8 September 2008
The Lawyer
A snake in the system
Last week, Tulkinghorn’s colleagues at Web Week attempted to navigate to the website of Shadbolt Law.
A&O sends 20 lawyers to Middle East
Allen & Overy (A&O) is sending six partners and 14 associates from seven jurisdictions to staff its Middle East offices in a bid to increase its capacity there by almost a quarter.
A&O to be “most successful” elite firm
Allen & Overy senior partner David Morley has vowed to make A&O the most successful in the world, the firm’s 2008 annual report reveals.
Addleshaws focuses on graduate training
An employment engagement survey conducted for The Lawyer by YouGovCentaur revealed that 64 per cent of non-fee-earning staff feel undervalued at their firms (The Lawyer, 1 September).
Addleshaws, A&O seal Nationwide deal
Corporate partners at Addleshaw Goddard and Allen & Overy (A&O) are slated to seal Nationwide’s takeover of the Cheshire and Derbyshire Building Societies in record time.
Allen & Overy’s Morley moves to NY
Allen & Overy senior partner David Morley is moving to the firm’s New York office, with managing partner Wim Dejonghe due to spend half his time in London.
Anyone for tennis?
Do not adjust your glasses. It’s just a small lawyer holding an enormous racket.
Aon’s bid for Benfield puts CC opposite Debevoise
Clifford Chance is on the other side of the table to Debevoise & Plimpton in Aon Corporation’s proposed £935m takeover of London-listed insurer Benfield Group.
Ashurst, Lovells land LV’s highway takeover
Ashurst and Lovells have won places on Liverpool Victoria’s (LV) £150m acquisition of the Highway Insurance Group in the latest of a flurry of deals in the insurance sector.
BAE Systems appoints India legal chief
BAE Systems has appointed its first chief counsel for India, sending land systems legal chief Mike Elston to Delhi.
Bar Standards Board chair, vice-chair step down
The Bar Standards Board (BSB) will have its first leadership change since its inception in 2005 after the chair and vice-chair decided not to stand again.
Be prepared
In the face of a credit crunch, firms need to mobilise their lawyers. Investing in people and client relationships is perhaps the best way to survive the pinch.
Bingham makes Schulte Roth restructuring hire
Bingham McCutchen has ramped up its New York restructuring team, snaring Schulte Roth & Zabel partner.
Bird & Bird pitches into CEE with four new offices
Bird & Bird has launched four offices in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) in an ambitious push to gain work from new growth markets.
BLP begins Middle East push with Abu Dhabi
Berwin Leighton Paisner has begun a push on the Middle East, opening an office in Abu Dhabi.
Brabners tops football transfer league with 33
Brabners Chaffe Street has emerged as the busiest law firm in football, advising nine clubs on a total of 33 transfers during the summer transfer window, which closed last Monday (1 September) at midnight.
Building giant Lafarge dumps City firms for regionals
Construction and building materials giant Lafarge UK has slashed all top 20 firms from its legal panel in favour of regional firms in a bid to slash its legal spend.
Burges Salmon rebuts farmers’ subprime negligence complaints
Burges Salmon has rejected claims that it negligently advised farming clients on subprime mortgages.
Camerons set for management revamp
CMS Cameron McKenna has begun a review of its management structure and has appointed a new head of operations to manage support functions.
Charlton clears vote for Asia head uncontested
Clifford Chance global corporate head Peter Charlton is set to take on the Asia managing partner role following an uncontested election.
Come to London, stay in London
The Court of Appeal precludes escape from narrow vacatur grounds available under the English Arbitration Act 1996
Conflict resolutions
The Canadian Bar Association has overhauled its professional code of conduct. Changes to conflict of interest rules are among the crucial recommendations.
Cunningham’s A&O move may finally pay off
Allen & Overy’s (A&O) New York derivatives risk management business is the latest venture launched with New York senior partner and derivatives star Dan Cunningham in mind.
Davenport grows via trio of partner captures
West End firm Davenport Lyons has continued its recent expansion by hiring a trio of partners for its employment, IP and property practices.
Debevoise’s City litigation team to treble in five years
Debevoise & Plimpton is gearing up to make its London litigation group a one-stop shop for disputes.
