Corporate
The Lawyer
KWM advises EnergyAustralia on proposed divestment of wind farm shares
KWM has advised EnergyAustralia on its proposed divestment of a majority share of the Waterloo wind farm to Palisade Investment Partners and Northleaf Capital Partners.
Conyers advises Alliance Oil Company Ltd on $500m offering of Eurobonds
Conyers Dill & Pearman has advised Alliance Oil Company Ltd on a $500m offering of Eurobonds (7.000 per cent guaranteed notes due 2020).
Criminal defence
Criminal defence has traditionally been an area of strength for Dacheng.
Corporate finance and capital markets
Dacheng’s Corporate Finance and Capital Markets practice is one of its core practice areas.
Mergers, acquisitions and corporate restructuring
Dacheng’s Mergers, Acquisitions and Corporate Restructuring practice is one of its key practice areas.
General corporate services
Dacheng has long been providing clients with legal advice in relation to company formation and amendment, as well as day-to-day business management.
Herbies strengthens nascent Frankfurt base with Norton Rose hire
Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) has appointed Norton Rose’s Frankfurt corporate team leader Nico Abel as its second partner for its new German offices.
Piercing the corporate veil under the new Kuwait Companies Law download
Under the new Companies Law No 25 of 2012, there are several utilities available for stakeholders to hold certain individuals accountable for their actions.
Corporate governance and compliance
We provide general company and compliance advice to our corporate clients on the legal issues that most regularly impact upon their businesses.
Corporate and M&A
Allen & Overy’s corporate and M&A practice has an exceptional track record in every sector and particular strengths in highly regulated industries.
Corporate Matters — May 2013 weblink
Walker Morris has released the May 2013 edition of Corporate Matters.
Data Protection Policies — update from Global Data Hub weblink
Taylor Wessing has added a fresh batch of data-protection-focused content to its Global Data Hub site.
AIFMD — the practical implications for your business download
Nabarro has considered the practical implications of the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD) on businesses.
Hogan Lovells wins Investment in Women in the Law category at Halsbury Legal Awards
Hogan Lovells has won the Investment in Women in the Law category at the Halsbury Legal Awards 2013.
US Senate Finance Committee white paper — signal of international corporate tax reforms to come? download
The US Senate Finance Committee has released its white paper on international competitiveness.
Regulation on OTC derivatives, central counterparties and trade repositories download
The European Parliament has finally accepted the six draft EMIR regulatory technical standards and they entered into force on 15 March 2013.
The new Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development Business Centre download
The Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development has recently launched its Abu Dhabi Business Centre.
Clifford Chance and Freshfields guide Cinven's Partnership IPO
Travers Smith and Ogier take further roles on planned £1.4bn float
Herbert Smith, A&O in flow for £5bn Severn Trent takeover approach
Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) has taken the lead role for longstanding client Severn Trent on a potential bid from a Canadian, Kuwaiti and UK consortium reportedly valuing the target at £5bn.
In the matter of the representation of A Limited and in the matter of the F Foundation [2013] JRC 075 download
This is the first case in which the Royal Court has had to give full consideration to the Foundations (Jersey) Law 2009.
Hogan Lovells advises Constellation Hotels on acquisition of London hotel
Hogan Lovells has advised Constellation Hotels on the £301.5m acquisition of the InterContinental Hotel on London’s Park Lane.
KWM advises Charter Hall on strategic real-estate acquisition
King & Wood Malleons (KWM) has advised Charter Hall on a strategic real-estate acquisition.
DLA Piper advises Healthcare Buying Group on its acquisition of DBG
DLA Piper has advised Healthcare Buying Group on its acquisition of DBG (UK) from Synova Capital.
Morgan Lewis sees first ex-Dewey partner exit as Beijing co-head quits
Morgan Lewis & Bockius Beijing co-head Ingrid Zhu-Clark is to leave the firm, becoming the first ex-Dewey & LeBoeuf partner to exit the US outfit since a team of nearly 20 partners joined from the bankrupt firm last year.
Ben Koehne joins Addleshaw Goddard's London corporate team
Addleshaw Goddard has expanded its London corporate team with the appointment of financial services transactions specialist Ben Koehne from Allen & Overy.
Clifford Chance and Simpson Thacher share KKR job on UK water buy
Freshfields leads for South Staffordshire seller Alinda Capital Partners after taking 2012 merger role
Blackburn Rovers, the £2.25m 'admission' and the overriding objective download
Henning Berg’s recent ‘win’ in claiming £2.25m compensation from Blackburn Rovers was a concerning insight into corporate governance within that club.
Freshfields' Red Knight hails United's 'heir to Busby'
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer London chief and high-profile Red Knight Mark Rawlinson has praised outgoing Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson as a “spiritual heir to Matt Busby” who “hates losing but uses adversity as a fuel”.
Herbies brings in Aussie corporate chief to rejig London corporate structure
Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) global corporate head Mike Ferraro has been brought in to the firm’s London office to revamp its corporate department, The Lawyer can reveal.
Senior Swedish partners team up for boutique launch
A group of lawyers from the Swedish offices of Ashurst and White & Case have joined forces with the former managing partner of Hannes Snellman’s Stockholm office to form a corporate boutique.
London Corporate Newsletter — May 2013 weblink
The May 2013 edition of Hogan Lovells’ Corporate Newsletter is available now.
Data & Information E-Alerts — 3 May 2013 weblink
The 3 May 2013 edition of Addleshaw Goddard’s Data & Information E-Alerts publication is available now.
High Court confirms broad power of courts to validate corporate contraventions download
The High Court has adopted a broad interpretation of what constitutes a ‘contravention’ of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) or a company constitution.
Proposed improvements to the Hong Kong corporate insolvency regime download
The new Hong Kong Companies Ordinance is planned to come into operation in the first quarter of 2014.
Hogan Lovells elects Cole Finegan and Dan González to its board
Hogan Lovells has announced that it has elected two new partners to its board.
Partner Mel Sims relocates to DLA Piper's Doha practice
DLA Piper has announced that Mel Sims, a partner from the corporate practice group in London, is relocating to Doha, Qatar.
Appleby acts as Jersey counsel for placement of seven-year Eurobond
Appleby has acted as Jersey counsel in relation to the successful placement of a seven-year Eurobond.
E-disclosure: disclosure trends download
Law firms should select efficient, cost-effective and compatible disclosure technology to better address client needs.
Business intelligence reporting: instant information download
The creation of applications offering intuitive user-driven data analysis focused on providing efficient and cost-effective client management are the primary goals for most law firms today.
Corporate governance: trade union voting and engagement guidelines download
The TUC, Unison and UNITE have formed the Trade Union Share Owners group.
DLA Piper announces partnership promotions across its US and international practice groups
DLA Piper has announced that 34 lawyers have been promoted to its partnership. The promotions are effective from 1 January 2013 in the US and 1 May 2013 for the EMEA and Asia-Pacific regions.
Glencore GC appointed as Xstrata merger goes live
Glencore Xstrata has appointed Glencore general counsel Richard Marshall as its overall legal chief following the $64bn merger that created the mining giant.
The winding up of BVI and Cayman Islands companies in Hong Kong download
British Virgin Islands and Cayman Islands companies have long been a valuable feature of commercial life in Hong Kong and China.
ACH Shoosmiths moves to Edinburgh's Exchange district
ACH Shoosmiths has opened its new offices in the heart of Edinburgh’s business and financial district.
DLA Piper announces strategic alliance with Indonesia's Ivan Almaida Baely & Firmansyah
DLA Piper has announced a strategic alliance with Ivan Almaida Baely & Firmansyah law firm in Indonesia.
DLA Piper expands London corporate group
DLA Piper has announced that Rob Salter and Anu Balasubramanian will be joining as partners in the London corporate group.
Ashurst Germany corporate chief to join Gibson Dunn in Munich
Ashurst German corporate head Lutz Englisch is set to join US firm Gibson Dunn & Crutcher in Munich.
Restructuring & Corporate Recovery Update — April 2013 weblink
The April 2013 issue of Taylor Wessing’s Restructuring & Corporate Recovery Update is available now.
Nabarro on how the London market will open doors to high-growth companies download
The London Stock Exchange has announced the creation of a fourth listing option on its London stock exchanges.
King & Wood Mallesons drives Australia's largest property transaction of 2013 so far
King & Wood Mallesons has advised on the A$543m development and sale of 480 Queen Street in Brisbane.
Jordan: employee share-option plans download
Jordan Securities Commission Instructions for Conferring Share Options on Public Shareholding Companies’ Employees stipulates the conditions for conferring share-option plans on employees.
Hogan Lovells and Simpson Thacher bite into record $17bn Apple bond
Hogan Lovells and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett have advised on Apple’s $17bn (£10.9bn) bond issue, described as the largest corporate bond offering in history.
Hogan Lovells and Links in focus as Kodak sells unit to UK pensioners for $650m
Hogan Lovells, Linklaters and Sullivan & Cromwell have won lead roles as Eastman Kodak offloads its personal film business to UK pensioners.
Olswang announces sponsorship of Listing in London Forum
Olswang is set to sponsor the Listing in London Forum on 21 May 2013.
European Outsourcing Association recognises Olswang for sourcing excellence
Olswang has been recognised as European Outsourcing Advisory of the Year 2013 by the European Outsourcing Association.
Hogan Lovells advises Al Bayan Group Holding Company on landmark sukuk
Hogan Lovells has advised Al Bayan Group Holding Company, a Saudi-based conglomerate, on its RM200m sukuk, issued on 24 April 2013, out of its inaugural RM1bn Sukuk Wakalah Programme.
US duo lead on $586m sale of stake in China's Twitter-like Weibo
Shearman & Sterling and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett have played key roles on Chinese internet giant Sina Corporation’s sale of a stake in the country’s Twitter-like site Weibo.
Bakers, OC take roles as Best Buy exits Carphone Warehouse JV
Baker & McKenzie, Clifford Chance and Osborne Clarke (OC) have advised on Best Buy’s £471m exit from Europe
Merger Control — Finland chapter download
The second edition of Global Legal Insights’ Merger Control publication is available now. Here, Krogerus presents the Finland chapter.
Appleby announces partner promotions and counsel appointments
Appleby has announced the promotion of three lawyers to the partnership and the appointment of five lawyers to the position of counsel.
Shoosmiths on good faith: High Court decides to swim with the tide and recognise fair dealing download
In Yam Seng Pte Ltd v International Trade Corporation Ltd, the High Court recognised an implied duty of good faith and fair dealing.
Hogan Lovells advises Promon International on follow-on equity investment in DeepFlex
Hogan Lovells has advised Promon International in negotiating and documenting a follow-on equity investment in DeepFlex to fund a manufacturing centre in Brazil.
Shoosmiths recruits Ben Turner as a partner in its corporate team
Shoosmiths has recruited Ben Turner as a partner in its corporate team.
Bakers, CC lead as Thailand's Chearavanont buys retailer for $6.6bn
Baker & McKenzie and Clifford Chance have played lead roles on CP All’s $6.6bn (£4.3bn) acquisition of a controlling stake in Siam Makro.
Betfair wagers on Freshfields as £910m CVC takeover bid snubbed
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has won the lead role acting for Betfair in relation to a £910m takeover bid from private equity group CVC Capital Partners.
Appleby advises CNPC General Capital on issuance of guaranteed senior notes
Appleby has acted as British Virgin Islands counsel for CNPC General Capital in relation to the issuance of guaranteed senior notes due in 2016, 2018 and 2023.
Walker Morris advises NorthEdge Capital on its investment in Help-Link
Corporate lawyers from Walker Morris have advised private equity firm NorthEdge Capital on its investment in Help-Link.
A moment with Mohamed Khodeir, partner in Al Tamimi's Qatar office download
Mohamed Khodeir is a partner at Al Tamimi’s Qatar office. He joined the team in 2011 to help develop the strategic Gulf foothold through fast-paced times in the market.
Regulatory
Our regulatory team can provide you with vital support if you or your organisation faces a criminal investigation or prosecution.
Health and safety
Whatever the size or nature of your business or organisation, ensuring that you meet the requirements of health and safety legislation can be challenging.
A&O raids Shearman for Düsseldorf corporate partner
Allen & Overy (A&O) has hired Shearman & Sterling corporate partner Hans Diekmann as a partner in its Düsseldorf office.
Ashurst joins US and Irish firms as Elan rejects Royalty Pharma bid
A raft of Irish, UK and US firms have won roles on the battle for control of Irish biotechnology company Elan, which yesterday rejected an offer from Royalty Pharma.
Sidley Austin hires former Man Group GC after 10-year tenure
The group general counsel of Man Group Stephen Ross is to join Sidley Austin as co-head of London investment funds.
Ropes bulks up in City and Hong Kong with Fried Frank duo
Ropes & Gray has added to its London and Hong Kong offerings with a double partner hire from Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson covering finance, capital markets and corporate.
Corporate finance
Whatever your corporate finance requirements, we can help.
Latham and Joelson Wilson at wheel on £300m Addison Lee sale
Latham, Linklaters and Joelson Wilson have advised on Carlyle Group’s purchase of London minicab group Addison Lee, a deal reported to be worth £300m.
A&O and DLA perfect blend on £160m sale of whisky maker
Allen & Overy (A&O) and DLA Piper played key advisory roles on the £160m sale of Scottish whisky producer Burn Stewart Distillers to South African drinks group Distell.
Mourant Ozannes expands its Guernsey corporate practice
Barney Lee will be joining Mourant Ozannes as a partner in the Guernsey corporate practice.
Guide to trust takeover/reconstruction transactions in Australia download
A guide to takeover and reconstruction transactions involving an Australian listed trust.
Hogan Lovells advises American Midstream on its acquisition by ArcLight
Hogan Lovells has advised American Midstream on its acquisition by ArcLight.
Freshfields and Hengeler lead as CVC seals €3.1bn German buyout
Freshfields and Hengeler have taken lead roles on CVC Capital Partners’ €3.1bn acquisition of energy metering group Ista from private equity rival Charterhouse.
Walker Morris advises Hargreaves Services on its proposed £42m placing
Corporate lawyers from Walker Morris have advised Hargreaves Services on its proposed £42m placing.
Appleby expands funds and investment services team in Guernsey
Appleby has announced two senior additions to its funds and investment services team in Guernsey.
Shoosmiths announces 2013 promotions
Six new partners are among 22 promotions at Shoosmiths. The partners are joined in the law firm’s 2013 round by 16 new senior associates.
Hogan Lovells advises Arris on $2bn purchase of Google’s Motorola Home unit
Hogan Lovells has advised Arris on its $2bn purchase of Google’s Motorola Home unit
Conyers Dill & Pearman wins awards at 2013 Asian Legal Business China event
Conyers Dill & Pearman has been named Offshore Legal Firm of the Year at the 2013 Asian Legal Business China Awards.
Chadbourne represents INFONACOT in short- and long-term corporate debt issuances
Chadbourne & Parke has represented INFONACOT in the successful placement of corporate debt in Mexico amounting to $160m.
Speechly 'outgrows' Luxembourg base following CC hire
Speechly Bircham to move to larger Luxembourg offices after taking on Clifford Chance counsel François Lerusse as a partner.
Appleby advises Asia Mezzanine on provision of $30m facility to CAAM
Appleby has acted as British Virgin Islands and Bermuda counsel for Asia Mezzanine Capital Corporation in relation to the provision of a $30m facility to CAAM.
Appleby receives numerous accolades at Corporate INTL Legal Awards
Appleby has been named ‘Law Firm of the Year’ in several categories at the 2013 Corporate INTL Legal Awards.
Ambassador Attilio Massimo Iannucci joins NCTM as of-counsel
Ambassador Attilio Massimo Iannucci, an expert in international law, has joined NCTM Studio Legale Associato as of-counsel.
New south sales
Early indications are that recent law firm mergers with Australians are producing the hoped-for results in terms of cross-referrals
Number Crunching: Clifford Chance, private equity practice
Last week’s news that Clifford Chance global head of private equity David Walker is leaving to join Latham & Watkins in London marks yet another major departure from the magic circle firm’s practice, following six previous key partner exits from the firm’s funds, tax or buyouts teams since 2009.
Olswang acts for Euromoney Institutional Investor on agreement to acquire HSBC QT
Olswang has acted for Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC on HSBC QT acquisition agreement.
Nabarro announces passing of Clare Grayston
Nabarro has announced the passing of Clare Grayston, partner, on 8 April 2013 following a short illness.
Dundas exits continue as corporate partner joins Wedlake Bell
Dundas & Wilson has seen another partner exit the firm with City corporate specialist Julian Mathews joining Wedlake Bell as part of double hire for the London firm.
Corporate
Conyers is regularly involved in the largest, most innovative and complex corporate transactions involving companies in Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands and Mauritius.
Clarity Guide 8: trustee protection — exoneration and indemnity clauses download
This guide from Nabarro explains the differences between exoneration and indemnity clauses in a scheme’s trust deed and rules.
The remedial constructive trust: a new proprietary remedy? download
In IKEA v Hauxwell-Smith and others (10/2012), IKEA was found to have been the victim of serious procurement irregularities involving Mr and Mrs Hauxwell-Smith between 1998 and 2000.
Resolution — spring 2013 download
Appleby has released the spring 2013 edition of its Resolution offshore publication.
Re Yung Kee Holdings case — resolving shareholder disputes download
The decision in the case of Re Yung Kee Holdings has highlighted some of the issues that can arise in resolving shareholder disputes where offshore companies are used to hold assets and businesses elsewhere.
Mishcon boosts private equity with duo of Dundas partners
Mishcon de Reya has beefed up its private equity practice with the hire of Dundas & Wilson partner duo Simon Sale and Nadim Meer.
Clifford Chance private equity chief Walker quits for Latham's City base
Clifford Chance global private equity head David Walker is set to join Latham & Watkins in a major hire for the US firm’s London office.
Dentons and Linklaters clinch £50m HMV takeover for Hilco
Dentons and Linklaters have led the advice on the sale of HMV to Hilco UK, which was confirmed three months after the retailer went into administration.
Ashurst, CMS, Norton Rose advise on Greencoat's £260m IPO
Ashurst, CMS Cameron McKenna and Norton Rose have advised on the £260m IPO of closed-ended infrastructure fund Greencoat UK Wind.
Corporate Practice Newswire — April 2013 download
Chadbourne & Parke has released the April 2013 edition of its Corporate Practice Newswire.
Walker Morris advises on joint venture to use farm waste to generate power
Corporate and energy lawyers from Walker Morris have advised on a joint venture to use farm waste to generate green electricity.
Hogan Lovells advises Alstom on extension of bonding guarantee facility
Hogan Lovells has advised Alstom Holdings in relation to its extension of a multi-currency resolving dual-tranche committed bonding guarantee facility until July 2016.
Eversheds and OC join US firms as Cisco buys UK's Ubiquisys
Eversheds and Osborne Clarke (OC) have taken the lead UK roles on networking giant Cisco’s $310m (£205m) acquisition of Swindon-based technology group Ubiquisys.
Taylor Wessing advises Hyperion on sale of shares to General Atlantic
Taylor Wessing has advised Hyperion Insurance Group on the agreement by General Atlantic to acquire just more than 30 per cent of the shares in Hyperion from 3i Group and BP Marsh & Partners.
Draft Jordanian Investment Law download
The Draft Jordanian Investment Law is intended to attract and encourage both local and foreign investment in Jordan.
Data & Information E-Alerts — 28 March 2013 weblink
The latest issue of Data & Information E-Alerts is available now from Addleshaw Goddard.
Shoosmiths extends its Manchester team
Shoosmiths has reached 100 employees at its Manchester office.
Launch of high-growth segment of the main London Stock Exchange market download
The London Stock Exchange has announced that the new high-growth segment of its main market is now open for admission to trading.
Freshfields and White & Case lead on major Indonesia share sale by CVC
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and White & Case are among a raft of firms to win roles on CVC’s sale of a $1.3bn stake in Indonesian retailer Matahari Department Stores.
King & Wood Mallesons provides Chinese translation for legal novel
King & Wood Mallesons contributes to bi-lingual legal novel.
Conyers Dill & Pearman tops Legal 500 UAE offshore rankings
Conyers Dill & Pearman has earned top marks in the UAE offshore category of Legal 500’s EMEA directory.
King & Wood Mallesons acts for Airtrain Holdings in sale to UK pension fund
King & Wood Mallesons has acted for Airtrain Holdings in its sale to USS Axle, by way of three interconditional schemes of arrangement, for AUD109.55m (£76m).
Hogan Lovells' Gorrell and Bennett feature in list of the 100 Most Influential US Lawyers
Warren Gorrell and Robert Bennett from Hogan Lovells make the National Law Journal’s list of influential US lawyers.
Ahmed Jaafir from Al Tamimi presents on Qatar exporting opportunities at seminar
Al Tamimi’s Ahmed Jaafir focuses on Qatar exporting opportunities at Dubai Exports seminar.
Restructuring & Corporate Recovery Update — March 2013 weblink
Taylor Wessing has released the March 2013 edition of its Restructuring & Corporate Update.
Chambers Global ranks Conyers as a Band 1 firm in global offshore
Conyers Dill & Pearman has been highly ranked in the 2013 edition of Chambers Global.
Chambers Global 2013 — DLA Piper full ranking summary download
DLA Piper has released a summary of all of the firm’s rankings and editorial commentary in Chambers Global 2013.
Firms find most fertile hunting ground in AIM
There’s been some client jostling in the FTSE 100 and 250 markets but firms have hooked more clients in the alternative index, show the latest quarterly adviser rankings
Karanovic & Nikolic hosts workshop focusing on anti-corruption for Croatian corporates
Karanovic & Nikolic has hosted a workshop focused on anti-corruption for Croatian corporates.
Bermuda — the next chapter of business download
The next chapter of business in Bermuda looks bright and ready to meet the emerging challenges of the evolving global economy.
Belgian boutique makes inaugural lateral hire with ex-White & Case partner
Belgian corporate boutique Strelia has made its first lateral hire since its foundation, picking up former White & Case corporate partner Gisèle Rosselle.
Chambers & Partners recognises Olswang in 2013 Global edition
Olswang has been recognised by Chambers & Partners in its 2013 Global edition.
Simmons & Simmons advises on £49m St Modwen share placing
Simmons & Simmons has advised JP Morgan Cazenove and Numis Securities on £49m share placing.
Simmons & Simmons advises European Energy on wind farm power plant acquisition
Simmons & Simmons has advised European Energy on the acquisition of wind farm power plants.
BLP confirms Collins as corporate chief as Barnes take corp fin role
Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has confirmed David Collins as the firm’s new head of corporate following the appointment of incumbent John Bennett as international business partner.
Ashurst, SNR check out as Malmaison sells to Denver private equity group
Ashurst and SNR Denton took lead roles on the sale of Malmaison and Hotel du Vin to a US private equity group.
First Australian over-the-counter derivatives rules are out download
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has taken the first concrete step to the actual implementation of G20 derivatives reforms in Australia.
Looking behind the corporate veil weblink
The Supreme Court has addressed the question of how far it is possible to ‘pierce the corporate veil’.
