8 March 2004
The Lawyer
2 Mitre Court head joins exodus
2 Mitre Court Buildings, in its day the foremost planning chambers in England, has lost another two silks.
20 Essex Street recruits former ECJ president
Iain Milligan QC’s 20 Essex Street has taken on former president of the European Court of Justice, Gil Carlos Rodríguez Iglesias, as an arbitrator.
A&O on both sides of Cheese Company buy
Allen & Overy (A&O) has shadowed investment banking client Rabobank to advise on both sides of an acquisition.
A&O splits corporate management to boost client base
Allen & Overy has re-elected Richard Cranfield as its UK head of corporate, but has split the corporate managing partner role into two in an attempt to boost the firm’s client base.
Anti-establishment candidate wins Paris Bar election
Anti-establishment candidate Bruno Boccara has won the by-election for a place on the Paris Bar Council ahead of Willkie Farr & Gallgher partner Dominique Mondolini.
Appeal judges call for review of legal advice privilege
The Appeal judges last week called on the government's law reform body to take another look at legal advice privilege, following on from last year's Three Rivers litigation.
Appeal judges place limits on second generation of vibration white finger claims
A second generation of vibration white finger (VWF) claims suffered a blow last month when Appeal judges held that smaller scale employers had a later date of knowledge of the condition than had previously been attributed to the likes of British Coal in the 'heavy industry' claims.
Attorney-General's advice on legality of war to remain secret
The Attorney General’s advice on the legality of going to war with Iraq will remain secret after his lead counsel, top human rights barrister David Perry QC, defeated an application by Greenpeace for its disclosure.
Beiten Burkhardt opens in Kiev
Beiten Burkhardt is continuing its push into Eastern Europe, becoming the first leading German firm to open an office in Kiev.
Bondi takes Parmalat battle to Ireland
Enrico Bondi’s battle to be Parmalat’s worldwide special administrator was widened last week to Ireland, where he went head-to-head with the Bank of America’s lawyers Linklaters and Sidley Austin Brown & Wood.
C&I chair slams Law Society
The New national chair of the Commerce & Industry Group Carol Williams slammed the Law Society last week for the lack of support it provides the in-house sector.
Cap Gemini dumps Barlows in shock panel result
Cap Gemini Ernst & Young has ditched Barlow Lyde & Gilbert after a panel review.
CC on both sides of Empe sale
Clifford Chance advised both sides when CVC Capital Partners and Goldman Sachs Capital Partners sold German car parts manufacturer Empe Holding to Alpinvest Partners. Separate Clifford Chance teams advised sellers CVC and Goldman Sachs, and Alpinvest’s financiers HypoVereinsbank (HVB).
Claudio Cordone: Amnesty International
Amnesty International is the world’s best-known human rights organisation. Joanne O’Connor meets the man who helps to keep it legal
Cleary partner moves to client Citigroup
Legendary Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton partner Edward Greene has quit the firm to become general counsel of client Citigroup’s global corporate and investment banking group (GCIB).
Corporate deals round-up
Travers Smith Braithwaite (Andrew Gillen) acted for Centaur Holdings and Numis on the £145m accelerated initial public offering of Centaur on the Alternative Investment Market. Macfarlanes (Charles Martin) advised Centaur Communications.
Court holds Law Society's CFA model agreement falls foul of regulations
The prospect of a new wave of technical challenges to 'no win, no fee' agreements was raised last week, when the courts held that the Law Society's own model agreement fell foul of the 2000 CFA Regulations.
Courts protect lawyers against commercial negligence claims
The courts have delivered a severe blow to businesspeople who sue law firms for negligence on the grounds that solicitors have given them inadequate commercial advice.
Death penalties
There have been a lot of noises made by the Government about moving corporate manslaughter up the political agenda. So why have things gone quiet? By Jon Robins
Don't "lump together" all lawyers under FSA-style regulator, says Bar
The difference of opinion between the two sides of the profession over the Clementi review on the regulation on legal services deepened this week when barristers took issue with being "lumped together" with solicitors under proposals for a new super-regulator yesterday.
Expedia panel plan to stir up tech firms
Expedia’s newly-appointed European general counsel Luisa Edwards will spark a feeding frenzy among Europe’s tech-focused firms as she establishes the company’s first legal panel.
Faegre Benson follows Law Soc with pro bono guarantee
The London office of Faegre Benson Hobson Audley has become the first firm to sign up to the Solicitors Pro Bono Group’s (SPBG) new protocol since the Law Society joined the scheme in February.
Fair trading
The Enterprise Act’s criminalisation of cartels is making competition law compliance a business imperative, says Mike Pullen
Family lawyers to report domestic violence before going to court
Family law practitioners will have to report allegations of domestic violence before going to court under new measures to protect children which were trailed by the government last week. Ministers hope to enable the family courts to consider not only the harm a child suffers from violence in the home but also the harm the child might suffer from witnessing violence on another person.