DLA Piper appointed for Dawnay Day administrators
DLA Piper appointed for Dawnay Day administrators" /DLA Piper has landed the key role in the restructuring of Dawnay Day, one of the most high-profile victims of the credit crunch.
DLA Piper elects first Russia-based board member
DLA Piper has elected its first Russia-based international board member to fill the void left by Nordic chief Henning Øglænd, who stood down halfway through his term (The Lawyer, 1 September).
DLA Piper joins scheme to employ UAE locals
DLA Piper’s United Arab Emirates (UAE) offices have signed up to a local initiative to increase the proportion of Emiratis holding jobs in the private sector.
DLA Piper re-elects US CEO for second term
DLA Piper joint-chief executive Lee Miller has been elected to serve another four years as head of the firm’s US operations.
DLA Piper signs up De Brauw finance partner
DLA Piper signs up De Brauw finance partner" /DLA Piper has boosted its Amsterdam offering with the hire of finance and projects partner Gerard Kneppers from Dutch firm De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek.
Dubai earthquake: firms shaken but not stirred
Law firms in Dubai were shaken by an earthquake today that measured 6.1 on the Richter scale at its epicentre, raising questions as to whether offices rapidly constructed as part of the emirate’s on-going construction boom will be able to withstand further seismic activity.
Eversheds scores NHS Pasa panel coup
Eversheds has joined Mills & Reeve on the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (Pasa) panel, fighting off competition from nine other law firms to win one of the two spots.
Ex Resolution legal boss joins commodities giant ENRC as GC
Former Resolution legal chief Randal Barker has joined Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation (ENRC) as general counsel and company secretary.
Faegre flies in global co-head in UK rescue bid
US firm Faegre & Benson has sent its international practice co-head to London to stem a partner exodus and restore its UK fortunes.
Female career progress on Clifford Chance agenda
Clifford Chance’s first corporate responsibility (CR) report, published today (8 September), highlights that female career progression varies dramatically across jurisdictions. While as many as 25.5 per cent of Asian partners are female, that figure is only 6.3 per cent in Central and Eastern Europe.
Female partners defy glass ceiling in record numbers
Twenty per cent of partners in top 100 now female; smaller firms outstrip magic circle
Field Fisher faces age claim by IP partner
Field Fisher Waterhouse partner John Olsen is taking his own firm to an employment tribunal, alleging age discrimination and bullying behaviour.
Firms buck UK equality trend
One of the biggest stories last week was the report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) saying that the number of women in power and influence had dropped since its last survey five years ago.
Five silks appointed to bench; two female
Five silks have been appointed to the bench as four High Court judges are set to retire, the Ministry of Justice announced today.
Focus: Values statements
The top UK firms spend time and money poring over their ‘principles’. But isn’t it obvious what these values should be? And does having them in writing really make any difference to a firm’s culture?
Freshfields advises Deutsche Post in €2.79bn Postbank share sale
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has bagged the mandate advising Germany's privatised postal service, Deutsche Post, on its €2.79bn first stage disposal of its majority share in Deutsche Postbank to Deutsche Bank.
Freshfields hires global HR director
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has appointed a global HR director from Capital One Bank Europe.
George Davies Solicitors
Commercial property may bring in the lion’s share of fees at George Davies Solicitors, but the firm has the second-largest private client team in Manchester.
Gibson Dunn pounces for SEC director Schonfeld
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher has snared New York Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regional director Mark Schonfeld as a partner in its litigation group.
Gibson Dunn unveils international arbitration group
West coast-headquartered Gibson Dunn & Crutcher launched a formal international arbitration group this week at a New York cocktail reception attended by recent hire and former Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer (pictured).
Hamburger the focus of world’s biggest IP law meet
The world’s largest-ever meeting of intellectual property lawyers was held this week in Boston, with the centrepiece being a battle over a hamburger.
Hammonds forces Ryanair to accept third-party website tickets
Hammonds has won an injunction against Ryanair on behalf of a German price-comparison website after the airline threatened to refuse to honour bookings made via third parties.
Harbottle names barrister as charity head
Harbottle & Lewis has hired a former Radcliffe Chambers barrister as head of its charities group.