Taylor Wessing advises MML on acquisition of a majority stake in the ATA Group
Taylor Wessing has advised MML Capital Partners LLP on ATA Group investment.
Olswang advises Dundee International REIT on financing for office portfolio acquisition
Olswang advises Dundee International REIT on €257m financing for the acquisition of SEB Asset Management’s office portfolio.
KWM advises HeidelbergCement on agreement to control Cement Australia
King & Wood Mallesons advises HeidelbergCement on Holcim joint venture agreement to control Cement Australia.
Patrick Sherrington comments on growth plan for UK legal services sector
Hogan Lovells’ Patrick Sherrington comments on MoJ’s ‘Plan for Growth’ for the UK legal services sector.
Jurisdiction of the Hong Kong Courts re winding up and unfair prejudice petitions — offshore companies download
Hong Kong law contains a number of provisions designed to protect the interests of minority shareholders, including the “unfair prejudice” remedies under section 168A of the Companies Ordinance and the Ordinance’s “just and equitable” winding-up provisions.
Slaughters grows FTSE 250 lead with key client additions
Slaughter and May has extended its lead at the top of the FTSE 250 client rankings for the first quarter of 2013 in a market that has seen little change at the top end.
Ithaca-Valiant legal fees near £1.5m as Herbies, Pinsents erect Chinese walls
CMS and Herbies share nearly £1.5m in fees from a £203m energy takeover that saw two law firms put up Chinese walls to prevent potential conflicts.
US DoJ and SEC guidance on the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act download
For the past 10 months, the US Department of Justice and the Enforcement Division of the Securities and Exchange Commission have advised the public that they are in the process of drafting guidance for companies regarding the requirements of, and prohibitions within, the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
Ashurst and Pinsents stick neck out for Tesco's £49m Giraffe buy
Ashurst and Pinsent Masons have advised as Tesco acquires restaurant chain Giraffe for £48.6m.
Chinese court issues rules governing private antitrust litigation download
On 8 May China’s Supreme People’s Court issued its Rules on the Application of Laws for Adjudicating Civil Disputes Arising From Monopolistic Conduct.
Hogan Lovells advises UK-based Arieso on sale to US company JDSU in deal worth $85m
Hogan Lovells has advised Arieso on its sale to JDSU.
Hogan Lovells successfully acts for German antitrust regulator in €1.1bn damages claim
Hogan Lovells has successfully acted for the German FCO in a €1.1bn liability charges claim brought by GN Store Nord.
Macfarlanes eyes 'balanced' practice as shelter against deal slump
Macfarlanes is to reposition its practice by increasing the firm’s focus on advisory work, disputes and investigations, after being over-exposed to the deal market during the downturn.
Regulating right — how new British Virgin Islands reforms work download
Michael Burns, Nadia Menezes and James McConvill explore the implications of recent British Virgin Islands reforms.
The 2013 AGM and reporting season download
As the 2013 AGM and reporting season begins, we highlight the key developments and trends that listed and AIM companies should consider as they prepare for this.
Freshfields' Rawlinson brought in as LSE seals revamped LCH takeover
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer corporate star Mark Rawlinson has been brought in to advise the London Stock Exchange (LSE) on its revised €536m (£463m) offer for a controlling stake in clearing house LCH.Clearnet.
Has-bean
Big product names are in the frame again in our regular round-up of the deals and legal personalities of the month, including the sales of Dell and baked bean superstar Heinz
Divisional acquisitions: a clean break? download
This article discusses some of the issues associated with a divisional acquisition over the acquisition of an entire enterprise.
Recent news highlights — corporate and energy and infrastructure download
This briefing from Karanovic & Nikolic provides an overview of the latest legislative news and upcoming and ongoing projects in Macedonia.
Corporate and commercial
The Corporate and Commercial department is made up of 82 professionals, including 22 equity partners and 14 salary partners. We are lawyers and chartered accountants.
International trade
We provide assistance to clients engaged in cross-border operations, as well as to companies that sell goods and services in different countries.
Italian and European Community administrative law
NCTM has extensive experience in Italian and European Community administrative law.
Russia joins the WTO: practical implications for the car industry download
In theory, the move by russia to reduce trade restrictions such as import duties would give foreign businesses greater access to the Russian market.
Australia: preparing for your AGM — a checklist download
With the 2012 AGM season rapidly approaching, it is again time for Boards of ASX listed companies to turn their minds to the resolutions to be put to shareholders for approval.
Joining the Main Board: A field guide for applicants to the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange download
The Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (SEHK) is one of the world’s largest and most liquid markets for securities trading.
Malta: asset trading & holding tax efficient structuring — an overview download
A guide to obtaining tax efficiency through basing operations in Malta.
Malta’s remittance system download
A Malta incorporated company is considered ordinarily resident and domiciled in Malta & are subject to tax on their world-wide income. A company which is not incorporated in Malta but is managed and controlled in Malta is taxed on a remittance basis on its foreign sourced income.
OFT publishes final report on the Payday Lending Compliance Review weblink
The OFT has found a widespread lack of compliance on the part of licensed businesses in the payday lending market.
Appleby advises on Hong Kong-listed Guoco Group's $1.1bn privatisation
Appleby has acted as Bermuda counsel for GuoLine Overseas in Guoco privatisation deal.
RPC boosts corporate group with SJ Berwin hire
RPC has made a further addition to its corporate practice with the hire of SJ Berwin partner Anthony Shatz.
Norton Rose takes three partner team from Corrs in Australia
Norton Rose has boosted its corporate practice in Australia with the hire of three partners from Australian firm Corrs Chambers Westgarth.
Irwin Mitchell snags former DLA Birmingham head for business team
Irwin Mitchell has signed up former DLA Piper Birmingham managing partner Chris Rawstron as head of its business legal services team in the city.
The Securities Investment Business Law download
Mourant Ozannes focuses on the Securities Investment Business Law.
Karanovic & Nikolic survey of corporates confirms legal compliance as a top priority
A corporate survey by Karanovic & Nikolic has confirmed the importance of legal compliance and risk management.
Recovery of VAT on transaction costs download
It is important that transactions are structured so that VAT on transaction costs may be recovered where possible by the Bidco.
Walker Morris 'In Brief — March 2013' weblink
Walker Morris has released its In Brief publication for March 2013.
Ashurst, BLP, Skadden favourites on William Hill buyout
Ashurst and Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom have secured key instructions as Britain’s biggest bookmaker, William Hill, plans to raise £375m in a rights issue to fund the acquisition of its online division.
Hogan Lovells partner wins public law prize at ILO's Client Choice Awards
Hogan Lovells’ Lucas Osorio is the exclusive winner of International Law Office’s Client Choice Awards in the public law category for Spain.
Linklaters loses three-partner Paris team to White & Case
Linklaters is set to lose three partners, a consultant and an associate from its Paris capital markets team to US firm White & Case.
RPC joins mix as Sports Direct buys stricken retailer Republic
RPC has become the latest firm to win a mandate amid the recent spate of UK high-street casualties after being appointed by Sports Direct to advise on its purchase of Republic.
Eversheds leads as private equity house acquires HMV's Asia stores
Eversheds and Linklaters have taken lead roles on the sale of HMV Asia to Greater China private equity group AID Partners Capital
Nabarro, Stephenson Harwood fix appointment for healthcare takeover
Nabarro, Stephenson Harwood and Weil Gotshal & Manges have taken key advisory roles on the sale of healthcare group UK Specialist Hospitals (UKSH) to Care UK.
Addleshaw Goddard advises LDC on acquisition of ATG Access
Addleshaw Goddard has advised Lloyds Development Capital on its acquisition of ATG Access.
Employee shareholders: the basics download
Employee shareholder legislation is now making its way through parliament.
Olswang appoints Azlinda Ariffin-Boromand as a partner in its corporate team
Olswang has appointed Azlinda Ariffin-Boromand as a partner in the corporate team.
SullCrom's Bompoint goes solo to bridge advisory and litigation gap
Paris-based corporate star quits US firm to set up his own practice in a bid to get closer to clients on both advisory and contentious work.
Ashurst, Davis Polk and Slaughters at the wheel for Esure IPO
Ashurst, US firm Davis Polk & Wardwell and Slaughter and May have won roles advising on the planned IPO of Esure.
Adam Mycyk rejoins Chadbourne to focus on corporate and banking matters in Ukraine
Adam Mycyk has rejoined Chadbourne & Parke’s Kyiv office.
Weil's Faugérolas quits law for corporate advisory venture
Weil Paris partner Laurent Faugérolas quits legal practice and France to set up a corporate advisory boutique in London.
Court tightens scope of antitrust immunity in government-owned hospital mergers download
In a unanimous decision for the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Supreme Court found that the state action immunity doctrine does not shield Phoebe Putney Health System’s acquisition of Palmyra Park Hospital from antitrust scrutiny.
Who's Who Legal recognises King & Wood Mallesons as world-leading M&A practice
King & Wood Mallesons has been named as one of the world’s most highly regarded mergers and acquisitions (M&A) practices by Who’s Who Legal for 2013.
Global quartet hired for €1.9bn Japanese purchase of Dutch asset manager
Dutch firm De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek and Linklaters have played lead roles on ORIX’s acquisition of Dutch asset manager Robeco Groep from Rabobank.
Gibson Dunn on hand as Nat Rothschild fails in Bumi tussle
BLP, Freshfields, Gibson Dunn and Slaughters attend Bumi shareholder meeting where Nat Rothschild was defeated in his bid to assert control over the company.
Corporate and commercial law
Bowman Gilfillan has been a leader in the South African market for corporate law services for more than a century.
Corporate and tax compliance services
We provide a range of corporate and tax compliance services including the setting up of companies, management services, tax compliance and any other corporate services.
Corporate law, mergers and acquisitions
Our Corporate Law, Mergers & Acquisitions practice offers comprehensive legal services on the full spectrum of corporate transactions.
Chadbourne & Parke appoints four attorneys to counsel in New York and Washington DC
Chadbourne promotes four attorneys to counsel in New York and Washington DC.
Pamboridis selects Yiota Kythreotou Theodorou as managing partner
Pamboridis names Yiota Kythreotou Theodorou as managing partner.
Pamboridis picks Electra Papadopoulou Makedona as non-contentious head
Pamboridis has appointed Electra Papadopoulou Makedona as head of non-contentious department
Offshore deal volume and value rise but challenges remain
The total volume of offshore deals for 2012 remained lower than in the two previous years, but average deal value is on the rise.
King & Wood Mallesons represents Daimler AG in BAIC Motor transaction
King & Wood Mallesons has represented Daimler AG in a transaction involving BAIC Motor.
Corporate insights: February 2013 download
Last year saw a lacklustre IPO market in Hong Kong. Listings of equity securities dropped from a peak of 106 new listings in 2010 to 50 new listings on the Main Board in 2012.
King & Wood Mallesons appoints Stephen Minns as chairman of Australian board
King & Wood Mallesons (Australia) appoints Stephen Minns as chairman of Australian board.
Quartet of Irish firms acts as government sells state pensions business
Four of Ireland’s largest firms have taken roles on the €1.3bn (£1.1bn) sale of Irish state-owned pensions company Irish Life to Canada’s Great-West Lifeco.
Bonds issue under the UAE local laws download
Companies have many different ways to raise financing — either by way of equity financing or by way of debt financing.
Appropriation of financial collateral: relief available download
The Privy Council recently considered whether a security provider whose collateral had been appropriated as allowed by the Financial Collateral Arrangements (No.2) Regulations 2003 was entitled to relief from forfeiture.
Slaughters joins Sullivan and Paul Weiss on Countrywide IPO
City lawyers at trio of firms land key roles on IPO of UK estate agency.
Appleby report looks at offshore M&A activity for Q4 2012 download
This report from Appleby looks at offshore M&A activity for Q4 2012.
Taylor Wessing plays role in NASDAQ Dubai exchange advisory group
Taylor Wessing is part of NASDAQ Dubai’s advisory group.
Olswang advises Warner Music Group on £487m acquisition of Parlophone
Olswang has advised WMG on its acquisition of Parlophone.
DLA Piper's Tony Angel joins delegation to boost UK business relationships with India
DLA Piper global co-chairman joins business delegation to India.
Bermuda Monetary Authority to regulate corporate service providers download
Appleby (Bermuda) is applying to become a licensed corporate service provider.
Anti-corruption compliance
Our anti-corruption compliance team offers legal advice on internal investigations.
Antitrust
Our antitrust team provides legal advice on merger control, cartels and abuse of dominant positions, restrictive practices and agreements and compliance.
Corporate and commercial Law
Our team has the skills, experience and resources to provide assistance on all aspects of corporate transactions and commercial contracts.
Mergers and acquisitions
Our mergers and acquisitions team has experience in private acquisitions, privitisations and public procurements.
Walker Morris advises N 1 Singer and Cenkos Securities on Communisis share-placing deal
Walker Morris advises N 1 and Cenkos on Communisis share-placing deal
Penalty clauses — how to spot them and how to avoid them download
As highlighted by a recent High Court decision, any party hoping to rely on forfeiture clauses, put and call arrangements or compulsory buy-back provisions will need to ensure that they do not constitute unenforceable penalties. We look at the practical points to consider arising from the case.
Fleet of US firms advise on $11bn American Airlines merger
Debevoise, Latham, Skadden and Weil among counsel on AMR tie-up with US Airways
US firms Davis Polk and Kirkland feed on Heinz takeover
Davis Polk, Kirkland and Wachtell were among the advisers on the $28bn (£18bn) takeover of food giant Heinz by an investment consortium.
Corporate law
Our dedicated commercial law team is geared to provide full and high-level support on all stages and levels of our corporate clients’ business expansion.
Tax planning
Cyprus, being one of the most reputable low-tax jurisdictions in the European Union, gave the initiative for the creation of a specialised tax planning department in Nicosia with a strong presence in Athens.
Corporate and tax
MOLITOR has extensive experience in counselling and assisting a broad range of companies in all areas of corporate law.
Next-generation data collection download
Learn about next-generation targeted collection solutions that save time and money on downstream data processing and attorney review.
Information governance for lawyers — legal spend management download
This report shows how working with TyMetrix has enabled four international organisations to better understand their spend with external counsel and make significant savings on legal advice.
K&L Gates hires Fulbright partner for Houston launch
K&L Gates has launched in Houston with the hire of Fulbright & Jaworski securities head Charles Strauss ahead of the latter’s merger with Norton Rose.
Corporate and commercial
We advise clients on all aspects of company law, including matters related to annual and extraordinary general meetings of shareholders.
Insolvency mandate analysis: Unhappy snaps
In the first of our regular round-ups of the deals and legal personalities of the month just passed, casualties of the credit crunch were to the fore, including Jessops
White & Case and Speechly advise on Handelsbanken-Heartwood deal
White & Case and Speechly Bircham advise as Swedish bank Handelsbanken acquires wealth and investment manager Heartwood Wealth Group.
Securities compliance
We work closely with our domestic and foreign corporate clients to interpret, implement and assure compliance with a wide range of securities law compliance matters.
Al Tamimi announces partner promotions across the Middle East
Al Tamimi & Company has announced a series of partner promotions across the Middle East.
Mergers and acquisitions
We handle some of the biggest and most significant mergers and acquisitions (M&A) deals in the Middle East.
Family business
Our Family Business Practice is the market leader in the GCC region and is dedicated to building and engineering the legal structures and binding understandings necessary to insulate family-controlled businesses and assets from external threats and internal family dialogue debates.
Corporate structuring
Our dedicated corporate structuring practice is a unique offering in the Middle East.
Corporate governance
We are one of the few law firms in the region with a dedicated corporate governance practice.
Public company and corporate governance
The Curtis Public Company and Corporate Governance practice is dedicated to advising our public company clients on securities regulatory and stock-exchange-listed company compliance matters, as well as all aspects of corporate governance.
Mergers and acquisitions
The Mergers and Acquisitions practice advises private and public entities in a range of transactional matters, counselling buyers, sellers and targets in connection with mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, leveraged buyouts, strategic alliances and other related transactions.
Corporate
The firm’s corporate lawyers represent clients at every stage of development, from start-up companies operating domestically to private and publicly traded companies, joint ventures and sovereign-owned entities transacting business worldwide.
Linklaters clinches top role as Moscow Exchange gears up for IPO
Linklaters has landed the lead role advising the Moscow Exchange, Russia’s primary stock index, on its planned stock market flotation, which is set to value the company at up to $4.6bn (£2.9bn).
Corporate governance and risk oversight
Attorneys from Chadbourne & Parke’s corporate, litigation and executive compensation practice areas regularly represent corporations, boards of directors and board committees on a wide range of corporate governance and risk oversight matters.
Corporate
Lawyers in Chadbourne’s corporate practice represent domestic and international clients in connection with a broad range of business transactions.
Corporate and securities
Corporate and securities law is at the core of Mayer Brown’s practice in every one of its offices worldwide.
Simmons and in-housers advise as Abramovich invests £70m in Truphone
Simmons & Simmons has advised UK mobile telecoms company Truphone as Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich pays £70m for a 23.3 per cent stake.
DWF seals Cobbetts takeover as Pinsents advises KPMG administrators
Cobbetts went into administration at the High Court today (6 February) with the whole business immediately sold in a pre-pack deal to fellow Manchester firm DWF.
Corporate
Corporate law is one of King & Wood Mallesons’ core practices.
Corporate
Our corporate group will be able to advise you on how to achieve your business objectives.
Listing and Prospectus Rules update: A round-up of changes to the UK FSA Handbook in 2012 download
In January 2012, the UK Financial Services Authority published a consultation paper in which it set out numerous proposals for changes to the Listing Rules, Prospectus Rules and Disclosure Rules and Transparency Rules.
M&A transactions — legitimate non-compete or market-sharing download
While in most M&A transactions it is standard practice for a Purchaser to insist on non-compete and non-solicitation restrictions from the Vendor, one does need to ensure they are drafting within what is deemed permissible to ensure they are enforceable and avoid risk fines under EU competition law.
Panel warning on deal protections: UK Takeover Panel review of the 2011 changes to the Code download
The Takeover Panel has conducted its promised operational review of the reforms to the Code which took effect in September 2011.
Regulatory
Our integrated team of experts from across the firm has the expertise and knowledge to meet all of your regulatory needs.
Corporate and commercial
Appleby’s corporate and commercial lawyers are part of a truly international practice operating from our offices in Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Guernsey, Hong Kong, the Isle of Man, Jersey, London, Mauritius, the Seychelles and Zurich.
US and UK firms advise as Liberty Global buys Virgin Media in $23bn deal
Fried Frank and Shearman join host of firms advising on the $23.3bn (£14.9bn) takeover of Virgin Media.
US firms win roles on $24bn Dell buyout in major post-crisis LBO
Debevoise & Plimpton, Hogan Lovells, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz have taken advisory roles on the $24.4bn (£15.5bn) leveraged buyout (LBO) of Dell, reported to be the biggest take-private since the financial crisis.
King & Wood Mallesons advises on cross-border wind farm acquisition
King & Wood Mallesons has advised Guohua Energy Investment Co (Guohua) on its acquisition of a 75 per cent stake in Hydro Tasmania’s 168MW Musselroe wind farm project.
Freshfields and Herbert Smith lead on latest foreign utilities takeover
Freshfields and Herbies advise on the £164.5m takeover of Sutton & East Surrey Water by Japan’s Sumitomo Corporation.
Corporate
The issues facing today’s businesses and entrepreneurs are broadly the same, but the solutions rarely are. We can advise you on all the legal aspects of your corporate and business life.
Corporate
Olswang’s Corporate Group advises on a broad range of corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions transactions.
Corporate
Hogan Lovells’ corporate team comprises more than 1,000 corporate lawyers located in the world’s major financial centres.
Corporate
Addleshaw Goddard’s Corporate Division offers an impressive track record of leading expertise in the UK. The division deals with all aspects of corporate law.
Corporate
Our 200-strong international corporate practice has its finger firmly on the market pulse and is highly skilled at devising innovative solutions that will help overcome the obstacles your business is facing.
HgCapital installs former Clifford Chance lawyer as general counsel
Private equity house HgCapital has appointed former Clifford Chance senior associate Andrew Jessop as its general counsel in a move that sees former legal chief Alison Hampton move to a compliance role.
Nabarro advises on Bayfield & Trinity merger on AIM
Nabarro continues to advise on major AIM-related M&A having advised on the proposed merger between Bayfield Energy Holdings, an upstream oil and gas exploration and production company with interests in Trinidad & Tobago and South Africa, with Trinity Exploration & Production.
Corporate
Corporate work is at the heart of our practice. We advise on the laws of the BVI, Cayman Islands, Guernsey and Jersey and on which of these jurisdictions is most appropriate for a particular transaction.
Corporate
Our corporate group is led by a team of partners widely regarded as leaders in their field and who are regularly recommended by clients and intermediaries.
Corporate
Comprehensively covering all corporate legal services, Karanovic & Nikolic’s corporate department plays a pivotal role in providing legal advice to many clients.
Commercial and corporate
Our commercial and corporate lawyers are known for their responsiveness, their value for money and their pragmatism.
Corporate
With an upsurge in global corporate transactions, companies must continually position themselves to access markets and technology, improve margins and reduce their exposure to risk.
LG and SNR Denton advise as Dragons' Den star buys Jessops brand
Lawrence Graham (LG) and SNR Denton have taken lead roles on the sale of the Jessops brand and certain assets to a group including Dragons’ Den entrepreneur Peter Jones.
Corporate
The ethos within the Corporate Group at Walker Morris is to create value for clients by investing the time to understand their businesses.
Corporate
Our corporate practice has a demonstrable record for high-value, complex and world-class deals.
The Appleby 2012 offshore round-up: civil procedure download
Appleby’s review of the key decisions on matters of civil procedure and remedies handed down in the leading offshore jurisdictions during 2012.
Guide to listing on Trop-X download
The first Seychelles Securities Exchange was launched at the end of November 2012 and will provide facilities for the listing and trading of securities issued by companies and investment entities.
Guide to CISX listing of investment funds download
Many institutional investors are constrained by their internal investment policies or by regulation to investing in securities which are listed, or to limit their exposure to investments that are not listed, on stock exchanges recognized for the purposes of such restrictions.
Guide to cell companies in Jersey download
This Guide explains the concept of the cell company which culminated in the inclusion of the Companies (Amendment No. 8) (Jersey) Law 2005 of Part 18D of the Companies (Jersey) Law 1991.
Business Bermuda Nexus — November 2012 download
Newsletter on business affairs in Bermuda, covering private equity, Islamic finance and the rise of the insurance-linked securities marlet.
Olswang Corporate Quarterly — Spring 2012 download
An overview of issues in corporate law, featuring market abuse, debt restructuring and the CRC energy efficiency regulations.
Olswang Corporate Quarterly — Autumn 2012 download
An overview of issues in corporate law, including indemnity insurance and the balance of power between directors and shareholders.
Welcome clarity on online sales in China for foreign investors from an unexpected source but uncertainty remains for the VIE structure download
With a netizenship of over 500 million users and potential for further increases considering its population and demographics, China’s online sales market has become too big for international businesses to ignore.
Equity capital markets: Roadmap of a listing in London download
Hogan Lovells has prepared a roadmap of the key issues to consider when planning your listing in London.
