputed a wide variety of issues, covering everything from patents to trademarks and copyright.
Is Romania the new rock 'n' roll?
Linklaters shrugged off news of the loss of a five-person team in Bucharest, but the firm has suffered a steady drip of departing lawyers in Romania, which is the latest hot jurisdiction. And Linklaters now has competition in that corner of Europe.
Keeping career structures up to date
There has long been a healthy debate within the profession about the most appropriate career structure for firms, often boiling down to a stark choice between an 'up or out' policy or one that incorporates 'plateaued' senior managers. Inevitably different firms with different cultures and different business models require different staffing structures, ...
Kirkland gets green light for Hong Kong opening
Kirkland & Ellis has launched its first Asia presence by opening an office in Hong Kong after receiving final regulatory approval.
Kirkland in mass raid on SJ Berwin for top funds team
Kirkland & Ellis has made a stunning raid on SJ Berwin, further bolstering its London private equity capability with the star hire of a trio of the firm’s leading fund formation partners.
Leading IP boutique elects new managing partner
Californian intellectual property firm Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear haselected a new managing partner.
LeBoeuf scoops another Freshfields partner
LeBoeuf Lamb Greene & MacRae has continued its hiring spree of former Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer partners, hiring insolvency specialist Philippe Hameau in Paris.
Linklaters joins Iberian firms for $14bn Portugal Telecom battle
Seven of Iberia’s top law firms have found a place on one of Europe’s biggest ever M&A battles, advising the parties in Sonae’s $14bn bid for Portugal Telecom.
Linklaters puts its weight behind new training pilot
Linklaters puts its weight behind new training pilot" /Linklaters has become the first magic circle firm to sign up to an alternative solicitor training scheme that will be piloted by the Law Society's regulatory arm later this year.
Lontings defiant despite founders' departures
Legacy KPMG Belgian firm Lontings & Partners has lost its last remaining tax partner, who has joined boutique De Broeck Van Laere Van Camp Coopman.
Lovells set to double lawyer count in Italy
Lovells has unveiled plans to almost double the number of lawyers it has in Italy and is moving into bigger offices next year.
M&A focus boosts Landwell-PwC results
The legal arm of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in Spain, Landwell-PwC, has released its end-of-year figures, posting a turnover increase of a little more than 10 per cent to reach €84m (£56.75m).
M&A star quits Milbank as Sullivan comes calling
M&A star Tim Emmerson has made a shock departure from the London office of Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy, defecting to Sullivan & Cromwell.
Martineau moves base to double City lawyers
Birmingham-based Martineau Johnson plans to double its numbers in London and has moved City offices to create space for future hires.
Material witless
The exponential rise in popularity of user-generated websites MySpace and YouTube has brought to the fore the fact that the copyright laws governing these media are a grey area. By Graham Simkin and Kevin Smith
Mayer Brown looks to Unilever for IP team boost
Mayer Brown Rowe & Maw (MBRM)’s London office has looked in-house for its latest IP hire, taking on Unilever’s head of trademark filing and prosecution.
McDermott bolsters finance with W&C raid
The London office of McDermott Will & Emery has continued its push into structured finance by poaching a White & Case associate.
Merger madness
The marketing bumf for newly merged Blake Lapthorn Tarlo Lyons touts the South East firm as "the natural choice in law" - but it seems like the firm would like to be the natural choice for a whole lot more.
Mills & Reeve's half-year results up by a fifth
Mills & Reeve has boosted turnover by 20 per cent at the midpoint of its financial year.
Monster party
As Tulkinghorn's festive season hangover enters its second week, the small joys of tittle-tattle from the Christmas parties make the throbbing just that little bit easier to bear.
New business court will cement City's global reputation
A strong independent judiciary is one of the unsung assets of the City of London. The law, its processes and all the people who work in it play a vital role in the City's economy. The UK's lead in financial services would not exist without the foundation of a pragmatic commercial law that is envied (and imitated) around the world.
North West councils seek cost savings with first joint panel
Cobbetts, DLA Piper and Weightmans have won places on the North West's first-ever multi-borough panel.
Norton Rose picks up Star Capital Partners' SMIF sale
Norton Rose has secured a third mammoth deal in four months for Star Capital Partners, cementing the firm's relationship with the investment fund management group.
Norton Rose, BLG hoping to box clever
Norton Rose, BLG hoping to box clever" /As Norton Rose puts on its boxing gloves to go the rounds with Barlow Lyde & Gilbert (BLG) in one of the largest third party-funded lawsuits to hit the UK, the legal profession is taking bets on which of the firms will get the KO.
Patrick Stewart: Manchester United
With Manchester United riding high in the Premiership, head of legal Patrick Stewart is ensuring the club enjoys success off the field as well as on it. By Steve Hoare
People
Silverman Sherliker has hired Maeve O'Higgins as its new head of family law. O'Higgins joins from Edward Fail Bradshaw & Waterston.
Pinsents raids A&O for Asia-Pacific push
Pinsent Masons has boosted its Hong Kong office with a raid on Allen & Overy for partner Simon Irvine.