Heller attacked from all sides
Seven Heller laterals aid rival’s rapid expansion
Heller Ehrman Beijing chair resigns
Heller Ehrman’s chair of the Beijing office, Joseph Cha, has resigned along with other members of that office.
Herbert Smith wins National Lottery mandate
Herbert Smith has won a competitive tender against 36 other firms to become the principal adviser to the National Lottery Commission.
Herbies woos Russian banking star
Herbert Smith has bolstered its growing Moscow practice with the hire of a senior in-house lawyer from Renaissance Capital, one of Russia’s largest investment banks.
Ibiza discovered
Tulkinghorn is a veteran of the clubbing scene. He has been to the Garrick, the Athenaeum and Boodles, and enjoys crawling home in the early hours of the morning full of a fine port.
James Partridge, Thomson Snell & Passmore
What was your first-ever job?Clerk in an insurance firm.
James Partridge: Thomson Snell & Passmore
Who’s your hero and why? The crew of Apollo 13, for cool courage, lateral thinking and attention to detail in a tricky situation.
Jones Day, Freshfields in XL Leisure bankruptcy
Jones Day and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have bagged the top legal roles in the bankruptcy proceedings of XL Leisure Group, the UK’s third largest package holiday operator.
JPMorgan cuts Bear's headcount
More than half of the UK lawyers at US investment bank Bear Stearns have been axed since the collapsed bank was taken over by JPMorgan.
Leasehold of life
Changes to Dubai property law over the past six years have opened up the market to foreign ownership and is helping to bring about the creation of a recognisably westernised property asset class.
LG wins work on USS joint property venture with Tesco
LG has advised its longstanding client the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) on its purchase of a 50 per cent stake in a property portfolio joint venture with Tesco.
Links partner guns for tax adviser Wenham
Linklaters capital markets partner Simon Firth is suing his former tax advisers, Wenham Major Private Clients, for £84,000 in refundable fees
Loan Ranger: Bridget Marsh, Loan Syndication and Trading Association
Loan Syndication and Trading Association assistant general counsel Bridget Marsh enjoys being at the cutting edge of the loan market and collaborating on documention that sets standards.
Making the right connections is key to conquering Saudi legal market
Merely having a presence in the kingdom is not enough
Mayfair lady: Forsters
Sophie Hamilton’s vision of a private client and property practice failed to convince the City elite, so when she co-founded Forsters she chose London’s hotel district as its home.
Moves roundup: 8 September 2008
Shoosmiths has hired a former HBJ Gateley Wareing partner to lead its restructuring and insolvency group. Partner James Keates (pictured) will be based in Birmingham
Moves round-up: 8 September 2008
• Shoosmiths has hired a former HBJ Gateley Wareing partner to lead its restructuring and insolvency group. Partner James Keates will be based in Birmingham.
Mystic Morley
Mystic Morley 12-September-2008"When peering into the future, it's sometimes instructive to look at the past," says Allen & Overy chief David Morley - and we agree.
Nabarro boosts competition team with A&O hire
Nabarro has hired a counsel from Allen & Overy (A&O), doubling its core competition law capacity in response to an expected boom in the practice area.
New Eversheds chief exec Hughes vows to continue Gray strategy
Eversheds’ UK managing partner Bryan Hughes will take over from chief executive David Gray as chief executive in May.
Norton Rose in Moscow full-service vow
Norton Rose has pledged to turn its Moscow office into a full-service offering within 18 months and to double its headcount to 60 lawyers in the process.
Olswang slashes benefits firm-wide, including bonus
Olswang has slashed a range of employee benefits including the end-of-year bonus in favour of appreciation such as “good feedback”.
Opinion: UK’s stance on Russia: people who live in glass houses…
“I sit on a man’s back, choking him and making him carry me, and yet assure myself and others that I am very sorry for him and wish to ease his lot by all possible means – except by getting off his back.”
Orrick and Hölters await merger vote results
US firm Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe and German firm Hölters & Elsing have spent the weekend locked in final discussions over their long-mooted merger.
Pillsbury gets real on virtual world instructions
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman last week launched a multidisciplinary team representing clients involved in the virtual worlds and video games industry.