Representation or Warranty? download
A recent English High Court decision reminds us the vital differences between representations and warranties - features that are commonly, but unwisely, glossed over when drafting agreements.
Equity capital markets: Proportionate disclosure checklist download
In September 2009, the European Commission published proposals to amend the Prospectus Directive with the aim of simplifying its application and increasing efficiency.
New filing form to increase burden in Chinese merger control process download
On 6 June, 2012, China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) posted online a revised template form for filing merger clearance applications in China.
Chinese cartel busters impose record fines on foreign LCD makers download
The National Development and Reform Commission has started 2013 with a bang.
London: Equity Capital Markets download
Whilst there has been a global decline in the number of new public listings, the UK has long been a popular listing destination.
Client note: doing business in Germany download
German law offers numerous alternatives for pursuing entrepreneurial activities. The corporate legal forms available for this purpose are for the most part defined in German statutory regulations which may be modified by contractual provisions to a greater or lesser extent.
New CSRC guidance for overseas listing by Chinese companies download
The China Securities Regulatory Commission (“CSRC”) released its Regulatory Guidance on Application Documents and Examination Procedures of Issuing Shares Abroad and Overseas Listing by Company Limited by Shares (“Guidance”) on 20 December 2012.
Disclosing inside information: Can investors still be brought ‘over the wall’? download
A string of recent, high-profile enforcement actions by the FSA has highlighted the risk for companies and financial advisers of improperly disclosing inside information.
China antitrust review 2012 download
Looking back at 2012, four years after China implemented its Anti-Monopoly Law, we can discern some important ways in which China’s antitrust regime today both mirrors and departs from antitrust regimes in other jurisdictions to which our clients are subject.
Executive remuneration: changes in 2013 download
Coming reforms intend to ‘strengthen the hand of shareholders to challenge excessive pay’ and include the introduction of a binding vote on a company’s future pay policy.
Excessive director remuneration download
Section 994 of the Companies Act 2006 gives the shareholders of a company the right to issue proceedings against that company where they feel that the company has been or is being conducted in a manner that is unfairly prejudicial to the shareholders.
Can a warranty also be a representation? download
The High Court has recently considered whether express warranties in a share purchase agreement could also amount to representations by the sellers.
Shoosmiths advises SecureData Europe on acquisition
Shoosmiths has advised August Equity’s SecureData Europe on its acquisition of Quadrant Networks.
Conyers’ Hong Kong office wins five China Business Law Journal Deal of the Year awards
Conyers Dill & Pearman’s Hong Kong office has won five China Business Law Journal Deal of the Year awards.
Dubai: liability of shareholders in a limited liability company download
A Limited Liability Company as defined by Article 218 of the UAE Commercial Companies Law is a company in which the liability of its partner is limited only to the extent of their shares in the capital.
UK to introduce 'class actions' in antitrust litigation download
Following a nine-month consultation process, the UK government has announced proposals for far-reaching changes to the mechanisms for seeking redress in antitrust actions.
UK implementation of amendments to the Prospectus Directive – where are we now? download
A look ahead to amendmends to the 2000 Financial Services and Amendments Act and UK prospectus rules in the light of the EU’s Prospectus Directive.
SFC consults the market about increased responsibilities for listing sponsors download
The Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) published its “Consultation Paper on the regulation of sponsors” on 9 May 2012.
Pre-IPO Investments: The Dos and Don’ts download
A guide to the do’s and don’ts of initial public offerings on the Hong Kong stock exchange.
Changes to Hong Kong’s false market avoidance regime impact issuers and guarantors of listed debt securities download
Details of changes to Hong Kong’s false market avoidance regime, and their impact on issuers and guarantors of listed debt securities
Hong Kong adopts new competition law: part 1 download
After years of consultation and debate, and in the face of continuing opposition from many business sector representatives, Hong Kong is finally on the verge of enacting its first cross-sector competition law.
Bonus deferral: pitfalls for the unwary download
The additional rate of tax, which applies to taxable income above £150,000, has stood at 50% since it was introduced in April 2010.
Asian suppliers alert: conflict minerals disclosure requirements download
On 22 August 2012, the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) adopted a final rule pursuant to the directives of the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act compelling certain companies with U.S. securities reporting obligations to assess and disclose their use of “conflict minerals”.
A quick look at the new SFC guidelines on disclosure of inside information download
Hong Kong’s new statutory price sensitive information/inside information disclosure regime (PSI Disclosure Regime) will take effect on 1 January 2013.
Olswang strengthens corporate team with German partner
Olswang has added new partner Thomas Schubert to its German team.
Counting the cost of breaking competition law: The OFT increases penalties download
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is increasing the stakes for breaching competition law with harsher penalties.
Competition: European Commission cannot conduct a ‘fishing expedition’ during a dawn raid download
In two recent judgments, the European General Court (the General Court) has provided insight into the vexed question of just how far a competition authority can go when it carries out a “dawn raid”.
Changes to the prospectus regime from 1 July 2012 download
The prospectus regime is being amended throughout Europe.
Mandatory carbon reporting for UK quoted businesses download
Yesterday, Nick Clegg announced that the Government will enact legislation mandating that all companies listed on the London Stock Exchange must measure and report their greenhouse gas emissions from April 2013.
Warning on potential Takeover Code breaches: deal protection measures and offeror intentions highlighted download
As the amendments to the UK Takeover Code come into force, this briefing summarises the issues facing takeover deals.
June 2012: TransAtlantic newsletter download
Covering issues facing US companies in the UK market.
Directors’ indemnities and D&O cover download
In the current economic climate, directors must be prepared for the unpleasant possibility of claims for personal liability being brought against them.
Helping recovery in the IPO markets download
A number of year end reports have drawn attention to the falling number of companies coming to market for the first time over the last five years – in London, by more than half.
Corporate practice newswire: September 2012 download
Monthly update on issues in corportate law, covering acquisitions, international dispute resolution and investment in Ukraine.
Corporate practice newswire: December 2012 download
An update on issues in corporate law, covering acquisition agreements, insurance-linked securities and the general economic climate in Europe.
Corporate update: February 2012 download
Analysis of changes to executive remuneration policy, changes to market listing rules and trouble in the eurozone.
FSA consults on proposed changes to Listing Rules download
The Financial Services Authority (FSA) recently published Consultation Paper 12/2 (CP) on 26 January 2012 setting out proposals for a range of changes to the Listing Rules (LRs), the Prospectus Rules (PRs) and Disclosure and Transparency Rules (DTRs). The changes are being proposed to reflect developments in market practice.
Carbon Reduction Commitment and co-investment structures download
The Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme (CRC) is now well under way but confusion still reigns over the application of many areas of the scheme.
Mayor Brown advises on US commercial paper programme
Mayer Brown has announced today that it advised China International Marine Containers (Hong Kong) Limited (CIMC) on the establishment of a $600m US commercial paper programme supported by a letter of credit from Bank of China, New York Branch.
2013 proxy season update — five key executive compensation considerations download
In addition to the normal disclosure required in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis portion of the annual proxy statement, companies should consider five other matters when preparing the 2013 proxy statement.
A&O and McCanns lead for Bord Gais as Irish asset sale begins
Allen & Overy (A&O) and McCann Fitzgerald have won lead roles as Ireland’s state-owned energy provider Bord Gáis Éireann (BGE) prepares to sell off its energy business in the first major asset sale by the Irish government.
Sportingbet takeover legal fees reach £6.85m as host of firms advise
Addleshaw Goddard, Ashurst and Nabarro will share the bulk of up to £6.85m in legal fees for their advice on the joint takeover bid for online betting outfit Sportingbet by William Hill and GVC Holdings, official filings have disclosed.
Hot 100: Gareth Price, Allen & Overy
In The Lawyer’s search for stars of the energy market one name came up over and over again - Gareth Price.
Hot 100: Iain Wagstaff, Linklaters video
While 2012 may have been a flat year for many M&A lawyers, it kept Linklaters’ corporate partner Iain Wagstaff extremely busy working on several large scale, cross-border transactions.
Hot 100: Jonathan King, Osborne Clarke video
Osborne Clarke equity capital markets head (ECM) and corporate finance specialist Jonathan King (scroll down for video interview) has made quite a name for himself in recent years.
Fenwick and O'Melveny join local firm as Cisco buys Israeli software group
US firms Fenwick & West and O’Melveny & Myers and Israel’s Herzog Fox & Neeman have landed roles as Cisco acquires Israeli software maker Intucell for an estimated $475m (£300m).
Hot 100: Allen Hanen, Herbert Smith Freehills
It would be wrong to describe Herbert Smith Freehills partner Allen Hanen as a rising star in his firm, but his profile has shot up since standing unsuccessfully for senior partner at Herbert Smith in 2009/10.
Hot 100: Andrew McDonald, Premier Foods
Trading performance at British brands powerhouse Premier Foods was at its worst when Andrew McDonald joined as general counsel in 2011 from food manufacturer Uniq.
Hot 100: Christine Phillips, Field Fisher Waterhouse video
Field Fisher Waterhouse corporate finance partner Christine Phillips spent much of 2012 on one of the highest-profile deals of the year, advising Rangers FC.
Hot 100: Dan Oates, Kirkland & Ellis video
Having qualified as a lawyer in 2004, Dan Oates’ (scroll down for video interview) rise in the legal world has been meteoric.
Hot 100: David Beech, Knights video
Knights Solicitors managing partner David Beech (scroll down for video interview) is a man with a plan, and the plan is to turn the Midlands-based firm into a capital-rich business with a nimble management structure.
Hot 100: Hilary Evenett, Clifford Chance video
In the wake of the credit crunch, corporate transactions have become a lot more complicated.
Hot 100: Jennifer Bethlehem, Freshfields video
Freshfields’ Jennifer Bethlehem is not a run-of-the-mill corporate partner. To start with, she is the relationship partner for key clients such as Goldman Sachs, Rolls-Royce and Novartis.
Hot 100: Lucie Cawood, Travers Smith video
Last year (2012) marked an important milestone in Lucie Cawood’s professional and personal life.
Hot 100: Nilema Bhakta-Jones, Top Right Group video
The first major challenge Nilema Bhakta-Jones (scroll down for video interview) took on following her promotion to group legal director at Emap in 2008 was to advise on one of Europe’s largest transactions in the media sector at the time.
Hot 100: Raj Karia, Norton Rose video
Norton Rose corporate partner Raj Karia (scroll down for video interview) had a stellar 2012, thanks in part to his firm’s multiple mergers in the preceding few years.
Hot 100: Sandeep Katwala, Linklaters video
Sandeep Katwala, managed to fit in a three-month sabbatical into a year in which he oversaw the firm’s alliance with SA’s Webber Wentzel and the historic BP Reliance Industries deal in India.
Hot 100: Solomon Wifa, O'Melveny & Myers
Almost three years ago Solomon Wifa made his mark in the legal community as he became the youngest-ever managing partner of O’Melveny & Myers in London at the age of 37.
Olswang assists with £66m investment by US equity firm
Olswang has acted for INTO University Partnerships, a global education partnering organisation, on the acquisition by Leeds Equity Partners of a 25 per cent stake of the business for £66m.
Olswang advises on financing of TV drama production company
Olswang has acted for leading TV drama producers Greg Brenman and Roanna Benn on the foundation of Drama Republic Ltd, the pair’s new London-based production company.
The FCPA in 2012 download
The year 2012 will probably be remembered in the annals of FCPA history as the year of the Guidance.
Addleshaw Goddard advises Admiral Taverns on US investment
Addleshaw Goddard has advised Admiral Taverns, one of the largest pub companies in the UK, on its £200m acquisition by US-based private investment firm, Cerberus Capital Management.
Addleshaws, Hogan Lovells, Links lead as Lloyds sells pub group to PE house
Addleshaw Goddard, Hogan Lovells and Linklaters all had roles on US private equity house Cerberus Capital Management’s £200m acquisition of pub group Admiral Taverns from Lloyds Banking Group.
US SEC approves NYSE and Nasdaq listing standards on compensation committees and advisers download
On 11 January 2013, the SEC approved the NYSE and Nasdaq listing standards, as amended, to implement the SEC’s requirement that national securities exchanges prohibit the listing of any equity security of an issuer that does not comply with the SEC’s rules regarding the independence of compensation committees and their advisers.
Walker Morris's Corporate Group reports increased activity in 2012
Walker Morris has announced that its Corporate Group completed more than 120 deals in 2012 — a 24 per cent increase on the previous year.
Salans advises as Hilco buys struggling HMV's debt
Salans has advised restructuring specialist Hilco in its purchase of HMV’s £176m debt.
Ashurst joins local firms on Aviva's sale of Malaysian joint venture
Ashurst and a group of Malaysian firms have advised on the RM1.8bn (£373m) sale of Aviva’s Malaysian joint venture CIMB-Aviva to Sun Life Financial and Khazanah.
Slaughters and Davis Polk among advisers as Aviva sells last Delta stake
Slaughter and May has taken a lead advisory role alongside US firms Davis Polk & Wardwell and Willkie Farr & Gallagher and Benelux outfit De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek on UK insurer Aviva’s disposal of its remaining stake in Dutch rival Delta Lloyd.
Rule 10b5-1 plans: what you need to know download
Rule 10b5-1 plans are back in the news.
Recent developments in executive compensation litigation — January 2013 download
In the current environment and in the wake of Dodd-Frank (and, before that, TARP) mandated rules requiring shareholder advisory votes on executive compensation, shareholder-plaintiffs have more aggressively challenged executive compensation decisions.
Insider trading annual review — 2012 download
2012 gave us another year of aggressive enforcement of insider trading laws.
Mayer Brown and Slaughters on adviser roster as CWC sells Macau business
Mayer Brown JSM and Slaughter and May have taken advisory roles on Cable & Wireless Communications’ (CWC) agreement to sell its controlling stake in a Macau telecom company to CITIC Telecom International for $750m (£466m) in cash.
Olswang helps QSoft transfer radio licences
Olswang has acted for long-standing client QSoft Consulting in a transaction to transfer its Gaydar Radio DAB Broadcasting licenses to Gaydio, the UK’s first FM gay radio station.
FINRA provides early guidance about Its exam priorities download
In its annual summary of regulatory and examination priorities, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) signaled that it will aggressively pursue market misconduct.
Conditional-fee deal to gift Dickson Minto £1m bonus on Barr-Britvic merger
Dickson Minto is set to receive a bonus of more than £1m from client AG Barr when the drinks company’s merger with Britvic completes after the firm agreed a conditional fee for its advice on the deal.
Bonelli and White & Case scoop lead roles on €2.5bn Generali deal
Italian firm Bonelli Erede Pappalardo and White & Case have taken the lead roles as Italy’s largest insurer Generali acquires a 49 per cent stake in joint venture partner PPF Group, a Czech and Dutch private equity group.
EMW, Morgan Cole and Shoosmiths install Cambridge software group's MBO
EMW, Morgan Cole and Shoosmiths have all won headline roles as WestBridge Capital backs the £6m management buyout (MBO) of Cambridge-based Anglia Business Solutions in return for a 43 per cent stake in the business.
Fee radical
Our latest in-depth analysis of UK M&A legal bills reveals a good performance by smaller firms and success fees on the rise
FFW, Mayer Brown advise as Abramovich invests in Oxford green-tech group
Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW) and Mayer Brown have won roles advising on a deal that sees Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich invest £4.3m in a small gas-to-liquids technology company.
2012 year-end German law update download
In retrospect, 2012 likely will be remembered as another year of manifold challenges in the Eurozone and of slow consolidation rather than one of fundamental reform or renaissance.
Ince & Co advises on formation of Epic Pantheon International Gas Shipping Ltd
Ince & Co has advised on the formation of Epic Pantheon International Gas Shipping Ltd.
European Commission publishes 2013 action plan on key changes to European company law download
The European Commission has published an Action Plan on European company law and corporate governance for 2013.
Selected issues for boards of directors in 2013 download
In the years since the financial reporting scandals and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, and in particular following the financial crisis and the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010, boards of directors have faced greater burdens and more intense scrutiny of their activities and performance.
LG, Norton Rose, W&C advise on investment group Seref's £230m IPO
Lawrence Graham (LG), Norton Rose and White & Case all advised on Starwood European Real Estate Finance’s (Seref) £228.5m IPO on the London Stock Exchange.
Linklaters and White & Case lead as Bupa buys Polish healthcare group
Linklaters and White & Case have landed the lead mandates as Bupa makes its first foray into the Polish healthcare market by acquiring the country’s largest healthcare provider LuxMed Group from Mid Europa Partners for €400m (£326m).
Freshfields quartet quits Milan office to join Italian boutique
A team of senior lawyers from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s Milan office has left the firm to join former colleagues at Italian boutique Orsingher.
Corporate internal investigations: best practices, pitfalls to avoid download
Corporations are being scrutinised today as never before. Public and private companies alike are examined and investigated not only by the US government, but by increasing numbers of local, state, and foreign government agencies.
CSRC scraps quantitative thresholds for offshore listings by PRC companies download
China Securities Regulatory Commission, the securities regulator of the People’s Republic China, has scrapped quantitative threshold requirements for Chinese companies applying for offshore listings by promulgating new guidelines on 20 December 2012.
Freshfields' trip
Latest M&A data puts Freshfields ahead of Linklaters on the global stage
RPC victorious in bid to advise Ofcom on 4G auction
RPC has won a three-way pitch to advise Ofcom on the bidding process for the auction of 4G mobile broadband bandwidth.
Goodman Derrick — a review of 2012 download
Goodman Derrick looks back at its achievements over the past year.
Mergers & Acquisitions and corporate governance report — December 2012 download
An overview of recent cases related to M&A and corporate governance.
EU Commission proposes 2013 action plan for company law and corporate governance download
On 12 December 2012, the European Commission published an Action Plan with initiatives it intends to undertake in 2013 in the fields of EU company law and corporate governance.
FCPA update — December 2012 download
An update on issues arising from the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, including Transparency International’s 2012 Corruption Perceptions Index DOJ and SEC discussions on FCPA guidance and current enforcement issues, and news from the BRICs.
S&C and Wachtell take the lead on NYSE Euronext merger
US firms Sullivan & Cromwell and Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz have picked up the lead roles advising on exchange operator IntercontinentalExchange’s (Ice) $8.2bn (£5bn) acquisition of NYSE Euronext.
Herbies and Hogan Lovells lead on BlackRock-Deutsche property fund merger
Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) and Hogan Lovells have taken the lead roles as global asset manager BlackRock merges its UK property fund with Deutsche Bank’s real estate fund group RREEF to form what the parties describe as the UK’s largest property unit trust.
Public company priorities for the new year download
Looking ahead to 2013, directors, executives and general counsel of public companies can take some solace from the fact that 2012 was not a year in which a large number of significant new disclosure rules or governance requirements were adopted.
Linklaters keeps top spot for UK M&A as US firms climb up rankings
Linklaters has held onto its position as the most prolific adviser on UK M&A, as annual deals data for 2012 shows US firms stealing a march on their City competitors.
Bond Pearce picks up Maclays quartet ahead of Dickinson Dees tie-up
Bond Pearce has announced the hire of four oil and gas partners in Aberdeen from Scottish firm Maclay Murray & Spens as it prepares for its merger with Dickinson Dees.
Freshfields and Slaughters lead as Malaysian tycoon bids to take HK's Guoco private
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Linklaters and Slaughter and May have won advisory roles on a $1.1bn (£657m) offer to take private Hong Kong-listed investment holding company Guoco Group.
Novoship obtains Commercial Court judgment
Novoship (part of Sovcomflot Group) has obtained a Commercial Court judgment of approx. US$169m.
Russia’s accession to the World Trade Organization: challenges and opportunities for Russian companies download
On 22 August 2012, after 19 years of negotiations, the Russian Federation became the 156th member of the World Trade Organization.
Corporate litigation: Big-boy letters and non-reliance provisions download
Private investment transactions between sophisticated parties often include a negotiated agreement, sometimes called a ‘big-boy letter’, in which the buyer acknowledges that it has made its own independent assessment of the risks involved, including that the seller or other counterparty may possess material, non-public information regarding the issuer which has not been disclosed to the buyer.
Myanmar’s new foreign investment law download
This month has marked some significant milestones for Myanmar (also known as Burma) which, as a former pariah state, has recently emerged as the new investment hotspot in Asia due to its rich natural resources and untapped markets.
Consultation conclusions on the regulation of Hong Kong IPO sponsors download
On 12 December 2012, the Securities and Futures Commission published its eagerly anticipated consultation conclusions concerning the regulation of IPO sponsors.
Herbert Smith and Norton Rose join US firms on Virgin Atlantic stake sale
Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) and Norton Rose have won advisory roles alongside American firms on an agreement that sees US carrier Delta Air Lines buy a 49 per cent stake in Virgin Atlantic Airways from Singapore Airlines for $360m (£224m).
Nabarro advises UK Coal on restructuring as Coalfield Resources plc
Nabarro has advised long-term client UK Coal on the restructuring of its business which completed on Monday 10 December. The company will now be known as Coalfield Resources plc.
Akin Gump, Hogan Lovells, Linklaters lead on $1.2bn MegaFon mobile deal
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, Hogan Lovells and Linklaters have taken the lead roles as Russian telephone giant MegaFon acquires an indirect 50 per cent stake in Russian mobile retailer Euroset for $1.2bn (£750m).
UK Serious Fraud Office focuses on overseas corruption with Rolls-Royce investigation download
Aerospace and defence companies, foreign intermediaries and anti-corruption legislation are back in the spotlight.
CC and Freshfields steer major European acquisition for China's Jinsheng
Clifford Chance and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have advised on Chinese company Jinsheng Industry’s SFr650m (£436m) acquisition of business units from Swiss-based Oerlikon, one of the largest outbound Chinese investments in the German-speaking market in 2012.
Latham and Linklaters lead as Philip Green sells stake in Topshop
Latham & Watkins and Linklaters have advised as Arcadia Group owner Philip Green agrees to sell a 25 per cent stake in Topshop and Topman to US private equity group Leonard Green and Partners.
FCPA update — May 2012 download
An update on cases related to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, including the DOJ’s case against Morgan Stanley, the British government’s proposals concerning deferred prosecution agreements, and developments in Russia’s fight against corruption.
Stephenson Harwood boosts City AIM practice with LG hire
Stephenson Harwood has clinched the hire of Lawrence Graham (LG) energy and natural resources head Tom Nicholls in a boost for its City corporate practice.
Linklaters joins Norton Rose and new SA ally on £1.3bn Barclays Africa sale
Linklaters and Norton Rose have advised alongside the magic circle firm’s new South African ally Webber Wentzel as Johannesburg bank Absa Group buys Barclays’ African operations for £1.3bn.
RPC taps Wragges for three-strong senior corporate team
RPC is set to bulk up its corporate practice with the hire of a three-partner City team from Wragge & Co including former managing partner Richard Haywood and current corporate chief Maurice Dwyer.
Magic circle trio advises as HSBC sells stake in Chinese insurer
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has advised HSBC on the $9.4bn (£5.8bn) sale of its entire shareholding in China’s Ping An Insurance Group to Thai conglomerate Charoen Pokphand Group, which was represented by Linklaters.