RCapital calls on Salans in bid to turn around Little Chef fortunes
Salans has scooped the lead role advising turnaround expert RCapital on the rescue of struggling UK roadside restaurant chain Little Chef.
Reed Smith plans 40 per cent post-merger growth
Reed Smith has released its last year-end figures before its merger with Richards Butler, showing a growth in revenue of 14 per cent to hit $644m (£332m) in 2006.
Ricksons-DWF merger prompts departure
Ricksons has lost a private client team to Pannone on the day the firm completed its merger with DWF.
Rio Tinto in radical shake-up of legal team
FTSE100 mining company Rio Tinto is overhauling its internal legal function, creating the new position of global general counsel in the process.
Salans boosts London employment team
Salans has snared Howard Kennedy's head of employment as the expansion of its London team continues.
Schofield gains Indian competency with swoop for Fox Mandal partner
Yorkshire firm Schofield Sweeney has hired a corporate partner from India's biggest law firm Fox Mandal Little.
SJ Berwin raids Freshfields for German trio
SJ Berwin has raided Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer for a three-lawyer IP team in Frankfurt, led by partner Stefan Krueger. Krueger will be joined by associates Manuela Finger and Manuel Biehler when he moves to SJ Berwin on 15 January.
Skadden, China
"If we do it, we'll do it right," says Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom China head Gregory Miao of the US firm's long-term strategy to launch in Shanghai.
Sonnenschein to end eight-year City hiatus
Chicago firm Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal plans on relaunching in London in 2007 and is currently in active talks to achieve that aim.
Standard Chartered switches legal chief
Standard Chartered has promoted James Ellington to replace David Brimacombe as group head of legal.
Stephenson Harwood adds Paris finance nous
Stephenson Harwood has bolstered its Paris office, swooping on White & Case to hire banking and asset finance specialist Edward CampbellCampbell, a senior associate at White & Case, joins Stephensons as a partner.
Steptoe joins Chicago rush
Washington DC firm Steptoe & Johnson is the latest US firm to enter the Chicago market, launching an office there on 2 January by taking nine partners from local firm Gardner Carton & Douglas ahead of its merger with Philadelphia-headquartered Drinker Biddle & Reath, also effective from 2 January. With Chicago the firm wants to leverage off its London office to offer a transatlantic team in insurance and insurance litigation. Chicago is Steptoe's seventh office and will be headed by ...
The work-life quiz: Roger Blears
Name: Roger Blears Firm: Martineau Johnson Title: Senior partner
Thought policing
The Court of Appeal's decisions in Aerotel and Macrossan go some way to clarifying patent law and signal the UK's intention to concur with a European standard. By Alan Johnson, David Brown and James Boon
Travers quits Germany; Salans inherits team
Travers Smith has shut down its German operations, forcing all five of its Berlin-based lawyers to find a new home at Salans.
Tribute paid to family court judge
Mrs Justice Bracewell, a senior family division high court judge, has died at the age of 72, after losing her battle with a long-term illness.
Trio scoops roles on russia-china oil deal
Herbert Smith, Jones Day and White & Case advised jointly on the $3.5bn (£1.79bn) acquisition of a Russian oil producer by Chinese state-owned oil company China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec). It is the largest cross-border investment from China into Russia and the second-largest single foreign investment ...
Twenty years of change
What were you doing 20 years ago? Were you at law school or primary school? Had you qualified as a solicitor or a barrister?Here are some reminders: in 1987 Margaret Thatcher was re-elected for a third term; BA was being privatised; the Single European Act was passed; the England cricket team won the Ashes in Australia; and Kylie released her first single.
UK's first solicitor QC reaches Court of Appeal
The first solicitor ever to be directly appointed to the High Court bench, Mr Justice Lawrence Collins, has been promoted to the Court of Appeal.
Vos QC to institute loan for bar access
Geoffrey Vos QC, the new chair of the Bar Council, has vowed 2007 will be the year that the wheels are firmly set in motion to make the bar more representative of society.
Web week
The Lawyer's Web Week is a weekly commentary on legal activity on the web. This includes an overview of the best of the week's blogs. If you want to direct us to useful links, email webweek@thelawyer.com.
White & Case converts to UK LLP in London
White & Case’s London office has converted to a UK limited-liability partnership (LLP), with effect from 31 December.
Wilmer Hale loses entire Munich office
Wilmer Hale has lost its entire Munich office after its two partners and six associates left the US firm to set up a spin-off boutique.
Window blessing
The nation was treated to the Queen's Speech on Christmas afternoon, and in a similar spirit of ringing out the old and bringing in the new, Allen & Overy (A&O) managing partner David Morley penned a festive missive on the firm's website over the Christmas break.
Withy King beefs up with Beachcroft hire
Withy King Solicitors has recruited construction and engineering law specialist Louise Garcia from Beachcroft. Garcia has extensive experience in acting for consultants in resolving disputes across the retail, leisure, education, health and transport sectors. As chairman of the Association of Women in Property's South West branch, Garcia actively supports the industry's drive to increase the number ...