Pinsents adds duo for Dubai real estate launch
Pinsent Masons is launching a property practice in Dubai with the arrival of two associates, bringing the total number of lawyers in the office to 16.
Proskauer opens in Beijing, Hong Kong with Heller hires
Proskauer Rose is opening in Beijing and Hong Kong with a trio of lawyers, including two partners from Heller Ehrman's Beijing office.
Revealed: SRA's proposed training contract alternative
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has unveiled its long awaited work-based learning pilot, which may result in the abolition of training contracts.
Schulte Roth partner joins asset management fund
Schulte Roth & Zabel London-based partner Daniel Shapiro has taken up a non-legal position at his client asset management fund Lincoln Vale while still continuing to work at his law firm.
See ya later, Navigator
Times have changed since Tulkinghorn was first admitted to the roll, and he is often flummoxed about the best way to negotiate the savage jungle that is the legal world.
Shearman lands role on Allianz Dresdner Bank sell-off
As pretty much every lawyer is fond of pointing out, there is nothing more important than a strong client relationship.
Simmons swoops on Freshfields in Dubai hire
Simmons & Simmons has built up its Middle East practice by hiring former Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer counsel Eric Milne as a partner in Dubai.
Simpson Thacher duo join A&O partner at Abraaj
Middle East private equity firm Abraaj Capital has bolstered its team with the hire of two lawyers from the New York office of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett.
Six jobs axed at Cobbetts
Cobbetts has made six redundancies, four of whom are associates, across its domestic conveyancing and professional support departments.
SJ Berwin wins Samsonite from Skadden
SJ Berwin wins Samsonite from Skadden" class="inline_image inline_image_left" src="/pictures/web/images/13444_5_samsonite.gif" /SJ Berwin has taken over from Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom as lead external counsel for luggage maker Samsonite following its takeover by CVC Capital ...
Slaughter and May on Cowdery’s Resolution IPO
Slaughter and May on Cowdery’s Resolution IPO" /Veteran entrepreneur Clive Cowdery has turned to longstanding adviser Slaughter and May for advice on the IPO of his latest venture, financial services business Resolution.
South East’s Thomas Eggar launches sports group
South East firm Thomas Eggar has launched a specialist sports law practice.
Special Report: HR & Training
With lawyers and support staff reading about the looming economic black hole in their newspapers on the way to work, office nerves can be a little more frayed at present compared with this time last year.
Special Report: US & Canada
The US mortgage finance market has been in turmoil since the collapse of the subprime market last summer. As a result, US securitisation lawyers have been left with a dramatically reduced workflow.
Storm damage
Some law firms will be able to ride out the credit crunch relatively unscathed, others will likely not survive.
Taylor Wessing overhauls UK management setup
Taylor Wessing has slashed its UK management team in a bid to streamline decision-making processes.
The Y question
The arrival in the workplace of technologically switched-on members of Generation Y is a welcome development for employers - but the difference between their work styles and those of older generations presents its own set of challenges.
Thomas Eggar in redundancy talks with 20 staff
Thomas Eggar in redundancy talks with 20 staff" class="inline_image inline_image_left" src="/pictures/web/images/13523_london.gif" /South East firm Thomas Eggar is in redundancy consultations with up to 20 staff, including around 10 lawyers, across its commercial real estate practice.
Two stand for Ashurst senior partner job
Ashurst private equity head Charlie Geffen and litigation partner Ed Sparrow are formally competing to replace Geoffrey Green as senior partner.
Undercover agents
The US has been eyeing covered bonds – a safer option than mortgage-backed securities. But will investors ever value such a market?
Wachtell guides US Treasury on Fannie/Freddie
Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz has scored the lead role on the US government’s seizure of beleaguered mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Walker Morris in Endeavors effort
Walker Morris advised publicly listed company and laptop computer developer Endeavors Technologies (formerly Tadpole Technology) on its administration, with KPMG acting as administrator.
Watson Burton broadens equity as part of retention strategy
North East firm Watson Burton is in the final stages of opening up its tight equity in an attempt to retain and reward younger salaried partners and associates.
Where's the party?
The list of difficulties faced by English law firms trying to get a foothold in foreign markets just got a little bit longer, thanks to Allen & Overy’s attempt to bolster its standing in Germany.