Herbies to send corporate and property due diligence work to Belfast
Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) is set to expand its Belfast-based legal support unit to include corporate due diligence and real estate work.
Ince & Co hits Clydes for corporate insurance partner
Ince & Co has appointed former Clyde & Co partner Richard Britain as head of its newly formed corporate insurance practice.
Insider trading plans in spotlight again download
The spotlight is shining once again on the use (and possible abuse) of Rule 10b5-1 trading plans by corporate executives.
Legal fees hit £1.4m on real estate merger as Nabarro, Travers lead
Nabarro and Travers Smith were the main beneficiaries of the near £1.4m in legal fees spent by London & Stamford Property and Metric Property Investments ahead of their £800m merger.
Akin Gump and Dechert win roles as Kazakh oil group restructures debt
US firms Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld and Dechert won roles on the debt restructuring of Kazakhstan-focused oil and gas group Max Petroleum through a new $90m (£56m) credit facility.
CC, Freshfields and Links among firms on call for Kazakh mobile IPO
Clifford Chance, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Linklaters have all clinched roles as Kazakh mobile operator Kcell looks to list in London and Kazakhstan.
FCPA update — November 2012 download
In this issue: US enforcement agencies issue extensive new FCPA guidance; recent surveys highlight anti-corruption trends facing companies; Italy adopts new anti-corruption law.
Dodd-Frank derivatives 101: what in-house counsel needs to know now download
What in-house counsel needs to know now about Dodd-Frank derivatives 101.
Island of calm on a storm-lashed continent
Lawyers gathered in London last week to hear why Luxembourg offers such big potential for investors. In association with Wildgen
Freshfields and MoFo take lead roles on DMGT local paper sell-off
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Morrison & Foerster (MoFo), Norton Rose and Olswang have advised as the Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT) sells its regional newspaper arm Northcliffe Media to a consortium led by former Mirror Group CEO David Montgomery.
Ashurst, Freshfields and SJ Berwin seal Nomura property sale
Ashurst, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and SJ Berwin were among the advisers on the acquisition of residential property company Annington Homes by Guy Hands’ private equity group Terra Firma.
Egorov ups English law capacity with hire from Herbies' Moscow team
Russian law firm Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners has hired Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) English-qualified corporate and energy partner Robin Wittering to join its Moscow office.
Myanmar adopts new foreign investment law download
After a period of intense political wrangling and lengthy delays, on 2 November 2012 the President of Myanmar signed into effect a new foreign investment law (the FIL) to replace the previous foreign investment law enacted in 1988.
ISS and Glass Lewis release 2013 voting guideline updates download
The proxy advisory firms Glass Lewis & Co. and Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. recently released the 2013 updates to their US proxy voting guidelines.
What the SEC and DOJ resource guide to the FCPA means for multinational companies download
After a year of waiting, the Department of Justice and Securities and Exchange Commission issued A Resource Guide to the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act on 14 November 2012.
Herbert Smith and Travers field City teams for Polish energy deal
Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) and Travers Smith have scooped roles as San Leon Energy acquires Aurelian Oil & Gas in a bid to become the largest foreign holder of shale licenses in Poland.
US DoJ and SEC issue FCPA guidance download
The Department of Justice and Securities and Exchange Commission have released new guidance on the criminal and civil enforcement provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
DLA and Cravath advise as Starbucks develops taste for luxury tea
Cravath Swaine & Moore and DLA Piper have won lead roles as high-end tea company Teavana agrees to sell to coffee giant Starbucks for $620m (£390m) in cash.
Direct contributions of equity interests as registered capital in China download
On 21 September 2012, the Ministry of Commerce promulgated the Interim Provisions of the Ministry of Commerce for Equity Contribution in Relation to Foreign-Invested Enterprises, effective as of 22 October 2012.
US Enforcement agencies issue extensive new FCPA guidance download
On 14 November 2012, the US Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission issued A Resource Guide to the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which provides extensive and long-awaited guidance on the interpretation and enforcement of the FCPA.
Recent cartel developments in the UK download
This Alert summarises two significant recent developments in UK cartel law.
The acquisition of control of a US public company download
An acquisition of any US corporation involves numerous legal and business issues.
Weil and Morgan Lewis among firms on $3.6bn sale of Jefferies
Morgan Lewis & Bockius, Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz and Weil Gotshal & Manges are among a raft of US firms to advise as American investment bank Jefferies agrees to sell to its largest shareholder, Leucadia National.
Davis Polk continues to build English-law capability with Herbies hire
Davis Polk & Wardwell has continued its English-law hiring spree by snaring a corporate partner from Herbert Smith Freehills.
Offshore M&A drops but value remains high
Offshore M&A transactions fell by volume and value in the third quarter of 2012 compared to the previous three months, although by less than the drop recorded in 2011.
Herbert Smith, Slaughters advise as Diageo buys majority stake in United Spirits
Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) and Slaughter and May have landed roles on a deal that sees UK drinks company Diageo acquire a 53.4 per cent stake in India’s United Spirits.
Regulatory capital: 1 January 2013 deadline eased download
This morning, the three federal bank regulatory agencies announced that their proposed new capital rules based on Basel III (and other Basel standards) would not take effect on 1 January 2013, a date previously proposed apparently in order to adhere to international consensus.
The new silk road — Investing in and venturing with Middle Eastern companies download
China is finding new reasons to trade with and invest in Central Asia, the Middle East and beyond.
Arendt strengthens corporate team with Linklaters hire
Luxembourg firm Arendt & Medernach has added to its corporate capabilities with the hire of a partner from Linklaters’ Luxembourg office, Laurent Schummer.
SJ Berwin bolsters corporate team with Field Fisher CIS expert
SJ Berwin has added to its City corporate practice with the hire of Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW) CIS specialist Alex Woodfield.
Actavis GC to step down as US rival acquires company
The general counsel of Swiss generic drugmaker Actavis is to step down from the role as US rival Watson Pharmaceuticals acquires the company for €4.25bn (£3.4bn).
Magic circle trio joins Latham on €1.5bn private equity bid for German retailer
Allen & Overy (A&O), Clifford Chance and Linklaters are among the firms winning advisory roles on a joint €1.5bn (£1.2bn) bid for Germany’s Douglas Holding by private equity group Advent International and the high-street retailer’s founding family.
Clifford Chance and Freshfields land roles as China buys into Heathrow
Clifford Chance, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Simmons & Simmons took roles advising on the acquisition of a 10 per cent stake in Heathrow Airport by a subsidiary of China Investment Corporation (CIC).
Locke Lord continues to build London with Fox Williams hire
US firm Locke Lord has added a 16th partner to its nascent London office with the hire of Fox Williams corporate finance specialist James Channo.
Herbert Smith Freehills and MoFo complete standout HK IPO for Fosun
Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) and Morrison & Foerster (MoFo) have advised on the IPO of Shanghai-based Fosun Pharmaceutical Group on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, a deal that raised HK$3.97bn (£318m).
A&O, CMS and Freshfields land mandates on £696m UK nuclear sale
Allen & Overy (A&O) advised Hitachi on its £696m purchase of Horizon Nuclear Power, with CMS Cameron McKenna, Clifford Chance and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer all scoring roles on the sell side.
Latham and Skadden: Star Wars acquisition advise on they do
Latham & Watkins and Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom have taken advisory roles on Walt Disney’s $4.05bn (£2.5bn) acquisition of Star Wars maker Lucasfilm.
Firm quintet advises as Australian investor takes stake in Newcastle Airport
Baker & McKenzie and CMS Cameron McKenna are among five firms to have advised as Copenhagen Airports agrees to sell a 49 per cent share in NIAL Group, the parent company of Newcastle International Airport, to a fund managed by Australia’s AMP Capital.
Hong Kong Stock Exchange clarifies pre-IPO investment policies download
On Thursday 25 October 2012, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange issued two new Guidance Letters on pre-IPO investments.
Premier Foods 'tests' Freshfields ahead of usual adviser Slaughters on pickle sale
Ashurst and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have won lead roles on a deal that sees Japanese vinegar manufacturer Mizkan buy popular British sandwich filler Branston Pickle from Premier Foods for £92.5m.
Akin Gump and Weil win roles as AAR apes BP with TNK-BP stake sale
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom and Weil Gotshal & Manges have all scooped roles as the Alfa-Access-Renova (AAR) consortium that owns a 50 per cent stake in TNK-BP prepares to sell its stake to Rosneft for $28bn (£17.5bn).
Freshfields and Slaughters join US quartet on Penguin-Random House merger
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Slaughter and May have advised alongside four US firms on a deal between Pearson and media rival Bertelsmann to combine the companies’ publishing units, Penguin Group and Random House.
China light
Mention of Chinese outbound investment always gets lawyers excited, so here is The Lawyer’s reality check on dealflow, highlighting Linklaters’ fantastic 2012.
Post-merger Pinsents retains lead at top of AIM rankings
Pinsent Masons has extended its lead at the top of the rankings of law firms by number of AIM-listed clients, bringing its client count close to 50.
Macfarlanes wins role as financier Leon Black buys Phaidon Press
Macfarlanes, Paul Weiss and Slaughter and May have advised on a deal that has seen New York billionaire Leon Black buy London-based art publishing house Phaidon Press.
US duo joins De Brauw as ASML acquires Cymer for €1.95bn
De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek, Skadden Arps Meagher Slate & Flom and Sullivan & Cromwell have acted as Dutch chip equipment manufacturer ASML acquires US microchip maker Cymer for €1.95bn (£1.58bn).
Clifford Chance hands second term to global corporate head Layton
The Clifford Chance partnership as re-elected Matthew Layton as global head of corporate.
Linklaters elects Amsterdam lawyer as Western Europe head
Linklaters has appointed Amsterdam partner Pieter Riemer as its new managing partner for Western Europe, effective today (17 October).
Edwards Wildman wins Greek private equity mandate following CMS hire
Edwards Wildman and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have won roles advising on New York-based private equity group Paine & Partners’ investment into Greek-based irrigation company Eurodrip.
MoFo and Skadden answer calls for $20bn acquisition of US phone group
US firms Morrison & Foerster (MoFo) and Skadden Arps Meagher & Flom took the lead roles on a deal that sees Japanese telecoms group SoftBank enter the US market by acquiring a 70 per cent stake in American mobile carrier Sprint Nextel.
Linklaters and Slaughters lead as Santander scraps RBS branches buy
Linklaters and Slaughter and May have advised as Santander pulls out of a £1.65bn deal to buy 316 branches from the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS).
Cleary, Linklaters and Sullivan advise as Coca-Cola bottler exits Greece
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, Linklaters and Sullivan & Cromwell have gained the lead roles as Coca-Cola Hellenic (CCH) moves to switch its main listing from Athens to London following the Greek-based Coca-Cola bottler’s credit downgrading by agencies in the wake of the country’s economic crisis.
Davis Polk wins job for French government on failed BAE-EADS talks
US firm Davis Polk & Wardwell’s newly-launched UK law team has won an appointment for the French government on negotiations with aerospace groups BAE Systems and EADS over their €36bn (£29bn) merger, which was called off yesterday (10 October).
FFW and Travers Smith score roles on Rangers' £20m IPO
Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW) and Travers Smith have been instructed to advise on Rangers FC’s £20m flotation on AIM.
A&O joins raft of firms on AIA's ING buy as Malaysian deals stack up
Allen & Overy (A&O) and Debevoise & Plimpton are among the firms to have advised on pan-Asian life insurer AIA’s $1.7bn (£1bn) acquisition of the Malaysian insurance business of Dutch financial services group ING.
Freshfields holds on to banks role on MegaFon IPO despite Goldman exit
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has retained its role advising the underwriters on the IPO of MegaFon, despite lead bank Goldman Sachs pulling out of the deal.
New independence rules for compensation committees and their advisers download
Section 952 of the Dodd-Frank Act directs the national securities exchanges to adopt new listing standards applicable to compensation committees and compensation advisers.
US firms advise on funding round for French advertising group Criteo
Edwards Wildman Palmer, Jones Day, Morgan Lewis & Bockius and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati have won appointments advising investors on a Series-D funding round for French display advertising company Criteo.
Addleshaws, Ashurst and Nabarro off to the races on Sportingbet bids
Addleshaw Goddard, Ashurst and Nabarro are the advisers behind William Hill and GVC Holdings’ bids for online betting service Sportingbet.
CIS legal update — September 2012 download
An update on developments in the CIS countries, including the Russian government’s tightening of control over strategic industries and cyberspace, changes to summary proceedings in Russian commercial courts and more.
SEC doles out minimal benefit to cooperator download
Since the enactment of Dodd-Frank, there has been a great deal of focus on rewards for ‘whistleblowing’ — bringing to the government’s attention evidence of wrongdoing that it did not previously know about.
Addleshaws and Hogan Lovells take roles on rare pharma IPO
Addleshaw Goddard and Hogan Lovells are among the firms to have advised on the £135m Aim listing of pharmaceutical company Clinigen, a rare UK IPO for the industry.
Proposed changes to UK listing rules download
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on 20 September 2012 announced that it has developed a set of proposals with the London Stock Exchange aimed at attracting high-growth companies to list their businesses on the LSE.
CC in front seat at Carlyle
The flurry of deals undertaken by private equity giant Carlyle this year has provided rich picking for a number of big firms
Jones Day looks to Nabarro for employment hire
Jones Day has appointed Nabarro’s employment head Julie Quinn as a partner in its London office, in a rare partner-level hire for the firm’s City employment team.
Clifford Chance offers voluntary sabbaticals to Singapore lawyers
Clifford Chance has asked capital markets associates in its Singapore office to take voluntary sabbaticals until the end of the year as the firm reacts to a downturn in work in the region.
Raft of firms act as Mexico's Cemex brings to a close $7.2bn debt restructuring
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, Clifford Chance, Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom and Slaughter and May are among the firms that have acted on Cemex’s $7.2bn debt restructuring package.
SJ Berwin, Travers Smith and Mayer Brown win roles on Hamleys sale
SJ Berwin, Mayer Brown and Travers Smith have led the work on the sale of iconic London toy shop Hamleys by Icelandic bank Landsbanki to French company Groupe Ludendo.
SJ Berwin and Paul Hastings among eight firms on Patron's €880m fund closing
SJ Berwin and US firm Paul Hastings have joined forces to lead private equity group Patron Capital through the closing of its latest fund.
A&O and Freshfields lead as Maersk sails into Russian cargo market
Allen & Overy (A&O) and Freshfields have taken the lead roles on a strategic partnership between the ports arm of Danish shipping group AP Moller-Maersk and logistics group N-Trans, which owns a controlling stake in Russia’s Global Ports Investments.
Locke Lord London team joins Pinsents on motorbike brand sale
Pinsent Masons and a City team from US firm Locke Lord have advised on the sale from administration of the UK subsidiary of motorcycle clothing and accessories retailer Hein Gericke.
A&O, Linklaters and Slaughters lead as RBS floats Direct Line
Allen & Overy (A&O), Linklaters and Slaughter and May are advising as the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) plans to float Direct Line Insurance in one of the biggest IPOs of the year.
Clifford Chance and Freshfields advise as BAE and EADS mull tie-up
Clifford Chance and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have won roles alongside a string of local firms on the potential tie-up of European defence giants EADS and BAE Systems.
Cleary and Freshfields win roles as MegaFon plans $4bn London IPO
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have taken advisory roles as Russian telecoms group MegaFon prepares to list on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) in the coming weeks, with an IPO tipped to raise up to $4bn (£2.5bn).
Latham among lineup on BP's latest US sell-off
Latham & Watkins has joined Texan firm Gardere Wynne Sewell advising on BP’s $5.5bn (£4.3bn) sale of its interests in a range of oil and gas fields in the Gulf of Mexico to US petroleum rival Plains Exploration & Production.
SEC proposes to permit public communications in private placement rules download
In late August, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proposed, by a 4–1 vote, to permit general solicitation and general advertising under two of its private placement safe harbor rules.
Linklaters pips Freshfields in China Gold pitch amid African Barrick talks
Linklaters has beaten Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in a pitch to win a first-time role for China National Gold on its talks to buy a stake in UK-listed African Barrick Gold (ABG) from Canada’s Barrick Gold.
Payday for Stephenson Harwood after firm shares fee risk on two-year deal
Stephenson Harwood is set to receive an uplift after completing a two-year deal for an energy client to which it charged more than half of the fees conditional on the transaction closing.
Filings reveal £80m legal fees earned through public takeovers
Takeovers of UK-listed companies generated legal fees totalling almost £80m in the past year, working out as an average of £1.6m per deal, research by The Lawyer reveals.
Linklaters joins Dickson Minto as Britvic and AG Barr show thirst for merger
Dickson Minto and Linklaters are advising on merger talks between Scottish Irn-Bru maker AG Barr and Robinsons squash producer Britvic.
Earning curve
The Lawyer reveals who has put in the highest legal bills for UK public M&A deals since the revamped Takeover Code came in a year ago
Time to trim due diligence
Blame Kraft-Cadbury again. Since that politically controversial deal the Takeover Code has required that bids for UK-listed companies have to include estimates of legal fees on both the buy and sell sides.
Chadbourne partner exits as Bakers makes capital markets push
Baker & McKenzie has added to its finance and capital markets practice in Moscow with the hire of banking and finance partner Simon Morgan from Chadbourne & Parke.
Locke Lord hires Salans partner in London
Salans has lost another partner to US firm Locke Lord, with corporate specialist Rob Askew joining the Texan firm’s recently-launched London office.
Davis Polk and Shearman lead on Santander's $4.3bn Mexican float
Davis Polk & Wardwell and Shearman & Sterling have taken advisory roles as Banco Santander prepares to list its Mexican subsidiary in New York and Mexico, aiming to raise an estimated $4.3bn (£2.7bn).
US quartet snatches jobs on $2.6bn pharmaceuticals purchase
US firms Latham & Watkins, Skadden Arps Meagher & Flom, Sullivan & Cromwell and Weil Gotshal & Manges have all won roles advising on Valeant Pharmaceuticals’ $2.6bn (£1.6bn) acquisition of dermatology drugmaker Medicis Pharmaceutical.
King & Wood joins US and Euro firms on China-German manufacturing deal
King & Wood Mallesons, German firm Hengeler Mueller and Paul Hastings advised Chinese automotive and equipment manufacturing company Weichai Power on its €738m (£584m) investment in German forklift truck maker Kion Group, which was represented by Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Gleiss Lutz.
France's Lefèvre Pelletier boosts China practice with TransAsia hire
French firm Lefèvre Pelletier & Associés has added its third partner to its Chinese team, bringing on board corporate partner Emmanuel Meril.
BLP picks up Norton Rose corporate star Stanier
Norton Rose corporate specialist Julian Stanier has quit the firm to join Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) as a partner.
Seven firms share £2.4m fees on Scottish-Irish oil merger
CMS Cameron McKenna, DLA Piper and Herbert Smith were among seven firms to win roles on the merger of Scottish oil group Melrose Resources and Irish rival Petroceltic International, a deal that gifted an estimated £2.36m in external lawyers’ fees.
Norton Rose and Bär & Karrer get slice of action as Domino's goes Swiss
Norton Rose and Swiss firm Bär & Karrer have acted for Domino’s Pizza Group as it reached an agreement to acquire the Domino’s Swiss franchise.
Sun City
Our list of the summer’s big deals shows how London law firms kept busy with work from Asia as well as more familiar sources
Japanese listings in Hong Kong download
As an international financial center, Hong Kong is one of the world’s leading capital markets, with the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong being a favored venue for IPO fundraising activities.
FCPA update — August 2012 download
This issue represents the first installment of a new feature of FCPA Update: our regional spotlight series.
Proposed rules relating to the relaxation of the prohibition on general solicitation download
The Securities and Exchange Commission today proposed amendments to Rule 506 of Regulation D and Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933 to implement Section 201(a) of the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act.
Freshfields and Sullivan on call for China Telecom's $13bn asset buy
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Sullivan & Cromwell have joined Chinese firm Jingtian & Gongcheng advising Hong Kong-listed China Telecom Corporation on its $13.4bn (£8.5bn) acquisition of 3G network infrastructure from its parent company.
Cravath, Pepper Hamilton lead as IBM buys Kenexa for $1.3bn
Cravath Swaine & Moore and Pepper Hamilton have taken the helm as IBM acquired human resources management company Kenexa for $1.3bn (£820m) to boost its cloud-based software offering.
Sullivan and Wachtell advise on $3.7bn US bank takeover
Sullivan and Cromwell and Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz have won roles advising on one of the biggest US bank acquisitions of the year as Buffalo-based M&T Bank agreed to buy smaller rival Hudson City.
A&O, Freshfields and Simmons ink pre-pack sale to save Mouchel
Allen & Overy (A&O), Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Simmons & Simmons have advised on the financial restructuring of public infrastructure group Mouchel, which involved the pre-pack sale of its assets to its lenders and management.
DLA and Slaughters lead on Premier Foods' latest brand sell-off
DLA Piper and Slaughter and May have advised on debt-laden Premier Foods’ sale of its sweet spreads and jellies business to US buyer Hain Celestial.
A&O and Morgan Lewis lead as Russia's Rosneft signs Arctic gas deal
Allen & Overy (A&O) and Morgan Lewis & Bockius scooped roles as Russian oil major Rosneft completed a strategic joint venture with natural gas producer Itera to jointly develop gas fields in the Russian Arctic.
Clifford Chance and Linklaters among firms on Cinven's £465m pharma deal
Clifford Chance and Linklaters were part of a string of City firms advising on private equity group Cinven’s £465m acquisition of generic drugs company Mercury Pharma from HgCapital.
US DoJ provides FCPA guidance for mergers and acquisitions download
Recently, the US Department of Justice reaffirmed its guidance as to what it views as the proper Foreign Corrupt Practices Act compliance procedures in the context of mergers and acquisitions.
Slaughters tapped alongside US duo as Diageo eyes tequila buy
Slaughter and May has taken a lead role alongside Cravath Swaine & Moore and Sullivan & Cromwell on drinks company Diageo’s potential acquisition of the tequila brand Jose Cuervo.
BLP and Norton Rose lead as Playtech founder's energy group plots float
Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) and Norton Rose are advising as Genesis Energy, which was founded by the Israeli billionaire who also owns almost half of Playtech, looks to float on AIM.
CFTC and SEC publish key swap product definition rules under Dodd-Frank download
On 13 August 2012, the US Securities and Exchange Commission and US Commodity Futures Trading Commission published in the Federal Register joint final rules and interpretive guidance further defining the terms ‘swap’, ‘security-based swap’, ‘mixed swap’, and ‘security-based swap agreement’.
Herbert Smith and Pinsents guide wealth advisers through partnership merger
Herbert Smith and Pinsent Masons have taken lead roles advising on the combination of West End financial advisers James Hambro & Partners and Calkin Pattinson, a merger that sees the latter consumed into Hambro’s partnership.
US quartet says cheese to Carlyle's $3.3bn Getty purchase
Davis Polk & Wardwell, Debevoise & Plimpton, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and Weil Gotshal & Manges have all snapped up roles advising on the Carlyle Group’s acquisition of Getty Images from US private equity rival Hellman & Friedman.