Firm profile: Withy King
Withy King managing partner Martin Powell is unequivocal in his commitment to new ways of doing things. “To move with the times a firm has to be run as a business, not a traditional partnership,” he argues. “You’ve got to recognise the value of your capital assets and finds ways to value the firm’s work-in-progress and its goodwill in a way that keeps everyone enthused.”
For the record...
Baker & McKenzieIn a table accompanying an article in The Lawyer’s 23 February edition, regarding US law firms’ financial results, an inputting error meant that it was incorrectly stated that Baker & McKenzie’s global turnover of $1.134bn had decreased by 5 per cent on the previous year. In fact, turnover increased by 7 per cent, up from $1.06bn.
Freshfields puts Peck retirement plan to the vote
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer partners are to vote this month on whether long-serving chief executive and all-round enforcer Alan Peck can step down early.
Gates & Partners secures BA litigation work
Niche aviation firm Gates & Partners has won all of British Airways’ (BA) insurance litigation work after it fought off competition from Barlow Lyde & Gilbert and Beaumont and Son – the firm that Gates originally broke away from.
Gleiss Lutz extends reach across Europe with Hungarian contract
Herbert Smith best friend Gleiss Lutz has expanded its Central and Eastern European network in the wake of EU enlargement.
Govt pay plans spark barrister strike threat
Hundreds of barristers are threatening strike action over new Government pay levels for murder and fraud cases.
Grapevine at Mipim, Cannes
In the last few days lawyers from all over Europe have been packing sunglasses, golf clubs and large quantities of aspirin and telling their colleagues they'll be out of the office "on business" for a few days. Yes - it's Mipim time again.
Greenberg rainmaker quits amid billing row
Greenberg Traurig’s biggest rainmaker and key Washington DC lobbyist Jack Abramoff has been forced to resign amid allegations that he has charged native American tribes more than $45m (£24.6m) for lobbying the Republican Party.
Halliwells pulls together star cast for European alliance
Halliwell Landau has set up a network of top-flight European firms it will refer cross-border work to.
Hammonds real estate chief joins Eversheds
Eversheds has recruited Hammonds’ head of real estate litigation in the Midlands Paul Moorcroft as part of its bid to double its real estate litigation practice within the next three years.
Herbert Smith gets ahead of REIT pack
Herbert Smith is in pole position to pick up real estate investment trusts (REITs) work after becoming the first UK law firm to advise a UK company on a French-style REIT.
Hextalls scoops Mendes & Mount duo
London-based firm Hextalls is continuing to strengthen its US hold with the appointment of two partners in New York. Mendes & Mount partners Matthew Byrne and Lawrence Rose have joined Hextalls’ reinsurance team, which is based on Wall Street. Byrne and Rose will represent domestic and international reinsurance companies in the US and London.
Howard Kennedy wins ING Real Estate with hire
Howard Kennedy has won new client ING Real Estate Development with the hire of new partner Deborah Swanwick from Lawrence Graham. Swanwick was a senior assistant at Lawrence Graham and acted for ING Real Estate. Since 2001 she has been advising the client on a factory outlet scheme in County Durham – a deal that she has taken with her to Howard Kennedy. Swanwick specialises in acting for landlords ...
ICC complains to Supreme Court on US regulatory decision
The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) is fighting a legal decision it fears could make US courts de facto global anti-trust regulators, even in cases with a negligible impact on the US.
Latham elbows out Howrey and Morrison on Oracle battle
Latham & Watkins has muscled in on Oracle’s antitrust battle for Peoplesoft at the expense of original advisers Howrey Simon Arnold & White and Morrison & Foerster.
Latham lures nine Sokolow litigators
Latham & Watkins has torn apart independent French firm Sokolow Dunaud Mercadier & Carreras with a nine-lawyer raid for name partner Patrick Dunaud and his litigation team.
Latham raids Skadden for three-partner debt finance team
Latham & Watkins has raided the New York office of Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom for a three-partner debt finance team.
LawZone Newswire 251
Editorial: Clementi review – 'Evolution' not 'revolution'
Leader
The bar’s millionaires’ club has lost some of its lustre – it’s just not exclusive enough anymore. So those with the elephantine brains and oral charisma straddling the profession’s upper echelons have gone and raised the bar once again – if you’ll excuse the pun.
Linklaters votes in German senior partner
Linklaters has elected Michael Lappe as its new German senior partner following the decision of incumbent Rudolf Colle to step down to concentrate on client work. Colle, who had served a three-year term in the post, will officially stand down on 30 April. Lappe, an M&A partner, will divide his time equally between client work and management. First revealed on www.thelawyer.com 5 March
Litigation expert boosts Arnold & Porter in NY
Washington DC-based firm Arnold & Porter has appointed Cadwalader securities and commercial litigation expert Peter Haveles to its New York office. Haveles has practised extensively before the federal courts and acted for the New York and American stock exchanges, among others. He joins as a partner and will focus his practice on complex disputes involving financial markets and commercial transactions.