O'Melveny and SJ Berwin join Burness on Lloyds' £1bn private equity sell-off
O’Melveny & Myers and SJ Berwin led alongside Scottish firm Burness on Lloyds Banking Group’s sale of £1.05bn of private-equity assets to secondary specialist Coller Capital.
Burges Salmon wins West Coast for FirstGroup as Eversheds, Herbies advise
Ashurst, Burges Salmon, Eversheds and Herbert Smith are among the firms to have advised in the bidding war for the contract to manage the West Coast rail franchise, with FirstGroup today (15 August) revealed as the winning candidate.
DLA and Pillsbury score roles on BP's Californian refinery sale
DLA Piper is acting for BP on the $2.5bn (£1.6bn) sale of a Californian oil refinery to Tesoro Corporation, with Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman advising the buyer.
Cleary and Linklaters lead as BofA offloads wealth arm to Julius Baer
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton and Linklaters have taken advisory roles on Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s SFr860m (£565m) sale of its non-US wealth management business to Julius Baer Group.
Freshfields and Schoenherr log in for Carlyle's software sale
Clifford Chance, Duane Morris and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer joined Austrian firm Schoenherr advising on Swedish private equity outfit EQT Partners’ $270m (£172m) acquisition of IT company UC4 Software from the Carlyle Group.
Gibson Dunn, Linklaters opposite global spread of firms on engineering sell-off
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, Linklaters and Speechly Bircham are among a raft of firms to have won roles advising on the sale of four Rotary UK businesses to engineering company Lorne Stewart following the administration of Rotary’s Australian parent group Hastie.
Sullivan, Simpson Thacher join local duo on Japan Airlines' bourse take-off
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and Sullivan & Cromwell have advised alongside a duo of Japanese firms on the $8.5bn (£5.5bn) IPO of Japan Airlines (JAL), one of the largest listings globally so far this year.
Skadden among advisers on French security deal
Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom has landed the lead role alongside local lawyers on the acquisition of private security company Neo Security by Fiducial Private Security, a subsidiary of French multidisciplinary services company Fiducial.
From the shareholders' spring to the autumn of activism — power without accountability download
The UK press has had a field day over the past 12 months with news of shareholder challenges or activism. In the run-up to the AGM season in the spring, barely a day went by without report of shareholders flexing their muscles by taking on the boards of listed companies.
China-based company’s victory in securities fraud case reversed on appeal download
On 1 August 2012, the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit revived a putative securities fraud class action lawsuit against China North East Petroleum Holdings Ltd.
A&O, Norton Rose handle World Bank group's Togo investment
Allen & Overy (A&O) and a London team from Norton Rose have advised on a deal that sees by the World Bank’s (WB) investment arm buy shares worth $100m (£64.4m) in pan-African banking group Ecobank Transnational.
Freshfields loses traction with Porsche
Former go-to adviser takes a back seat as rivals overtake in car race
Ashurst joins US duo as Axa PE backs French engineering MBO
Ashurst, Latham & Watkins and Weil Gotshal & Manges have all landed roles on the management buyout of French industrial engineering company Fives Group in a deal backed by Axa Private Equity (Axa PE).
FCPA update — July 2012 download
In this issue: the SFO’s latest bribery related settlement; The difficulty of recovering damages from the government when an FCPA prosecution misfires; German High Court ruling on pharmaceutical industry and doctors.
Morgan Lewis ex-Dewey team acts alongside Norton Rose on Kazakh potash purchase
Morgan Lewis & Bockius and Norton Rose have scooped roles on Sprint Capital’s acquisition of a potash business in Kazakhstan.
CMS, Linklaters lead as HK tycoon buys UK gas company
CMS Cameron McKenna and Linklaters have won roles advising on the acquisition of UK gas company Wales & West Utilities by Cheung Kong Infrastructure (CKI), part of Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing’s business empire, for £645m.
Shearman London team joins Corrs on gold miner's Kenyan buy
A Shearman & Sterling City team has advised alongside Australian firm Corrs Chambers Westgarth on a A$20m (£13.2m) deal under which Tanzanian miner African Barrick Gold (ABG) will buy Aviva Mining’s Kenyan assets.
Herbert Smith, Norton Rose join North American firms on Chinese oil group's $15bn mega-deal
Herbert Smith and Norton Rose joined a raft of Canadian and US firms advising on the $15.1bn (£9.7bn) acquisition of Canadian oil and gas producer Nexen by China National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC).
O’Melveny tightens Coller ties with $5.5bn fund closing
O’Melveny & Myers and offshore firm Ogier have won roles advising private equity group Coller Capital on the closing of its $5.5bn (£3.5m) secondaries fund.
Clifford Chance and Linklaters lead as Lloyds offloads retail branches to Co-op
Clifford Chance and Linklaters have taken lead roles on an agreement that will see Lloyds Banking Group offload 632 of its branches to the Co-operative Group, a move that gives Co-op around 7 per cent of the UK current account market.
Slaughters joins US duo on Samsung deal with UK's CSR
Paul Hastings, Slaughter and May and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati have secured roles for longstanding clients on Samsung Electronics’ $310m (£198m) acquisition of UK chipmaker CSR’s mobile technology development business.
Theo Paphitis hires Reed Smith as BLP and CMS win roles on Robert Dyas buy
Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP), CMS Cameron McKenna and Reed Smith snatched roles on the acquisition of hardware chain Robert Dyas by Dragons’ Den star Theo Paphitis.
Debevoise, Latham, Weil handle American Airlines merger baggage
Weil Gotshal & Manges has leveraged its relationship with the bankrupt parent company of American Airlines to take the lead role advising on the carrier’s plans to pick a merger partner.
Higher, wider, stronger
Proposed changes to the Takeover Code could see the Takeover Panel expand its jurisdiction
UAE — key changes relating to mergers download
This is the fourth briefing in Latham & Watkins’ five-part Briefing Series on the Draft UAE Commercial Companies Law.
UK government announces proposals for enhanced shareholding voting rights on executive remuneration download
The UK government has announced its proposals for the reform of executive remuneration in UK incorporated quoted companies.
Linklaters and Slaughters join US trio on £3.2bn Aegis takeover
Linklaters and Slaughter and May have won lead roles advising on Japanese advertising agency Dentsu’s £3.2bn acquisition of UK rival Aegis Group.
Linklaters scoops New York role on insurer WellPoint's Amerigroup buy
The US’ second-largest health insurance company WellPoint has turned to Linklaters’ New York office for advice on its acquisition of rival Amerigroup for $4.9bn (£3.2bn).
Ashurst and Norton Rose lead on £360m Australian mining deal
Ashurst and Norton Rose have won roles on Australian gold miner St Barbara’s A$556million (£366m) takeover of Allied Gold Mining.
ESMA permits deposits of new shares under GDR block listing regime download
A distinguishing feature of the UK Listing Authority’s GDR listing regime is that an applicant may submit a listing application (including a listing prospectus) to obtain a ‘block listing’ for its GDRs under which ‘up to’ a certain number of listed GDRs may be issued against deposits of the applicant’s shares into the GDR programme.
Proskauer hires capital markets quartet to continue City expansion
Proskauer Rose has boosted its London offering with the hire of a capital markets quartet including Kaye Scholer City partner Katherine Mulhern.
Lewis Silkin and Osborne Clarke lead as Publicis buys out Levi Strauss's ad agency
Lewis Silkin has acted opposite Osborne Clarke as lead counsel to Publicis Groupe on its acquisition of the remaining 51 per cent stake of Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH), the advertising agency famous for the Levi Strauss and Johnnie Walker adverts.
Greater transparency on executive remuneration and shareholder empowerment download
Since the controversial announcement on 23 January 2012 by Vince Cable, the Business Secretary, that the UK Government intended to implement into law a new corporate governance regime to regulate executive remuneration, there has been much speculation and discussion as to the nature and extent of the proposed regime.
Latham, Davis Polk scoop Manchester United New York listing
Latham & Watkins will be advising Manchester United on its initial public offering in the United States with Davis Polk & Wardwell acting for US underwriters.
New share disclosure rules relating to UAE-listed companies download
The Securities and Commodities Authority has recently published amended market disclosure rules relating primarily to shares in companies listed on the Dubai Financial Market or the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange.
ECJ rules access to documents can be denied if disclosure undermines merger control proceedings download
Amid the recent bout of judgments painting a complex picture of access to documents in antitrust cases, the latest judgment of the European Court of Justice provides very clear guidance in the specific context of merger control.
Simmons bolsters capital markets team with double hire from Linklaters
Linklaters capital markets partner Alan Davies has left the firm to join Simmons & Simmons, which has announced a double City hire from the magic circle outfit.
EU prospectus directive: amendment update download
The prospectus regime is being amended throughout Europe.
UAE — key changes for joint stock companies download
This is the third briefing in Latham & Watkins’ five-part Briefing Series on the Draft UAE Commercial Companies Law.
UK announces proposals intended to curb executive compensation download
On 20 June 2012, the UK Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills Vince Cable announced a package of proposals intended to curb executive pay.
Transparency International issues UK Bribery Act guidance on mergers, acquisitions and investments download
As a consequence of the entry into force of the Bribery Act 2010 on 1 July 2011, for the first time, anti-bribery due diligence has become a necessity for companies undertaking mergers, acquisitions and investments.
New figures confirm that Dodd-Frank whistleblower tips are pouring into the SEC download
The potentially enormous financial rewards offered to whistleblowers in return for information about suspected wrongdoing are generating a deluge of tips to the SEC.
Wall-crossing in Hong Kong: risk management issues download
In the UK, there has recently been significant media coverage of market abuse in the context of “wall-crossing”, the process by which a securities offering is selectively pre-marketed to potential investors before the deal is publicly announced.
Norton Rose hires from Hogan Lovells amid fluid Paris jobs market
Norton Rose has boosted its French corporate offering with the hire of Hogan Lovells partner Bénédicte Denis.
Anti-corruption due diligence in cross-border M&A download
Global enforcement of anti-corruption laws is at an all-time high and unlikely to recede any time soon.
Herbert Smith and Olswang advise on MoneySavingExpert sale
A team from Olswang lead by M&A partner Mark Bertram has acted on the £87m buyout of personal finance journalist Martin Lewis’s MoneySavingExpert.com.
UK government publishes Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill download
In March 2012, the UK government announced plans to reform the competition regime, following a consultation exercise in 2011.
Freshfields consolidates CVC Capital relationship with F1 share sale
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer advised regular client CVC Capital Partners on the sale of $1.6bn (£1bn) in Formula One shares to three investors ahead of the company’s planned IPO.
Championing the UK Bribery Act: The 2012 Olympic Games and corporate hospitality download
Since it came into force on 1 July 2011, the impact of the UK Bribery Act 2010 on the giving of corporate hospitality, gifts and other expenses has raised concerns among those who fall under the Act’s jurisdiction.
Hong Kong regulator turns up the heat on IPO sponsors download
On 9 May 2012 the Securities and Futures Commission released its Consultation Paper on the Regulation of Sponsors, attaching draft new rules to regulate the duties and liabilities of IPO sponsors in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong capital market developments download
An overview of recent developments in Hong Kong capital markets, including new HKEx guidance on acquisitions and use of IPO proceeds.
SFC looks to enhance the regulation of sponsors in Hong Kong download
Against a background where Hong Kong has been the world’s leading IPO center for the third year in a row, the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) has published its much-anticipated consultation paper on the regulation of sponsors.
Revisions to the UK corporate governance code and guidance on audit committees download
The Financial Reporting Council has published a consultation paper detailing revisions to the UK Corporate Governance Code and its accompanying guidance on Audit Committees.
Controlling interest
Information governance is a huge issue for in-house lawyers. Our round table participants discuss the best way to manage e-documents
The JOBS Act: Potential benefits for foreign private issuers download
The JOBS Act eases the SEC-registered IPO process for “emerging growth companies” (EGCs) and will alter the private offering process under Rule 144A and Regulation D of the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Akin, Skadden and White & Case advise on £5,3bn MegaFon deal
Akin Gump, Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom and White & Case have all landed roles on the $8.5bn (£5.3bn) shareholder restructuring of Russia’s second largest mobile phone operator OAO MegaFon.
BLP hires retiring Allen & Overy corporate partner Paul
One of Allen & Overy’s (A&O) most senior corporate partners who announced his retirement from the firm late last year has resurfaced at Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP).
Dechert snares Dewey capital markets pair as losses escalate
Dewey & LeBoeuf is set to lose four partners in London and the Middle East including City capital markets rainmaker Camille Abousleiman, in the latest string of departures from the embattled US firm.
Raft of firms advise on Terra Firma's acquisition of Garden Centre Group
Ashurst, Dundas & Wilson, Macfarlanes, McGrigors, Memery Crystal and SJ Berwin all won roles advising on the acquisition of the Garden Centre Group from Lloyds Banking Group by Guy Hands’ private equity house Terra Firma Capital Partners.
Linklaters advises on Game Group administration
Linklaters has leveraged its longstanding relationship with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to win an appointment as legal adviser to the administrators of Game Group.
Vinson & Elkins and Machado Meyer advise on $5.16bn Sinopec deal
Vinson & Elkins and Brazilian law firm Machado, Meyer Sendacz e Opice Advogados have advised Sinopec on acquiring a 30 per cent stake in the Brazilian unit of Portuguese oil company Galp Energia for $5.16bn (£3.24bn).
Asia deals roundup: China bank deals and airline JV
UK firms Clifford Chance, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Ashurst, along with leading Chinese firms King & Wood Mallesons, Jun He, Commerce & Finance and Grandall were among the advisers on a raft of Chinese corporate deals in the past week.
Field Fisher advises on Thomas Pink's India entry
Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW) has won a role advising on a franchising deal for Thomas Pink with a subsidiary of India’s largest company that will result in the luxury shirt brand opening offices stores across India.
Clifford Chance and Linklaters lead as Game Group eyes administration
Clifford Chance and Linklaters are advising on talks between Game Group and its lenders, with the company today announcing its intention to file for administration.
Linklaters and Sidley join cast on Glencore's £3.9bn Viterra take-over
Linklaters and Sidley Austin have taken European roles on Swiss commodities trader Glencore’s acquisition of Canadian grain trading company Viterra in a deal that has given advisory roles to a raft of firms in Australia, Canada and the US.
Willkie Farr swoops on 12-partner Dewey corporate team
Willkie Farr & Gallagher has hired a 12-strong team of transactional and regulatory lawyers from Dewey & LeBoeuf.
Dechert bulks up in Frankfurt with Fried Frank hire
Dechert has raided rival US firm Fried Frank to bolster its newly-opened Frankfurt office, picking up partner Sven Schulte-Hillen.
Asia deals roundup: China online video M&A and ASEAN financing deals
Kirkland & Ellis and Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom have bagged the lead counsel roles in the merger of US-listed Chinese online video companies Youku and Tudou, while a number of other firms have reaped the benefit of a high level of financing deals in South East Asia.
Macfarlanes adds Addleshaws partner to corporate practice
Macfarlanes has made an addition to its corporate practice with the hire of Addleshaw Goddard partner James Dawson.
Freshfields, Norton Rose join host of firms in Misys battle
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Norton Rose have become the latest firms to win roles on a potential deal with banking software company Misys, joining Allen & Overy (A&O), Herbert Smith, Kirkland & Ellis and Swiss firm Homburger in the bidding war.
Asia deals round-up: Hong Kong capital markets work keeps UK firms busy
IPOs, delistings and dim sum bonds in Hong Kong are keeping several firms busy, including Allen & Overy (A&O), Clifford Chance, Eversheds, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Slaughter and May.
Linklaters' former corporate head takes role at BLP
Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has hired Linklaters’ former global head of corporate David Barnes.
Clifford Chance and LG lead on Shell's £992m bid for Cove Energy
Clifford Chance and Lawrence Graham (LG) have won roles advising on Royal Dutch Shell’s £992m bid for Africa-focused oil and gas group Cove Energy.
Field Fisher hires Wedlake Bell corporate chief
Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW) has hired Wedlake Bell corporate partner and practice head Tim Bird.
US firm Sidley hires Linklaters partner for City team
Sidley Austin has hired Linklaters partner Stephen Blackshaw for its City corporate practice.
Kirkland joins advisers moving in on Misys
Kirkland & Ellis has snatched a role for a US private equity group muscling in on banking software company Misys’ agreed merger with Swiss rival Temenos.
Jones Day and Wachtell lead as Kellogg's acquires Pringles
Jones Day and Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz have landed roles on the $2.7bn (£1.7bn) sale of Pringles crisps to Kellogg’s.
Clifford Chance and Slaughters lead as Carlyle offloads UK ATM business
Clifford Chance and Slaughter and May have been called in to assist in US private equity group Carlyle’s £650m sale of UK cash management business Talaris to Tokyo-listed Glory.
A&O and Herbies lead on major software merger
Allen & Overy (A&O), Herbert Smith and Swiss firm Homburger have won lead roles on the proposed £2bn merger of Misys and Temenos, two major European banking software companies.
Skadden turns to Shearman for double Frankfurt hire
Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom has raided Shearman & Sterling for a double partner hire in Frankfurt, including European capital markets head Stephan Hutter.
Fenwick & West and Simpson Thacher lead as Facebook takes US listing
US firms Fenwick & West and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett have won the key roles advising on Facebook’s long-awaited IPO.
Freshfields and Linklaters lead on Glencore's $82bn Xstrata merger
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Linklaters have won lead roles on the potential $82bn (£51.8bn) merger of mining giants Glencore and Xstrata, a groundbreaking transaction in the resources industry.
McGuire Woods picks up Norton Rose corporate partner
Norton Rose corporate partner Simon Cox is leaving the firm to join US outfit McGuire Woods’ London office.
Hogan Lovells loses ECM head to Latham & Watkins
Latham & Watkins has hired Hogan Lovells corporate partner Richard Brown for its City office.
Linklaters and SNR Denton lead on Petroplus administration
Linklaters and SNR Denton have picked up lead advisory roles on the administration of UK-based Petroplus Refining & Marketing.
A&O, Herbert Smith and Weil act on CoL sale
Allen & Overy (A&O), Herbert Smith and Weil Gotshal & Manges have landed roles on the potential sale of The College of Law (CoL).
Latham and Olswang lead as Searchlight buys stake in Hunter wellies
Latham & Watkins and Olswang were the legal advisors on the sale of a majority stake in Hunter Boot Limited to US private equity house Searchlight Capital Partners.
Linklaters picks up lead mandate on Chinese Thames Water bid
Linklaters won the lead role advising China Investment Corporation (CIC) on its acquisition of a stake in Thames Water’s parent company Kemble Water.
DLA, Freshfields and Travers advise on Cinven's CPA Global buyout
DLA Piper, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Travers Smith have all won roles on the proposed sale of legal process outsourcer CPA Global (CPA) to London-based private equity house Cinven.
CC and Milbank fly high with RBS aviation sale
Clifford Chance is advising the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) on the sale of its Dublin-based aviation unit RBS Aviation Capital to Japan’s largest bank for $7.3 billion (£4.7 billion).
Lawyers from Cleary and Darrois Villey set up French independent
A team of lawyers from French independent Darrois Villey Maillot Brochier and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton’s Paris office have split off to set up a corporate boutique.
Ropes & Gray ups City real estate nous with former Clifford Chance partner
Ropes & Gray has boosted its London corporate real estate practice with the hire of former Clifford Chance partner Iain Morpeth.
Herbert Smith's share of deals market plummeted in 2011
Herbert Smith and its former European alliance partners suffered a considerable drop in their share of the M&A market in 2011, new data shows.
Allen & Overy seals two deals for Kingdom of Morocco
Allen & Overy (A&O) has landed roles acting for the Kingdom of Morocco on two multi-billion dollar deals since launching its office in Casablanca in September.
Travers Smith and Macfarlanes lead on Collins Stewart deal
Macfarlanes and Travers Smith have won roles on the long-awaited takeover of London mid-cap stockbroker Collins Stewart Hawkpoint by Canadian bank Canaccord Financial.
Ex SJ Berwin management candidate to launch PE practice for Reed Smith
Former SJ Berwin managing partner candidate Perry Yam has quit the firm to join Reed Smith in one of the longest-awaited moves in the City legal market.
Freshfields turn to Darrois Villey for new Paris corporate head
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has made a rare hire from one of France’s top independent firms, taking corporate star Hervé Pisani from Darrois Villey Maillot Brochier.
A&O names global corporate co-head
Allen & Overy (A&O) has appointed a new global corporate co-head following Sietze Hepkema’s announcement that he will retire in the New Year.
Allen & Overy leads on SAP's £2.2bn SuccessFactors takeover
Allen & Overy (A&O) and Californian firm Fenwick & West won key roles alongside a raft of firms in the US and Europe on software maker SAP’s $3.4bn (£2.2bn) acquisition of cloud-based human resources provider SuccessFactors.
Allen & Overy partner Alan Paul set to leave firm
One of Allen & Overy’s (A&O) most senior corporate partners is set to leave the firm at the end of the 2011-12 financial year.
Freshfields there for Phoenix as it mulls CVC takeover bid
Zombie life assurance fund Phoenix Group Holdings has turned to long-time legal adviser Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer for advice on its takeover talks with CVC Capital Partners.
Allen & Overy and Freshfields lead as Virgin Money buys Northern Rock
Allen & Overy (A&O) and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer both had key roles advising on Virgin Money’s acquisition of nationalised bank Northern Rock, with the deal officially unveiled this morning.
Clifford Chance and Freshfields advise on MBO of Barclays private equity arm
Clifford Chance and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer won advisory roles on the management buyout of Barclays Bank’s private equity arm.
Clifford Chance, Freshfields and SJ Berwin advise on EMI sell-off
A raft of law firms including Clifford Chance, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and SJ Berwin landed roles on music company EMI’s break up and sale.
King & Wood leads for Wolong on Austrian deal
Beijing-headquartered King & Wood has played the lead counsel role in China Wolong Group’s acquisition of Austria’s largest motor manufacturer ATB Group in an investment exceeding e100m (£85.73m).
Stephenson Harwood acts for new US client
Stephenson Harwood has scooped a new corporate client, winning work from New York-listed Duff & Phelps opposite Eversheds on the financial adviser and investment bank’s biggest non-US acquisition yet.
Macfarlanes and Slaughters lead as Comet sells for £2
Macfarlanes and Slaughter and May have won key roles advising on Anglo-French electrical goods retailer Kesa’s sale of its 250 Comet stores to private equity house OpCapita.
Lewis Silkin bolsters corporate with hires from FSI and Kaye Scholer
Lewis Silkin has made a double partner hire with the addition of Graham Reid from Finers Stephens Innocent and Owen Watkins from Kaye Scholer.
Freshfields and Salans advise on Barclays' Russian sell-off
An Anglo-Russian team from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has advised Barclays on the disposal of its retail and commercial banking arms in Russia.
Speechly bolsters restructuring practice with double partner hire
Speechly Bircham has become the latest firm to benefit from the Clyde & Co and Barlow Lyde & Gilbert merger, picking up restructuring partner Rupert Connell from BLG.
Ashurst and Weil lead as MF Global files for bankruptcy protection
Ashurst and Weil Gotshal & Manges have won key London roles after broker MF Global filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the US and went into administration in the UK.
Field Fisher adds Olswang lawyer to corporate team
Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW) has strengthened its corporate offering with the hire of corporate and commercial partner Michael Harte.
Herbies, Links and Slaughters miss out as G4S abandons ISS deal
The abandonment of security giant G4S’s acquisition of ISS and a related £2bn rights issue has hit Herbert Smith, Linklaters, Norton Rose, Slaughter & May and Danish firm Bruun & Hjejle, all of which had roles on the deal.
A&O’s National Grid panel win pays off
Allen & Overy (A&O) acted on its first instruction for National Grid since its appointment to the power giant’s revamped legal panel earlier this year.
Ashurst and Cleary win Iceland roles off back of existing clients
Ashurst, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton and Linklaters are understood to be among the firms to win roles on the bidding process for frozen food operator Iceland Foods - leveraging off their relationships with supermarkets, private equity houses and the failed Icelandic banks.
Fast-acting relief
Sophia Purkis explains why speedy action and taking independent advice can help mitigate cases of theft or expenses fraud
Hot data
As the EU updates its regulatory regime, Eduardo Ustaran argues that data protection compliance could be about to get more onerous
Linklaters gets together with Malaysian firm on Aabar deal
Linklaters has worked alongside Malaysian firm Rahmat Lim & Partners to provide advice on Abu Dhabi-based Aabar Investments PJS’s $1.9bn (£1.19bn) acquisition of a 24.9 per cent stake in Malaysia’s RHB Capital.
A&O takes lead role as DTZ seeks buyer
Allen & Overy (A&O) is advising property services group DTZ as the company puts itself on the market following a failed takeover bid.
Fasken adds DMH Stallard's City corporate head to London team
Canada-headquartered Fasken Martineau has hired DMH Stallard’s London corporate head.
Minter Ellison hires Mayer Brown partner for London expansion
Australian firm Minter Ellison has bulked up its London corporate team with the addition of a partner from Mayer Brown.
Linklaters advises on €5bn Cinven fundraising after usurping Ashurst
Linklaters’ funds team has won its first key role on a fundraising for private equity house Cinven after winning the client from Ashurst.
Freshfields, Gibson Dunn, RPC work on Zoopla-A&N merger
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher and Reynolds Porter Chamberlain (RPC) all landed roles on a merger agreement that is aimed at challenging the dominance of online search engine Rightmove in the online property sector.
Norton Rose helps to secure G4S’s £5.2bn acquisition of ISS
Herbert Smith, Norton Rose, Slaughter & May and Danish firm Bruun & Hjejle have won roles advising on G4S’s £5.2bn acquisition of cleaning and security group ISS from private equity houses EQT and Goldman Sachs Capital Partners.
Vinson advises Sinopec on £1.9bn takeover of Canada's Daylight
Bennett Jones, Blake Cassels & Graydon and Vinson & Elkins took leading roles on Sinopec’s £1.88bn takeover of Canada’s Daylight Energy.
DLA and Hogan Lovells advise on SABMiller's tie-up with Turkey's Efes
DLA Piper and Hogan Lovells have taken lead roles in a $1.9bn asset swap deal between SABMiller and Turkey’s Anadolu Efes that will create an Eastern European business with combined sales o $3.bn.
Herbies, Norton Rose and Slaughters lead on G4S's £5.2bn ISS acquisition
Herbert Smith, Norton Rose, Slaughter & May and Danish firm Bruun & Hjejle have won roles advising on G4S’ £5.2bn acquisition of cleaning and security group ISS from private equity houses EQT and GS Capital Partners.
City quartet pitch in on £121m sale of BBC magazine portfolio
Hogan Lovells, Olswang, SJ Berwin and Travers Smith won advisory roles on BBC Worldwide’s £121m sale of magazine titles including Radio Times and Top Gear to Exponent Private Equity.
Norton Rose helps Eni UK on £513m oil acquisition
Norton Rose advised Eni UK on its €590m (£512.7m) acquisition of GDF Suez’s stake in Elgin Franklin Oil & Gas Limited (EFOG).
Macfarlanes wins role on latest Trafigura job
Macfarlanes successfully pitched to win a role advising Trafigura opposite Norton Rose on the disposal of a stake in Puma Energy International.
A&O snares Herbies' capital markets head in two-partner raid
Allen & Overy (A&O) is set to hire two capital markets partners from Herbert Smith, marking the magic-circle firm’s second raid on the litigation giant this year.
City trio land brief to oversee LCH.Clearnet takeover process
Ashurst, Clifford Chance and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have won key roles advising on the takeover of clearing house LCH.Clearnet.
Uncertain times cast doubt on corporate growth
Big deals remain few and far between as the Greek crisis hits corporate hard.
US quartet brought on board as investors target Alibaba Group
US firms Debevoise & Plimpton, Goodwin Procter, Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett have been engaged to advise on a $1.6bn (£1.04bn) investment in Chinese ecommerce company Alibaba Group.
Links, Slaughters lead on De Beers’ Botswana move
Linklaters and Slaughter and May took the lead roles advising on an agreement between the world’s largest producer of diamonds and the government of Botswana.
Clifford Chance faces Amarchand and Minter Ellison on GVK's Aussie mining deal
Australian firm Minter Ellison teamed up with Indian independent Amarchand Mangaldas to advise opposite Clifford Chance on GVK Group’s $1.26bn (£807m) acquisition of a majority stake in Australian coal mines owned by Hancock Group.
Skadden client Colfax outbids Melrose in battle for Charter
A variety of firms are playing a part in US manufacturing group Colfax’s £1.5bn cash and shares bid for Charter International, which has trumped the initial offer by Melrose for the FTSE250 Dublin-based engineering company.
Bakers seals Chinese buy of Brazilian metals outfit
Baker & McKenzie has advised a consortium of five Chinese companies on its acquisition of a $1.95bn (£1.2bn) stake in leading Brazilian metals company Companhia Brasileira de Metalurgia e Mineracao (CBMM).
Ogier secures first ILP on Jersey for Invescap
Offshore firm Ogier has advised real estate investment company Invescap Holdings on the establishment of the first-ever Jersey incorporated limited partnership (ILP).
Dundas and Eversheds prime Clyde pumps sale
Dundas & Wilson and Eversheds snatched the lead roles as Scotland’s richest man sold a heavy pumps maker for £750m just four years after acquiring it for £45m.
Taylor Wessing sets up Brazil unit to target BRIC work
Taylor Wessing has launched a Brazil group run out of Hamburg and London to focus on the dealflow between Brazil, Europe, China and India, and has hired a senior counsel from a São Paulo firm to co-head the practice.
Linklaters and Skadden advise on Greek banking merger
Linklaters and Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom have scored top roles advising on the merger of Greece’s second and third largest banks.
Raft of transatlantic elite firms act on HP's $12bn Autonomy bid
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher and Slaughter and May have scored top roles advising on Hewlett-Packard’s (HP) $11.7bn (£7.1bn) acquisition of global software company Autonomy, the largest ever deal in the technology sector.
Ecclestone returns to Withers for QPR stake sale
Queens Park Rangers shareholder Bernie Ecclestone has turned to Withers for advice on the sale of his stake in the Premier League football club to Tony Fernandes.
Bakers and Freshfields advise on Cargill's €1.5bn Provimi deal
Baker & McKenzie and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have lined up to take top roles in Cargill’s planned €1.5bn ($2.14bn) acquisition of global animal nutrition company Provimi from private equity firm Permira.
A&O and Hogan Lovells lead as SABMiller goes hostile on Foster's
Allen & Overy, Hogan Lovells and Australian firm Arthur Allens Robinson have been retained as advisers on SABMiller’s takeover bid for Foster’s, which went hostile today.
Bredin Prat and Vinson advise on China's investment in GDF Suez
Bredin Prat and Vinson & Elkins lined up alongside Linklaters on the proposed €2.3bn acquisition of a stake in GDF Suez by China Investment Corporation (CIC).
Cleary and Wachtell lead on Google's $12.5bn Motorola Mobility acquisition
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz and Dewey & LeBoeuf snatched lead advisory roles in Google’s $12.5bn (£7.7bn) acquisition of Motorola Mobility.
Squire Sanders turns to Wragges for Brum corporate hire
Squire Sanders Hammonds has bolstered its Birmingham corporate offering with the hire of Edward Dawes from Wragge & Co.
Bakers and Latham advise as Rio Tinto divests talc business
International firms Baker & McKenzie and Latham & Watkins have scooped lead roles on Rio Tinto’s divestment of its global talc business.
Ashurst, Freshfields and Hogan Lovells lead on £2.4bn sale of Northumbrian Water
Ashurst, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Hogan Lovells were all acting on Northumbrian Water’s £2.4bn cash sale to a Hong Kong consortium controlled by billionaire Li Ka-Shing.
Memery Crystal tops tables with highest number of Aim clients
Memery Crystal has beaten LG, Norton Rose and Pinsent Masons to storm to the top of a ranking of firms by number of Aim-listed clients for the first time.
Ashurst, Dickson Minto, Weil secure £579m ERM purchase
Ashurst, Dickson Minto and Weil Gotshal & Manges all landed roles on Charterhouse Capital Partners’ $950m (£579m) acquisition of Environmental Resources Management (ERM) from Bridgepoint Capital.
Because they’re worth it? Why firms use buy-backs
Buy-backs can be an effective tool to retain partners. But as Joshua Freedman asks: are they just bodge-it jobs?
Dechert, DLA Piper sign off Moonpig takeover deal
Dechert and DLA Piper were the lead firms advising on PhotoBox’s £120m purchase of online cards retailer Moonpig.com.
US trio digs deep for BHP Petrohawk buy
US heavyweights Morgan Lewis & Bockius, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and Sullivan & Cromwell have lined up to advise on BHP Billiton’s $12.1bn (£7.4bn) purchase of Petrohawk Energy Corporation.
Proskauer continues to build London team with Kirkland hire
Proskauer Rose has continued its London expansion with the hire of funds partner Kate Simpson from Kirkland & Ellis.
Bakers and Cravath lead on Ecolab's $8.1bn Nalco takeover
Baker & McKenzie and Cravath Swaine & Moore have taken lead roles on the multi-billion takeover of chemicals company Nalco Holding Company by Ecolab, a leading developer of cleaning products.
Slaughters, Macfarlanes secure Chi-X sale brief
Slaughter and May won a competitive tender to advise alongside Macfarlanes on the acquisition of equity exchange Chi-X Europe by BATS Global Markets.
Linklaters partner retires after unsuccessful management bid
Linklaters corporate partner David Barnes retired at the end of last month following 36 years at the firm.
Freshfields names City corporate chief as Rawlinson takes management role
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has named corporate partner Julian Long as head of its London corporate practice, succeeding Mark Rawlinson, who was recently elected as the firm’s London managing partner.
Shearman hires new blood for ECM launch
Shearman & Sterling is launching a UK equity capital markets practice with the hire of former Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer partner Monica McConville.
A&O, Herbies and Skadden lead as News Corp's BSkyB bid flounders
Allen & Overy (A&O), Herbert Smith and Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom have all held on to leading advisory roles as News Corp’s bid for BSkyB heats up.
Dewey calls up purchaser team for Polish mobile operator sale
Eleven law firms advised on the $6.6bn (£4.1bn) sale of Polkomtel, Poland’s second-largest mobile phone network operator, in Europe’s largest leveraged buyout for three years.
Swiss duo advise on wealth manager deal
Two Zurich firms advised on the acquisition of an independent wealth manager for high net-worth individuals by a family bank dating back to the 1880s.
Slaughters and Linklaters lag in first-half M&A tables
Slaughter and May and Linklaters have seen sizeable drops in their share of the UK M&A market, according to figures for the first half of 2011.
Freshfields to get new London boss
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer London corporate head Mark Rawlinson is set to replace Tim Jones as head of the firm’s London office.
Addleshaws, Jones Day seal £154m Hill Hire sale
Addleshaw Goddard and Jones Day were on opposite sides of the table in Ryder System’s £154m acquisition of Bradford-based truck leasing company Hill Hire from Lloyds Banking Group.
Eversheds lines up with Davis & Co for Crown Paints sell-off
Eversheds and Davis & Co both won roles on the sale of the Queen’s paint maker, Crown Paints, by private equity house Endless to paint supplier Hempel.
Paul Hastings hires Macfarlanes corporate partner
Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker has continued expanding its private equity practice with the hire of corporate partner Garrett Hayes from Macfarlanes.
Herbies hires Taylor Wessing partner for financial regulatory team
Herbert Smith has hired Taylor Wessing’s financial services regulatory head Clive Cunningham as its second non-contentious financial regulatory partner.
Addleshaws, Bakers lead on King Sturge-Jones Lang tie-up
Addleshaw Goddard and Baker & McKenzie took the prime advisory roles on the merger of Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) with fellow real estate giant King Sturge.
CC and Nabarro deal with Sportingbet Oz acquisition
Clifford Chance and Nabarro have taken lead roles on Sportingbet’s bond issue and subsequent acquisition of Australian betting company Centrebet.
Clifford Chance and AAR steer Rio Tinto’s joint venture with Chinalco
Australian firm Allens Arthur Robinson (AAR) took a place opposite Clifford Chance on a deal that will see mining giant Rio Tinto join forces with Aluminum Corporation of China (Chinalco) to explore mainland China in search of mineral deposits.
Freshfields breaks top two’s FTSE stranglehold
Change in legal markets happens on a geological timescale, or at least that is how the received wisdom has it.
Freshfields steers Betfred to victory in battle for the Tote
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer client Betfred has won the bid to acquire the state-owned Horserace Totalisator Board (the Tote), after fighting off a rival tender from former Liverpool FC chairman Sir Martin Broughton.
Norton Rose turns to HogLove for latest Paris hire
Norton Rose has continued its hiring spree in Paris with the appointment of Hogan Lovells partner Jon Harry.
Freshfields usurps Linklaters in FTSE100 client rankings
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has broken into the top two firms ranked by number of FTSE 100 clients, overtaking rival Linklaters.
Couchmans lines up alongside magic circle on selloff of Tote
Sports specialist Couchmans has won a role alongside Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Linklaters advising on bids to acquire bookmaker the Horserace Totalisator Board (the Tote).
EMW, Eversheds drive Jardine’s Wayside buy
EMW and Eversheds have both landed roles on Jardine Motors Group’s acquisition of car dealership Wayside Group.
Ex-Dorsey partner joins Mishcon after insider dealing acquittal
Former Dorsey & Whitney partner Andrew Rimmington, whose trial for insider dealing collapsed in 2010, has joined Mishcon de Reya as one of two partner hires intended to give the firm’s corporate team a boost.
John Wood’s £1bn share buy-back sees Ashurst, Slaughters brought in
Ashurst and Slaughter and May grabbed the top mandates on John Wood Group’s £1bn share buy-back proposal in the wake of February’s sale of its oil well support division to GE.
Osborne Clarke, Skadden bag Motorola-Nokia deal
Osborne Clarke won a role opposite Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom on Motorola’s $975m (£600m) sale of its wireless network infrastructure assets to Nokia Siemens Networks.
Camerons and Freshfields lead on £8bn pharma deal
CMS Cameron McKenna and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer secured prize mandates on the €9.6bn (£8.4bn) sale of Swiss drug company Nycomed to the Japanese Takeda Pharmaceutical Company.
Dewey & LeBoeuf raids Taylor Wessing for UK private equity launch
Dewey & LeBoeuf has moved into the London private equity market with a double swoop on Taylor Wessing.
Addleshaws names new corporate chief
Addleshaw Goddard has appointed partner Philip Goodstone as divisional managing partner in charge of the firm’s corporate group.
Awards contenders show corporate is still a big deal
This year’s deals highlight the West to East shift in the balance of economic power, says Gavriel Hollander
Simpson and SullCrom take lead roles on Microsoft's $8.5bn Skype bid
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and Sullivan & Cromwell have scored top roles in Microsoft Corporation’s $8.5bn (£5.2bn) acquisition of Skype Global.
Akin Gump taps A&O for Moscow partner hire
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld has boosted its Moscow-based international transactions practice with the addition of Allen & Overy partner Varun Gupta.
Kirkland helps Teva win bid battle for Cephalon
US firms Kirkland & Ellis and Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom snared the prize mandates on the $6.8bn (£4.12bn) sale of biopharmaceutical company Cephalon to rival drugs giant Teva.
Chrysler turns to Sullivan as Fiat puts auto giants on road to full integration
Sullivan & Cromwell has represented Chrysler Group on a $1.27bn (£77m) purchase by Italian car maker Fiat of an additional 16 per cent stake in the US car giant.
Latham, Shearman, Weil take lead roles on Priory’s Craegmoor buy
Latham & Watkins, Shearman & Sterling and Weil Gotshal & Manges secured the lead mandates on The Priory Group’s acquisition of healthcare support provider Craegmoor Group.
Pinsents names corporate head as incumbent takes on development role
Pinsent Masons has appointed a new head of corporate and tax to replace incumbent Gareth Edwards.
Clifford Chance, Links scoop main roles on Glencore float
Clifford Chance and Linklaters have snared the prize mandates on the long-awaited IPO of commodities trader Glencore.
Slaughters corporate partner becomes Royal Mail's interim GC
Slaughter and May corporate partner Jeff Triggs has been appointed as interim general counsel at Royal Mail Group following the departure of legal head Doug Evans.
Dewey and DLA advise on eBay's Turkish acquisition
Dewey & LeBoeuf has advised online auction site eBay on its acquisition of its Turkish counterpart Gitti Gidiyor Bilgi Teknolojileri Sanayi ve Ticaret Anonim Sirketi.
CC, Slaughters win lead roles on Arsenal bid
Clifford Chance and Slaughter and May have secured the leading roles on the latest international takeover of a Premier League football club following US businessman Stan Kroenke’s £731m offer for Arsenal.
Clifford Chance and Linklaters advise on $12bn Glencore IPO
Clifford Chance and Linklaters snared the prized mandates on the long-awaited IPO of commodities trader Glencore.
Proskauer confirms hire of Jones Day partners Carmedy and Nouril
Proskauer Rose has ended more than a week of speculation by confirming its appointment of partners Russell Carmedy and Michael Nouril to its London office, following the pair’s departure from Jones Day.
Bleak deals climate shows no sign of thawing in Q1
A constricted UK deals pipeline has not eased in the first quarter (Q1) of 2011, according to latest M&A advisory league tables published by Thomson Reuters.
A&O and SJ Berwin lead on $3.2bn General Electric deal
Allen & Overy (A&O) and SJ Berwin have taken the leading mandates on the $3.2bn (£1.96bn) sale of engineering group Converteam to General Electric.
A&O and Herbies advise on Man Group's Citi outsourcing deal
Allen & Overy (A&O) and Herbert Smith have taken the mandates on a landmark outsourcing deal between Man Group and Citibank’s specialised outsourcing arm.
Ropes edges into City PE space with DLA capture
Ropes & Gray has made a significant move into the London private equity sector with the hire of DLA Piper European private equity chief Will Rosen.
Takeover Panel sweetens code for targets after Cadbury lesson
Panel acts after public finds squirty cheese behemoth’s legacy hard to digest. By James Swift
FFW scores AIM flotation mandate for Trap Oil Group
Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW) has advised on its third AIM flotation in the oil and gas sector in the space of six months.
Ropes & Gray leads Liberty Global on German cable TV acquisition
Ropes & Gray lined up alongside a raft of leading UK and US firms on cable company Liberty Global’s proposed e3.16bn (£2.76bn) acquisition of Germany’s third-largest cable TV operator Kabel Baden-Württemberg (Kabel BW).
Smiles all round as Slaughters and Wachtell lead on Colgate deal
Slaughter and May and Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz secured the lead M&A roles on Colgate-Palmolive’s €672m (£590m) acquisition of the Sanex personal care brand from consumer products giant Unilever.
Cleary, CC, Dewey wrap up Finmeccanica divestment
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, Clifford Chance and Dewey & LeBoeuf all landed roles on Finmeccanica’s sale of Ansaldo Energia.
Freshfields drives Daimler’s joint bid with Rolls-Royce for Tognum
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Hengeler Mueller, Latham & Watkins and Sullivan & Cromwell have secured roles on a e3.2bn (£2.76bn) joint takeover offer for engine-maker Tognum by Daimler and Rolls-Royce.
A&O, Freshfields and Uría act on Qatar Holding's €2.1bn Iberdrola acquisition
Magic circle pair Allen & Overy (A&O) and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have been joined by Spanish giant Uría Menéndez to guide Qatar Holding’s purchase of a €2.1bn stake in Iberdrola.
Pinsents builds funds practice with addition of SJ Berwin lawyer
Pinsent Masons has boosted its partnership with the addition of a lawyer from SJ Berwin’s fund formation team.
Camerons loses corporate partner to client
CMS Cameron McKenna corporate partner Mike Jones has left the firm to join one of his clients, becoming general counsel at White Rose Energy Ventures, an oil exploration and production start-up focused on upstream exploration in West Africa.
Countryside clothing start-up lines up Muckle for Partridge buy
North East outfit Muckle has advised a North East start-up on the acquisition of countryside clothing brand John Partridge.
Shearman’s Tata mandate creates 800 North East jobs
Shearman & Sterling has won a major instruction from Tata Steel on a deal that will see the creation of around 800 jobs in the North East of England.
Freshfields leads as Cattles restructuring completes
Allen & Overy (A&O), Ashurst, Clifford Chance and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have all advised on sub-prime lender Cattles’ £2.3bn restructuring.
A&O and HogLov guide News Corp to success on BSkyB deal
Allen & Overy (A&O) and Hogan Lovells have helped Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation as its bid to take over satellite broadcaster BSkyB got the green light from the UK Government.
Links and Simpson Thacher lead on E.ON's £4bn PPL sell-off
Linklaters and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett have taken the lead roles on the £4bn sale of E.ON’s UK electricity distribution business to Pennsylvania Power and Light (PPL).
Cleary, Slaughters act on Diageo’s Mey Icki purchase
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton and Slaughter and May took the leading advisory roles on Diageo’s £1.3bn acquisition of Turkish spirits producer Mey Icki last week.
Norton Rose, Pinsents instructed on Energees’ move to control Regal
Norton Rose and Pinsent Masons have claimed the mandates for the sale of a controlling stake in Regal Petroleum to Ukrainian bidder Energees Investments.
Macfarlanes wins follow-on role from TNK-BP's Rosneft deal
Macfarlanes has landed a major new mandate advising the independent directors of BP’s Russian joint venture partner Alfa Access Renova (AAR) on their position following last month’s tie-up between the UK oil company and Russia’s state-owned Rosneft.
A&O, Slaughters bag GE’s John Wood oil well division purchase
Allen & Overy (A&O) and Slaughter and May have taken the prize mandates advising John Wood Group on the $2.8bn (£1.7bn) sale of its oil well support division to General Electric (GE).
Herbies helps De La Rue fend off hostile bid by rival banknote printer
Herbert Smith has helped banknote printer De La Rue see off a hostile takeover attempt by French bidder Oberthur.