Lockstep revolution beckons
Clifford Chance equity partners are being asked to vote this week and next on sweeping proposals on partner underperformance, with last year’s compensation review now seen as being dead in the water.
Marks & Clerk and Blair & Co push MDP boundaries
UK trademark behemoth goes all out to create MDP while Govt pontificates
Net consultation launched on EU relocation
An internet public consultation has been launched by the European Commission into a planned directive laying down rules on the transfer of a company’s registered office from one EU country to another. The directive would see companies adapting their structures and assets to meet the conditions required for the new registration, but would free them from having to liquidate themselves in their old home countries creating new companies in their new host states.
No 5 tops 150 in growth surge
Birmingham mega-set No 5 Fountain Court has become the first set to reach 150-tenants with the hire of a five-strong personal injury team from local rival St Philips.The set is also poised to launch a Bristol office, its third site in the UK, after London and Birmingham.Graham Cliff, formerly head of the PI team at St Philips, Stephen Campbell, David Tyack and William Pusey are all to join No 5’s highly rated PI practice.No 5's head of PI, Ralph Lewis QC, said: "Our long-term ...
No change at BBC after panel review
The BBC has completed a review of its external legal panel, deciding to keep all of its law firms. Bristows, Denton Wilde Sapte, Field Fisher Waterhouse, Linklaters, Lovells,
Olswang raids SJ Berwin private equity
Olswang is poised to bulk up its private equity team with the hire of SJ Berwin partners Jonathan Pittal and Perry Yam.
One Essex Court’s Grabiner joins Pollock in ‘£3m a year club’
Independent research by The Lawyer has revealed that One Essex Court head Lord Grabiner QC is set to earn £3m in 2004, while his arch rival, Essex Court Chambers’ Gordon Pollock QC, is tied up in the ongoing BCCI trial.
Opinion
Later this month, the Government will publish a consultation white paper on tackling organised crime in the UK. It is widely expected that the main pillar of this new approach will be the establishment of the Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca).
Palace coup hits EY Law France
EY Law France has replaced managing partner Hervé Labaude in what one source called a “palace coup”.
Radcliffes suffers another blow as Dixon quits for McCormicks
The haemorrhage of partners from RadcliffesLeBrasseur continues, with Leeds-based Colin Dixon the latest to join the exodus.
Rosenblatts gets role on Telegraph deal after Big Ones sale
Rosenblatt Solicitors, which is advising longstanding client Richard Desmond on his disposal of Asian Babes and Big Ones, looks set to be brought in alongside Desmond’s corporate council Ashurst on the Telegraph Group auction.
Secret disservice
New money laundering regulations present lawyers with significant duties and potential criminal liabilities. Peter Caldwell offers some guidance
Simmons boosts China with Minter Ellison hire
Simmons & Simmons is continuing to ramp up its mainland China practice with the appointment of Minter Ellison’s former managing partner to its Shanghai office.
Sinel Group launches in Anguilla
Jersey law firm Sinel Group has followed the latest trend of Channel Islands firms setting up in the Caribbean by launching a practice in Anguilla.
Slaughters loses Abbott instruction to Freshfields
Slaughter and May has been dumped by Abbott Laboratories for its forthcoming court fight over royalties against Cambridge Antibody Technology Group (Cat) and replaced by
Steptoe takes on Oppenheimer’s Brussels group
US firm Steptoe & Johnson has become the first firm to benefit from the dismantling of Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly’s European network. Steptoe has acquired the Brussels practice of Oppenheimer, which consists of three partners, one counsel and three associates. The Oppenheimer group is led by Jean Russotto, who is joined by two partners, Phillip Woolfson, an insurance and financial services lawyer who concentrates on European Community and French law, and James Searles, an international ...
The Takeover Panel flexes its muscles against on-off bids
The Takeover Panel’s efforts to bypass press battles on takeovers will never work, says Helen Power
The war on fraud
Investigating white collar crime and fighting a military campaign are more similar than you think. Andrew Durant and Andrew Witts report
To the highest bidder: one E&Y law firm, slightly used
Tite & Lewis set to split from accountancy parent Ernst & Young after four years and £22m costs
Vinge gets new leader
Swedish firm Vinge is set to announce that Fredrik von Baumgarten will be appointed as the firm’s new managing partner, succeeding Michael Wigge.
Walkers insolvency ace wins in Caymans Parmalat action
Parmalat’s special administrator Enrico Bondi has been barred from administering the collapsed dairy company’s Cayman Islands companies following a tense court battle.
Willkie man stands in Paris bar election
Willkie Farr & Gallagher partner Dominique Mondolini is running in the Paris bar’s first contested election next week, seeking to capture the vote of international firms vexed by recent tensions with the bar.