Weil and Ropes lead on Sanofi's £12bn Genzyme acquisition
A quartet of international firms has scooped lead roles as French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi-Aventis finalised its $20.1bn (£12.47bn) acquisition of US company Genzyme.
A&O and Slaughters lead as GE pays $2.8bn for Wood Group division
Allen & Overy (A&O) and Slaughter and May have taken the prize mandates advising the John Wood Group on the $2.8bn (£1.7bn) sale of its Well Support Division to General Electric (GE).
Group of breakaway Hengeler lawyers launch corporate boutique
A group of senior associates from Slaughter and May’s German best friend Hengeler Mueller have left the firm to launch their own corporate boutique.
Cheers to Pinsents and TLT as they guide Molson Coors brewery deal
Pinsent Masons and TLT Solicitors have been toasting their success after winning mandates on the £20m sale of Cornwall-based Sharp’s Brewery to Molson Coors.
GTM, Herbies, Sullivan on board with £700m cash shell gambit
Greenberg Traurig Maher (GTM), Herbert Smith and Sullivan & Cromwell are understood to have won mandates on the flotation of a £700m cash shell by billionaire investor Nicolas Berggruen.
Travers’ US securities hire throws spotlight on client’s one-stop needs
With the focus on cost, single- jurisdiction firms are losing out. By Gavriel Hollander
Links and Wachtell lead as Deutsche Börse and NYSE merger advances
Linklaters and Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz have claimed the leading M&A roles on the proposed merger between the US and German stock exchanges.
A&O and Freshfields lead as LSE agrees merger with Canadian exchange
Allen & Overy (A&O) and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer took the UK side mandates on the merger of the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and the owner of its Toronto counterpart.
Ogier and Carey Olsen join magic circle duo on £17bn GDF Suez deal
Offshore firms Ogier and Carey Olsen joined magic circle firms Clifford Chance and Linklaters and French independent Bredin Prat on one of the biggest M&A transactions to complete so far this year.
A&O, Hogan Lovells on opposite sides of Catalina’s Glacier purchase
Allen & Overy (A&O) and Hogan Lovells advised on Catalina Holdings’ acquisition of Swiss-based reinsurer Glacier.
Reed Smith brings in Gide corporate partner
Reed Smith has bolstered its London capital markets presence after hiring Gide Loyrette Nouel partner Scott Cameron.
Travers hires its first US-qualified partner
Travers Smith has responded to pressure from clients to provide US securities advice by hiring its first US-qualified partner.
Weil hires Willkie’s Faugérolas for Paris corporate push
Weil Gotshal & Manges has hired corporate big-hitter Laurent Faugérolas from Willkie Farr & Gallagher’s Paris office.
Clifford Chance splits City corporate group into three
Clifford Chance has shaken up its London corporate practice, splitting the group into three sector-based teams.
Eversheds scores sale of AH Medical to Assura Group
Eversheds has acted on a major deal in the healthcare property sector, winning the instruction after original adviser Hammonds was conflicted out.
Herbies, SJ Berwin win main roles on Boparan’s Northern Foods punt
Herbert Smith and SJ Berwin have taken the top mandates on the £342m recommended offer by Boparan Holdings for Northern Foods, as a bidding war continues for the UK food group.
Hogan Lovells and SH star in LoveFilm acquisition
Hogan Lovells and Stephenson Harwood took the key mandates on the £200m sale of the remaining shares in LoveFilm to Amazon.
Why BLP’s push into high-end corporate needs more of a shove
Can BLP find its way out of the AIM ghetto to challenge the top tier?
Linklaters opposite Freshfields on BP share swap with Rosneft
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Linklaters have been handed the prize mandates on BP’s £10bn share swap with Russian state-owned oil giant Rosneft.
Links, Hogan Lovells bag Paternoster acquisition by Rothesay
Hogan Lovells and Linklaters have secured instructions on the £260m sale of pension buyout house Paternoster to Goldman Sachs subsidiary Rothesay Life.
Freshfields, Linklaters land top roles on BP-Rosneft deal
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Linklaters have been handed the prize mandates on BP’s £10bn share swap with Russia’s state-owned oil giant Rosneft.
Freshfields and Slaughters advise on Henderson's Gartmore acquisition
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Slaughter and May have landed the lead mandates advising on Henderson’s purchase of fellow fund manager Gartmore.
Linklaters mourns passing of 'legendary' French partner
Linklaters has confirmed that French M&A star Thierry Vassogne has died at the age of 59 after suffering a heart attack.
Camerons targets US work with Simmons hire
CMS Cameron McKenna has made a strategic hire into its capital markets practice with the appointment of Simmons & Simmons US securities partner Daniel Winterfeldt as head of its international capital markets group.
Hogan, Links on board in Oz container terminal deal
Hogan Lovells and Linklaters have advised on a major investment by Citi Infrastructure Investors (CII) in DP World’s Australia-based terminals business.
McGrigors boosts corporate with Links raid
McGrigors has hired Linklaters associate Mark Waegner as a partner in its corporate team in London.
A&O's Paris corporate chief breaks away to establish boutique
Allen & Overy’s Paris corporate head has quit the firm to set up a boutique practice dedicated to M&A and tax work.
Links leapfrogs rivals in sluggish year for M&A
2010 saw a slight upturn for corporate teams, especially those whose business is not heavily UK-based, says Gavriel Hollander
Hogan Lovells, Linklaters lead on sale of Australian DP World assets
Hogan Lovells and Linklaters have advised on a major investment by Citi Infrastructure Investors in DP World’s Australian-based terminals business.
McGrigors and Slaughters lead on Wood Group's purchase of PSN
McGrigors won the mandate to sit across the deals table from Slaughter and May on the £607m sale of oil services company PSN to Aberdeen-based FTSE 250 company Wood Group.
Slaughters partner takes on GC role at Asset Protection Agency
Slaughter and May corporate partner Lucy Wylde has landed a permanent role as general counsel for HM Treasury’s Asset Protection Agency (APA).
Freshfields raids A&O for Middle East star
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has scooped Pervez Akhtar from magic circle rival Allen & Overy, making him its new Middle East corporate head .
Freshfields corporate partner lands at White & Case
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer corporate partner David Crook has resurfaced at US firm White & Case following a year-long break from fee-earning.
SJ Berwin defections continue as Taylor Wessing hires corporate partner
Taylor Wessing has hired SJ Berwin partner Tandeep Minhas to its financial institutions and markets group.
Cleary and Gleiss Lutz advise on £4bn EDF sell-off
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton and Herbert Smith’s German alliance firm Gleiss Lutz have acted on EDF’s €4.7bn (£3.98bn) sale of its 45 per cent stake in German energy company Energie Baden-Württember (EnBW) to the State of Baden-Württemberg.
Hammonds wins spot on Sheffield Wednesday buy
Hammonds corporate partner David Hull has landed another major football mandate, advising former Portsmouth and Leicester City owner Milan Mandaric on the purchase of Sheffield Wednesday.
Trio of US firms advise on BP's disposal of Pan American Energy
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, Baker & McKenzie and Sullivan & Cromwell have won the prize mandates on the sale of BP’s stake in its Argentinian joint venture, Pan American Energy.
Debevoise, Olswang land BBC’s JV sale to Discovery
Debevoise & Plimpton and Olswang have secured the key mandates on the sale of BBC Worldwide’s 50 per cent interest in its global TV joint venture (JV), incorporating the channels Animal Planet and Liv, to Discovery Communications.
Ashurst loses another partner to Clifford Chance
Ashurst corporate partner Steven Fox has quit the firm to take up partnership at Clifford Chance.
Mishcon steers Marussia deal as it gears up to buy Virgin Racing owner
Mishcon de Reya has advised Russian supercar manufacturer Marussia Motors on its acquisition of a controlling interest in Manor Holdco, the parent company of the Formula 1 (F1) Virgin Racing team.
Debevoise, Norton Rose secure lead roles on Rockefeller’s Europa stake
Debevoise & Plimpton and Norton Rose have landed the plum roles on Rockefeller Group’s acquisition of a 75 per cent stake in Europa Capital.
Paul Weiss successfully defends Citi against Guy Hands' EMI action
Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison partner Ted Wells has sealed victory for Citigroup in a court action brought by the founder of private equity group Terra Firma.
Howard Kennedy, Maples Teesdale act on studio sale
Howard Kennedy and Maples Teesdale have acted on the sale of Merton Studios, the former home of TV police drama The Bill.
Top firms help as Qatar Holding takes stake in Santander Brazil
A host of firms, including Cuatrecasas Gonçalves Pereira, Slaughter and May, Uría Menéndez and White & Case have acted on Qatar Holding’s $2.7bn acquisition of a 5 per cent stake in Banco Santander’s Brazil operation.
CC and Sullivan take lead roles on Brit Insurance buy-out
Clifford Chance and Sullivan & Cromwell head a bevy of leading firms with roles on Brit Insurance’s £888m sale to private equity houses Apollo and CVC.
CC, Freshfields and Herbies pick up roles on Stagecoach bus buy
Clifford Chance, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Herbert Smith have taken the leading roles on transport group Stagecoach’s purchase of the operating subsidiaries of the East London Bus Group.
Linklaters on defensive as Freshfields makes incursion into blue-chip stable
With rivals trying to strike it rich by luring prize clients, Linklaters circles the wagons.
A&L Goodbody and Fried Frank join CC on Permira acquisition
A&L Goodbody, Clifford Chance and Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson have landed the mandates advising private equity house Permira on its acquisition of a majority stake in Irish healthcare equipment manufacturer Creganna.
Dnata turns to Olswang as it buys air catering firm
Olswang has snared a new client in the form of airport services group Dnata after acting for it on the £165m purchase of in-flight caterer Alpha Flight Group from Autogrill.
Liverpool FC takeover saga unlikely to relegate firms’ football focus
Law firms will always be willing to be players in lucrative soccer deals
US firms lead as Russian web group seeks London listing
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton and Sullivan & Cromwell have taken the lead roles as Russian internet group Mail.ru last week began marketing its London IPO.
Cautious optimism for global M&A after third-quarter hike in deal value
A sluggish global M&A market is showing signs of life, according to latest data on third-quarter deal activity.
CC and Freshfields land roles on £1.3bn AZ Electronic IPO
Clifford Chance and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have bagged roles on what could become one of the biggest private equity- backed initial public offerings (IPO) of 2010.
Shearman, Slaughters and Weil advise on sale of Liverpool FC
Shearman & Sterling, Slaughter and May and Weil Gotshal & Manges have netted the prize roles on the proposed takeover of Liverpool Football Club by the owner of US baseball franchise the Boston Red Sox.
Akin Gump and Cleary advise on £14bn VimpelCom acquisition
US duo Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton have landed the prize mandates on a deal to create a $21.5bn (£13.58bn) mobile phone group.
Freshfields and Travers brought in on CSG’s bid for BSS provider Intec
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Travers Smith have advised on CSG Systems’ offer for UK business support services (BSS) provider Intec Telecom Systems.
Hogan Lovells secures ENRC mandate for Brazil acquisition
Hogan Lovells has landed a role advising Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation (ENRC), a client close to Herbert Smith, on the acquisition of a Brazilian minerals company.
Ashurst scoops mandate for reinsurance start-up in Asia
Ashurst has won a major deal acting on the establishment of a new pan-Asian reinsurance business.
Cleary, Freshfields act on Deutsche Bank’s bid for Deutsche Postbank
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have been handed lead roles in Deutsche Bank’s proposed takeover of Deutsche Postbank.
DMH develops London with corpfin figure
DMH Stallard has hired the former corporate finance chief of Hogan Lovells legacy firm Lovells in the latest step in its plan to expand in London.
Debevoise beefs up London practice with Travers hire
US firm Debevoise & Plimpton has expanded its London private equity practice with the hire of Travers Smith partner David Innes.
Freshfields, Links and Eversheds oversee sale of 333 Mitchells pubs
Eversheds, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Linklaters have assisted on the sale of a string of pubs up and down the country by brewer Mitchells & Butlers to Stonegate Pub Company.
Estate agents call on Stevens & Bolton for zoopla tie-up
Guildford-based firm Stevens & Bolton has advised real estate agents Countrywide, LSL Property Services and Connells Group in their strategic tie-up with leading property website zoopla.co.uk.
Schoenherr unveils white-collar team
Austrian firm Schoenherr has established a compliance and white-collar crime team to target companies damaged by the criminal acts of employees and third parties, as well as companies facing criminal charges.
Iberian trio instructed on Telefónica’s Brasilcel buy
Top Iberian law firms Cuatrecasas Gonçalves Pereira, Garrigues and Uría Menéndez all scored roles on Telefónica’s e7.5bn (£6.16bn) purchase of Portugal Telecom’s 50 per cent stake in Brasilcel.
Denmark's Danders seals merger with corporate boutique
Danish firm Danders & More has merged with Copenhagen transaction boutique NSR Advokatfirma.
SJ Berwin and Travers act on Zimbabwean AIM deal
SJ Berwin and Travers Smith have bagged roles on the AIM listing of Zimbabwean investment company Masawara.
Davis Polk, Jenner & Block advise on General Motors IPO
US firms Davis Polk & Wardwell and Jenner & Block have landed the top roles on General Motors’ initial public offering (IPO).
Hammonds scores another West Ham FC deal
Hammonds corporate partner David Hull has acted on a second major football deal in a week after advising on a £4m investment in West Ham United.
Jones Day and Slaughters advise on BHP's $39bn hostile bid for Potash
Jones Day is advising Canadian fertiliser company Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan (PotashCorp) on the defensive of a $39bn hostile takeover bid from Anglo-Australian mining company BHP Billiton.
Dorsey turns to Brown Rudnick for corporate hire
Dorsey & Whitney has bolstered its London office with the hire of Brown Rudnick corporate partner Roger Gregory as partner.
Hammonds advises on Leicester City FC sell-off
Hammonds has advised Leicester City FC on its acquisition by consortium Asia Football Investments.
Links and Weil advise on £2bn sale of RBS's credit card arm
Linklaters and Weil Gotshal & Manges bagged the leading roles on the £2bn sale of a majority stake in RBS’s Global Merchant Services arm to private equity houses Advent International and Bain Capital.
Ashurst makes rare senior appointment
Ashurst has made the first hire into its City corporate department since 2008 with the capture of Nabarro financial services regulation head Rob Moulton.
Santander institutes corporate asset roster
Banco Santander has launched a revamp of its external legal advisers with the introduction of a series of ’soft panels’ to sit underneath its main legal roster.
Top corporate practices fend off worst effects of slump
For the UK’s top corporate practices 2009-10 was very much a case of plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose, with dealflow still in decline and competition for the work that remains as tough as ever.
Akin Gump raids Hogan Lovells for Moscow partner
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld has hired a corporate partner from Hogan Lovells in Moscow.
Travers advises on launch of Metro Bank
Travers Smith has landed a prime role in the establishment of the first high street bank in the UK for more than 100 years.
A&O hires Bingham partner for New York ICM practice
Allen & Overy’s (A&O) New York office has hired capital markets partner Ed De Sear as a partner in its international capital markets (ICM) group.
Slaughter and May leads on Santander acquisition of RBS branches
Slaughter and May and Linklaters are advising on Santander’s purchase of 318 high street branches from the Royal Bank of Scotland, mainly in the north west of England.
LG and Pinsents pull ahead in AIM game as quality supplants quantity
The latest Hemscott rankings for legal advisers on AIM see Pinsent Masons retaining a slender advantage in terms of total client numbers, with LG boasting a healthy lead in terms of market capitalisation.
Clifford Chance and Freshfields act on PartyGaming-bwin merger
Magic circle duo Clifford Chance and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have bagged the leading mandates advising on the €2bn (£1.7bn) merger of online gaming sites PartyGaming and bwin.
Baker & McKenzie scores with Boon Rawd for Man Utd tie-up
Baker & McKenzie has advised Thailand-based Boon Rawd Brewery in its £6m sponsorship deal with Manchester United FC.
Eversheds works on Dimension Data bid
Eversheds is advising IT infrastructure outfit Dimension Data in its £2.1bn proposed takeover by Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTTC).
Travers leads as ‘Project New Bank’ targets state assets
Travers Smith has bagged a lead role advising on the creation of a new banking venture that will target state-owned assets.
Ashurst, Ropes and SullCrom advise on £1bn Ontex sale
Ashurst, Ropes & Gray and Sullivan & Cromwell have scored major roles on one of the largest European private equity buyouts of the year - the €1.2bn (£1bn) sale of Belgian manufacturing company Ontex to Goldman Sachs PIA and TPG Capital.
Freshfields trials flexi-working in corporate team
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has begun a pilot scheme to allow associates to take advantage of a suite of alternative working arrangements, including job-sharing, as part of its ongoing employee engagement programme.
Affairs of the hearth
The outcome of the Stonham v Ramrattan appeal could set a precedent for the treatment of matrimonial homes in insolvency cases.
Floating free
A recent court ruling has left the door open for parties to dispense with the registration of a floating charge via the use of a security financial collateral arrangement. But its application is likely to be very narrow.
Opportunities abound as FSA makes way for the Economic Crime Agency
Can niche players retain their go-to status as City firms start to circle?
Slaughters scores Travis Perkins’ takeover of BSS Group
Slaughter and May has scored a new mandate advising builders’ merchant Travis Perkins on its £558m takeover of BSS Group.
Freshfields advises BP on Gulf of Mexico oil spill
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has snared a leading role acting for BP in its defence of any potential takeovers in the wake of the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster.
Forsters' former corporate chief defects to Fladgate
Forsters former corporate head Jeremy Whiteson has left the firm to join West End rival Fladgate.
Linklaters and Norton Rose win roles on RBS's Indian sell-off
Linklaters and Norton Rose are working alongside their Indian best friends to advise on the sale of RBS’s Indian retail and commercial banking business to HSBC.
A&O and Weil act on Thomson Reuters' acquisition of Complinet
Allen & Overy (A&O) and Weil Gotshal & Manges have scored plum roles on the sale of regulatory and compliance solutions provider Complinet to Thomson Reuters.
Clifford Chance names Tinkler as London corporate head
Clifford Chance has elected Simon Tinkler as its new London corporate chief after David Pearson completed two terms in the role.
Dechert, FFW and Slaughters take on Schroders’ acquisition of RWC
Dechert, Field Fisher Waterhouse and Slaughter and May have landed roles on Schroders’ acquisition of a 49 per cent stake in asset management company RWC Partners.
Ashurst creates global corporate head role as part of practice revamp
Ashurst has completed a major revamp of its corporate management structure with Stephen Lloyd taking up the newly created role of global corporate head.
Herbies alliance firm Gleiss Lutz launches in Hamburg
Herbert Smith’s German alliance partner Gleiss Lutz has taken over Hamburg corporate boutique Rittstieg Rechtsanwälte to launch its sixth German office.
Burges Salmon boosts insolvency team with Taylor Wessing hire
Burges Salmon has hired Taylor Wessing’s head of restructuring and corporate recovery Patrick Cook as a partner in its corporate turnaround and insolvency team.
Clifford Chance tops UK M&A table as latest figures reveal deal downturn
Big business has its work cut out as worldwide M&A deals decline. By Andrew Pugh
Eversheds and Linklaters pave the way for BA and Iberia deal
Eversheds and Linklaters have advised on a crucial pension recovery agreement between British Airways (BA) and its two final salary pension funds that should clear the way for the airline’s merger with Iberia.
LG and TLT hit the right spot with snooker rights deal
LG and TLT have potted leading roles on promoter Barry Hearn’s acquisition of the commercial rights of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA).
Freshfields and Links lead on RBS's UAE sell-off
Magic circle duo Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Linklaters have bagged the leading roles on the sale of RBS’s UAE retail banking business to Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB).
Hill Dickinson boosts corporate practice with Hammonds hire
Hill Dickinson has grown its corporate team with the appointment of Hammonds partner Ian Gillis.
Herbies and Skadden lead on News Corp's £7.8bn BSkyB bid
Herbert Smith and Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom have won the leading roles on News Corp’s £7.8bn bid to buy up the remaining shares in BSkyB.
A&O, Links aid Britvic move on French rival
Allen & Overy (A&O) and Linklaters have helped beverage company Britvic in its acquisition of a French rival, in a move that gives it a foothold in the substantial French soft drinks market.
Freshfields and Ashurst guide £860m ABB offer for Chloride
Ashurst and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have landed the key mandates on Swiss engineering group ABB’s recommended offer for power equipment supplier Chloride.
Latest departures at Ashurst put client loyalty under the spotlight
City firm insists it is still a major force despite loss of top talent.
People moves
Addleshaw Goddard has appointed Jonathan Watson as legal director of its financial regulation practice.
Why Kirkland’s PE swoop is the start of an aggressive new era
?Chicago firm emulates Weil Gotshal with UK investment.
City quartet grab a share of £800m Phoenix Group float
Clifford Chance, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Hogan Lovells and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett have snared top roles on the proposed £800m flotation of zombie life assurance fund Phoenix Group.
Eversheds and Olswang sniff out tissue tie-up
Eversheds and Olswang have acted for the two sides in a tie-up that will see the creation of Europe’s second-largest tissue producer.
Kirkland raids Ashurst for private equity partner duo
Ashurst has lost two corporate partners to the City office of US firm Kirkland & Ellis.
Freshfields and Hammonds advise on Pearson's Melorio bid
Hammonds has been instructed by vocational training provider Melorio to advise on its £99.3m takeover approach from Pearson.
Stephenson Harwood acts on Piramal deal after Ashurst corporate hire
Stephenson Harwood corporate partner Andrew Edge has scored his first major deal since moving from Ashurst earlier this year after advising India’s Piramal Healthcare on the $3.7bn (£2.57bn) sale of its pharmaceutical unit to Abbott Laboratories.
LfB pilots Patriot’s buyout of West Midlands airport
BIRMINGHAM-based ’virtual’ law firm Lawyers for Business (LfB) has advised Patriot Aerospace on its acquisition of Coventry Airport.
Trio of firms primed to push bids on potential £3bn RBS division sell-off
CLIFFORD Chance, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Weil Gotshal & Manges have lined up to represent competing bidders on the auction of RBS’s payment processing arm, with Linklaters winning the mandate on the sale side.
Cuatrecasas and Garrigues advise on Spanish banking mega-merger
Cuatrecasas Gonçalves Pereira and Garrigues have advised on €4.2bn (£3.63bn), three-way merger between Spain’s savings banks.
Herbies and Links advise on £3.3bn National Grid cash call
Herbert Smith and Linklaters have taken leading roles on the £3.3bn cash call by energy provider National Grid.
A&O and CC win key roles on Man Group's £1.1bn GLG buyout
Allen & Overy (A&O) and Clifford Chance joined a trio of US firms on Man Group’s $1.6bn (£1.1bn) acquisition of hedge fund GLG partners in a deal that has seen the creation of a combined entity with $63bn of assets under management.
Weil, CC and Uria act on ONO refinancing
Weil Gotshal & Manges, Clifford Chance and Uria Menendez have claimed leading roles on Spanish telecoms operator ONO’s €3.5bn (£3bn) refinancing package.
Herbies and Slaughters lead on Prudential fundraising
Herbert Smith and Slaughter and May have taken lead roles on Prudential’s delayed $21bn (£14.6bn) rights issue, which will provide part funding for its acquisition of American International Group’s (AIG) Asian insurance arm AIA.
Sportingbet sides with Nabarro for move to LSE
Nabarro’s gaming team has advised Sportingbet on its £343m move from AIM to the main market.
Top firms oversee TfL’s £310m purchase of Tube Lines venture
CMS Cameron McKenna, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Hogan Lovells and Norton Rose have won mandates advising on various aspects of the sale of the Tube Lines consortium to Transport for London (TfL).
Herbies and Latham lead on Al Fayed's Harrods sell-off
Herbert Smith and Latham & Watkins have bagged lead roles on the £1.5bn sale of Harrods to the investment arm of the Qatari Investment Authority (QIA).
Ashurst, Simpson Thacher lead on Candover takeover
Ashurst and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett have bagged leading roles on the proposed takeover of private equity firm Candover by Canadian pension fund Alberta Investment Management Company (Aimco).
Latham laterals come good with Norsk Hydro instruction
Latham & Watkins’ recent push into the recruitment market has already paid dividends after the US firm secured the lead role for new client Norsk Hydro on its $4.19bn (£2.78bn) acquisition of Vale’s aluminium business.
The Lawyer Awards corporate shortlisters defy the downturn
A wide range of deals in face of adversity creates contenders.
Clifford Chance taps Macfarlanes for rare corporate partner hire
Veteran Macfarlanes partner Tim Lewis has left the firm to join Clifford Chance’s global corporate practice.
A&O, Cleary and Herbies lead on Bank of Ireland fundraising
Allen & Overy (A&O), Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton and Herbert Smith led a clutch of firms advising on Bank of Ireland’s (BoI) €3.4bn (£2.9bn) integrated debt and equity capital raising.
Money Oriented
China’s private equity market is presenting both opportunities and challenges for international funds as the domestic players make their presence felt in an increasingly fertile environment.
Dewey, Hogan share top spot on $370m Saudi shares acquisition
Dewey & LeBoeuf and Hogan & Hartson have landed the key roles acting for Kingdom Holding Company (KHC) on its $370m (£240.42m) acquisition of the remaining shares in Kingdom Hotel Investments (KHI).
Nabarro drives through £2bn vehicle deal with armed forces
Nabarro has claimed a prize mandate acting for winning bidder General Dynamics (GD) following the award of a multibillion-pound Ministry of Defence (MoD) contract, it is understood.
Freshfields beats Shearman to seal Daimler’s three-way merger
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has landed a lead role ahead of go-to adviser Shearman & Sterling on Daimler’s tie-up with Renault and Nissan.
Macfarlanes leads on Hermes- Gartmore private equity tie-up
Macfarlanes, Simmons & Simmons and Travers Smith have bagged the mandates on the merger of the private equity arms of investment managers Gartmore and Hermes.
Norton Rose and Slaughters advise as BA-Iberia tie-up gets green light
The tie-up between British Airways (BA) and Iberia has been rubber stamped with Norton Rose and Slaughter and May landing the UK mandates.
2Birds taps Orrick for double corporate partner hire
Bird & Bird has bolstered its corporate team with the hire of two partners from Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe.
Freshfields beats Shearman to advise Daimler on three-way car deal
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has landed a lead roll ahead of go-to adviser Shearman & Sterling on Daimler’s tie-up with Renault and Nissan.
Focus: M&A, Spreading the load
The M&A market is yet to show signs of a full recovery, but what work there is is now being spread more evenly between the magic circle and its rivals
Freshfields steers through Chinese Volvo acquisition
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer grabbed a prize mandate advising Chinese company Zhejiang Geely Holding Group on its $1.8bn (£1.21bn) acquisition of Volvo from the Ford Motor Company.
Freshfields and Hogan lead on Ford's £1bn Volvo exit
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Hogan & Hartson have bagged lead roles in Ford’s sale of its Volvo business to China’s Zheijang Geely Holding Group for $1.8bn (£1.21bn).
Hedge fund managers’ unhappiness postponed along with AIFM directive
EU investment restrictions and tough regulations are only a matter of time.
Herbies motors into advisory job for Arriva group takeover
Herbert Smith has bagged a prize mandate acting for transport group Arriva on its prospective takeover by Deutsche Bahn.
Bakers and Mayer Brown advise on sale of lottery operator to Canadian pension fund
Baker & McKenzie and Mayer Brown have hit the jackpot after landing the advisory mandates on the agreement to sell National Lottery operator Camelot to the Ontario Teacher’s Pension Plan (OTPP).
Akin Gump and Bakers act on Chinese company's stake in Argentinian oil giant
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld and Baker & McKenzie bagged leading roles in the state-owned China National Offshore Oil Corp’s (CNOOC) $3.1bn (£2.1bn) investment in Argentinian oil producer Bridas.
Halliwells buffers exits with corporate hire
Halliwells has appointed a new partner to its London corporate recovery team as others leave the office.
Slaughters makes up one City partner in two-strong round
Slaughter and May has made up two new partners for the second year running, with just one of the two based in its London head office.
Osborne Clarke suits French Connection for Farhi deal
Osborne Clarke has bagged a leading role advising new client French Connection on the sale of fashion label Nicole Farhi to private equity group OpenGate Capital.
Lovells extends pro bono to corporate lawyers
Lovells has formed a social enterprise unit that offers pro bono advice across its international offices to the not-for-profit and fair trade sectors.
K&L Gates bulks up City corporate practice with double partner hire
K&L Gates has strengthened its corporate capabilities in London with the hire of two partners.
CC and Links square up over Babcock’s bid for rival VT Group
Magic circle duo Clifford Chance and Linklaters have landed prime roles in the hostile takeover bid for VT Group by rival Babcock International.
Ashurst loses Edge to Stephenson Harwood
Stephenson Harwood has continued to bolster its corporate practice with the hire of Ashurst partner Andrew Edge.
Video Test 5: You Tube video
Debevoise & Plimpton and Slaughter and May have landed prize roles on Prudential’s proposed $35.5bn (£23.9bn) purchase of American International Group’s (AIG) Asian insurance business.
Video Test 6: You Tube Index video
Debevoise & Plimpton and Slaughter and May have landed prize roles on Prudential’s proposed $35.5bn (£23.9bn) purchase of American International Group’s (AIG) Asian insurance business.
Video Test 4: Black Video Player Index video
Debevoise & Plimpton and Slaughter and May have landed prize roles on Prudential’s proposed $35.5bn (£23.9bn) purchase of American International Group’s (AIG) Asian insurance business.
Video Test 3: Silver Video Player Index video
Debevoise & Plimpton and Slaughter and May have landed prize roles on Prudential’s proposed $35.5bn (£23.9bn) purchase of American International Group’s (AIG) Asian insurance business.
Video Test 2: Silver Video Player In Text video
Debevoise & Plimpton and Slaughter and May have landed prize roles on Prudential’s proposed $35.5bn (£23.9bn) purchase of American International Group’s (AIG) Asian insurance business.
Video Test 1: Black Video Player In Text video
Debevoise & Plimpton and Slaughter and May have landed prize roles on Prudential’s proposed $35.5bn (£23.9bn) purchase of American International Group’s (AIG) Asian insurance business.
Debevoise and Slaughters lead on Pru's $35bn AIG Asia deal
Debevoise & Plimpton and Slaughter and May have landed prize roles on Prudential’s proposed $35.5bn (£23.9bn) purchase of American International Group’s (AIG) Asian insurance business.
FFW, Olswang tune in for launch of TV production joint venture
Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW) and Olswang have grabbed starring roles on a tie-up between NBC Universal and Working Title Films to create a new television production company.
Parr on course to head Links’ corporate dept
Jeremy Parr is set to take over as Linklaters corporate head when David Barnes stands down in April.
Taylor Wessing advises esure on £185m Lloyds buyout
Taylor Wessing has fielded a seven-partner deal team on its mandate to advise longstanding client esure on the motor insurance group’s £185m private equity-backed management buyout from Lloyds Banking Group.
Lawyers slam "populist" Takeover Panel consultation
M&A lawyers have reacted with scepticism to the announcement that the Takeover Panel is to launch a consultation on the rules governing hostile takeover bids.
Clifford Chance and Freshfields lead on Spanish debt restructuring
Clifford Chance and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have landed roles on the €5bn (£4.39bn) restructuring of Spanish real estate group Inmobilaria Colonial’s debt.
A&O and Dewey advise on News Corp's Bulgarian disposal
Allen & Overy (A&O) and Dewey & LeBoeuf have claimed advisory roles on the sale of News Corporation’s (News Corp) Bulgarian terrestrial TV business.
Addleshaws, Norton Rose instructed on Trinity’s Guardian Media takeover
Addleshaw Goddard and Norton Rose have grabbed headline roles on the sale of Guardian Media Group’s (GMG) regional media business to Trinity Mirror.
Freshfields and SJ Berwin lead on sale of Pantheon
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and SJ Berwin have taken key roles on the $775m (£489m) sale of private equity house Pantheon to Affiliated Managers Group (AMG).
Herbies and Links join India's AZB on Bharti Airtel's Africa bid
Herbert Smith and Linklaters have won roles alongside India’s AZB & Partners on Indian company Bharti Airtel’s $10.7bn (£6.8bn) bid for the African business of Kuwaiti telecoms group Zain.
Clifford Chance hires Ashurst partner as Tokyo corporate chief
Clifford Chance has hired the founder of Ashurst’s Tokyo office Alan Kitchin to head its corporate and projects practice in the Japanese capital.
Links and SJ Berwin lead on CIC's Apax investment
Linklaters and SJ Berwin have claimed key roles for sovereign wealth fund Chinese Investment Corporation’s (CIC) $956m (£611m) investment in Apax Partners.
Carphone Warehouse, TalkTalk demerger calls on bevy of firms
Allen & Overy (A&O), Ashurst, DLA Piper, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Osborne Clarke have bagged roles on the demerger and subsequent £1bn refinancing of Carphone Warehouse and TalkTalk.
DLA Piper strengthens corporate crime team
DLA Piper has beefed up its corporate crime team with the appointment of Peters & Peters partner Jo Rickards.
Osborne Clarke leads on Carphone Warehouse demerger
Allen & Overy (A&O), Ashurst, DLA Piper, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Osborne Clarke have bagged roles on the demerger and subsequent £1bn refinancing of Carphone Warehouse and TalkTalk.
King Kong?
Does the decision by Russia’s aluminium giant Rusal to list in Hong Kong rather than London mean a shift in IPOs to the east? Dimitry Afanasiev looks at the evidence.
Links on hunt for corporate chief as Barnes steps down
Linklaters head of corporate David Barnes is set to stand down in April as the fixed terms of a number of key management figures come to an end.
A&O names corporate chiefs as Cranfield steps into ambassadorial role
Allen & Overy (A&O) global co-head of corporate Richard Cranfield has stepped into the role of chairman of the practice, with London corporate chief Andrew Ballheimer taking his place in the firmwide role.
Cleary hit by double partner departure in London
US firm Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton has lost two London-based partners with capital markets partner Ashar Qureshi and competition partner Shaun Goodman both leaving the firm.
Clifford Chance and Slaughters lead on New Look IPO
Clifford Chance and Slaughter and May have been handed the mandates to advise on New Look’s IPO in a deal that is expected to raise £650m for the company.
DLA and Travers lead as CPA Global sells stake to private equity house
Clifford Chance, DLA Piper, Ogier and Travers Smith led the way on a £440m investment by private equity house Intermediate Capital Group (ICG) in legal process outsourcer CPA Global.
Weil and SJ Berwin advise on Duke Street's disposal of Xafinity
Weil Gotshal & Manges has bagged a role advising Advent International on the £190m acquisition of pension and employment benefit group Xafinity from Duke Street Capital.
Pinsents retains AIM crown with greatest number of clients
Pinsent Masons has retained its place at the top of Hemscott’s quarterly AIM rankings, maintaining the greatest number of AIM clients in the final quarter of 2009.
Ashurst corporate star quits M&A for MA
Ashurst corporate partner David Kershaw will leave the firm after 28 years to go back to university.
Dewey’s corporate team bags double deal for Bank Audi
Dewey & LeBoeuf has landed lead roles on two major acquisitions by longstanding client Bank Audi.
CC snubbed as KKR turns to Simpson Thacher on Pets at Home deal
Clifford Chance has lost out to Simpson Thacher & Bartlett on Kohlberg Kravis Roberts’ (KKR) £955m buyout of retailer Pets at Home, with partner Adam Signy giving M&A advice to the US private equity house.
Vinson taps White & Case for Middle East hire
Vinson & Elkins has hired White & Case capital markets partner Sami Al-Louzi to further develop its Middle East practice.
Clydes cherrypicks Shadbolt practices
Shadbolt is to disband next month, with the bulk of its partnership set to join Clyde & Co.
Focus: Private Equity - Say hello to good buyouts
Although no one is banking on a return to the boom of 2006, the general consensus is that, at least as far as the buyout market is concerned, 2010 is a time to believe
Herbies benefits from E&Y link with clutch of Nortel mandates
Herbert Smith’s ongoing relationship with Nortel administrator Ernst & Young (E&Y) has borne more fruit for the firm, with a multijurisdictional group of partners advising on the sale of several businesses.
Links and Shearman advise on €4bn UniCredit rights issue
Linklaters and Shearman & Sterling have landed lead roles on UniCredit’s €4bn (£3.48bn) rights issue.
Clifford Chance client Kraft wins backing for Cadbury deal
A clutch of UK and US firms are celebrating after the board of Cadbury gave the green light to Kraft’s approved offer for the British chocolate maker.
A&O Dubai leads Libya through £190m acquisition of Verenex
Allen & Overy’s (A&O) Dubai office has bagged a mandate acting for the Libyan Investment Authority (LIA) on its Can$317m (£190m) acquisition of Canadian-listed oil and gas exploration company Verenex.
SJ Berwin helps Arques offload car purchases
SJ Berwin has advised existing client Arques Industries on the sale of two British motoring businesses, both of which were acquired in the previous 14 months.
Dentons and TLT advise on Branson's bid to enter banking sector
Denton Wilde Sapte and TLT Solicitors have secured lead roles on Virgin Money’s first venture into the banking sector through its offer to buy private bank Church House Trust.
Salans turns to Ashurst for German hire
Salans has beefed up its German restructuring practice with the hire of former Ashurst partner Dietmar Schulz.
Links and Weil advise on sale of DHL
Weil Gotshal & Manges has delivered the goods for Home Delivery Network (HDN) on its acquisition of DHL Domestic from German rival Deutsche Post DHL.
Freshfields and Slaughters advise on $3.1bn China Pacific IPO
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Slaughter and May have taken lead advisory roles on China Pacific Insurance’s $3.1bn (£1.9bn) IPO.
Recession takes its toll on corporate mid-tier
Figures attained from Companies House filings have revealed the extent to which the financial crisis has hit partnership levels at mid-tier City firms.
A&O, CC and Freshfields win roles on £2bn private equity deal
Allen & Overy, Clifford Chance and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have bagged leading roles on one of Europe’s biggest private equity deals since the Lehman bankruptcy in September 2008.
GTM turns to SJ Berwin for latest hire
Greenberg Traurig Maher (GTM) has bulked up its corporate and securities capabilities with the hire of SJ Berwin corporate partner Laura O’Neill.
SJ Berwin scores lead role on life sciences deal
SJ Berwin has clinched a lead role advising one new and one existing client on part of a £16m investment in pharmaceutical company Oxagen.
Slaughters regains top spot on FTSE100 list
Slaughter and May has reestablished its position as the leading firm for FTSE100 companies, pushing Linklaters down into second place.
Collyer awarded dual role for Avia Health Informatics
Collyer Bristow has landed the mandate to act for longstanding client Avia Health Informatics on its acquisition of the Plain Software Company and £1.2m admission on AIM.
Freshfields leads on £250m Gartmore IPO
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has bagged the key role acting for new corporate client the Gartmore Group on its £250m IPO.
GTM adds to London restructuring team
Former Kirkland & Ellis restructuring specialist Lyndon Norley is to join Greenberg Traurig Maher (GTM) in London next month as the US-headquartered firm continues to build its UK operation.
Freshfields scores new client with £250m Gartmore IPO
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has bagged the key role acting for new client The Gartmore Group on its £250m IPO.
Quintain calls on Nabarro to advise on resurrected £191m rights issue
Ashurst and Nabarro have bagged advisory roles on property developer Quintain’s £191m rights issue.
Links and Slaughters lead on £1bn JPMorgan Cazenove deal
Linklaters and Slaughter and May have bagged mandates on JPMorgan’s £1bn buy-out of the remaining half of UK broker Cazenove.
Field Fisher advises on purchase of Fergie's IP assets
Field Fisher Waterhouse has landed a role advising film entertainment company Handmade on a fundraising to allow it to buy intellectual property assets from the Duchess of York.
Norton Rose and Slaughters advise on BA-Iberia tie-up
Norton Rose and Slaughter and May have bagged advisory roles on British Airways’ proposed £4.4bn merger with Spanish carrier Iberia.
Trio of firms win role on creation of currency trading platform
Clifford Chance, Denton Wilde Sapte and Simmons & Simmons have acted on the creation of a new exchange-traded currency (ETC) platform.
Ashurst and Freshfields advise on National Express rights issue
Ashurst and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have been mandated to act on National Express’ £360m cash call.
Khaitan and Bharucha lead on Blackstone Group's India rail acquisition
Indian firms Khaitan & Co and Bharucha & Partners have advised on The Blackstone Group’s acquisition of a Rs3bn (£40m) stake in logistics company Gateway Rail Freight.
Bakers advises Australian mining company on London listing
Baker & McKenzie has advised new client Centamin Egypt on its primary listing and admission to the main market of the London Stock Exchange.
Freshfields and Slaughters set the Standard on Barclays deal
Freshfield Bruckhaus Deringer and Slaughter and May have snared lead roles on Barclays’ £226m acquisition of Standard Life Bank.
Slammed hedge funds shun code to await make-or-break EU directive
They’ve been blamed for the financial crisis, but hedge funds now face their biggest challenge. By Kit Chellel
Trio of top City firms advise on £1.5bn Gatwick sell-off
Allen & Overy (A&O), Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Slaughter and May have advised on the sale of Gatwick Airport, Britain’s second-busiest airport.
Lawyers hail corporate as most promising area
Corporate and litigation lawyers are the most likely to see an upsurge in work over the next six months, according to a survey of City partners carried out by search firm Nicholas Scott.
Addleshaws, Latham advise on listing of litigation funder Burford
Latham & Watkins partner Nigel Campion-Smith has advised commercial litigation investor Burford Capital on its listing on the Aim.
Clifford Chance acts on sale of O2 Arena to Cambridge University
Clifford Chance has advised on the sale of the O2 entertainment site at Greenwich to Trinity College Cambridge for £24m.
Ashurst and Herbies advise on JJB rights issue
Ashurst and Herbert Smith have secured the top advisory roles in the proposed £100m rights issue by retail chain JJB Sports.
Greenberg turns to Dundas for latest London hire
Greenberg Traurig Maher (GTM) has hired Dundas & Wilson partner Ewan Robertson to bulk up its corporate capabilities.
Mayer Brown revisits Pompey merry-go-round
Mayer Brown corporate partner Rob Hamill has led a team advising on the sale of Portsmouth Football Club, just six weeks after advising on its purchase.
Simpson Thacher names new KKR link
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett acquisition finance veteran Tony Keal is retiring at the end of this calendar year, with the firm nominating recently promoted partner Ian Barratt to take over the key Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) relationship in London.
Links and Slaughters win roles on Ladbrokes rights issue
Linklaters and Slaughter and May have been called in to act on a £275m rights issue by betting group Ladbrokes.
Freshfields revamps corporate management as Braham takes the reins
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has re-shuffled its corporate leadership following the appointment of Ed Braham as global head of corporate in July.
Mayer Brown advises on latest sale of Portsmouth FC
Mayer Brown corporate partner Rob Hamill has led a team from the firm advising on the sale of Portsmouth Football Club - six weeks after advising on its purchase.
Crowell & Moring boosts London office
Washington DC-headquartered Crowell & Moring has bolstered its London office with a hire from fellow US firm Debevoise & Plimpton.
Private equity phoenix set to rise from ashes in New Year bonanza
UK law firms anticipate a much-needed resurgence in the industry. By Kit Chellel
Simmons advises underwriters in Unite Group fundraising
Simmons & Simmons has advised underwriters JPMorgan Cazenove and Numis on a £82m fundraising for student housing company Unite Group.
Norton Rose, City Law drive BMW’s sale of F1 race team
Norton Rose and corporate boutique City Law have won instructions on a deal to secure the future of the BMW Sauber Formula 1 (F1) team.
Trowers and CC negotiate sale of The Stafford Hotel
The Stafford Hotel, home to the famous American Bar in Mayfair, has been sold to an Egyptian investment group, leading to instructions for Clifford Chance and Trowers & Hamlins.
A&O corporate partner becomes Sheriff of London
Allen & Overy (A&O) corporate partner David Wootton has been elected as Sheriff of London.
Herbies advises banks on Barratt rights issue
Herbert Smith has advised Credit Suisse and UBS as joint sponsors, joint bookrunners and placing agents on Barratt Development’s £720m rights issue, which was announced today.
A&O loses German corporate heavyweight to Oppenhoff & Partner
Allen & Overy (A&O) star German corporate partner Rolf Koerfer has left the firm for partnership at Linklaters spin-off Oppenhoff & Partner.
T-Mobile, Orange call on CC and Norton Rose for merger advice
Competition teams at Clifford Chance and Norton Rose are striving to make a tie-up between Orange UK and T-Mobile UK work as their European parents try to create the UK’s largest mobile phone operator.
Norton Rose joins CC on Orange's T-Mobile merger
Clifford Chance and Norton Rose are advising on the potential merger of T-Mobile UK and Orange UK in a deal that would create the largest mobile phone operator in the UK.
Clifford Chance bags sweet role for Kraft
Clifford Chance has bagged a lead role advising Kraft on its $16.7bn bid for Cadbury.
Barclays installs Herbies partner as deputy GC
Barclays has hired Herbert Smith corporate partner Michael Shaw as its deputy general counsel.
Dewey heads Redbell’s acquisition
Dewey & LeBoeuf has won a lead role advising Russian company Redbell on its purchase of oil company Timan Oil & Gas.
Linklaters tops FTSE list for first time
Linklaters has joined Slaughter and May as the top legal adviser to FTSE 100 companies.
Rare AIM deal sparks market optimism at Covington, Dorsey
Dorsey & Whitney and Covington & Burling were the key legal advisers in the AIM flotation of Indian Energy, only the fourth company to be admitted to the alternative market this year.late
City duo seals Storm deal for Spice Girls manager
Simon Fuller’s celebrity management agency 19 Entertainment has bought a majority stake in the Storm model agency, leading to instructions for Charles Russell and Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW).
Linklaters retains crown as UK's largest corporate practice
Linklaters has retained its place as the largest corporate practice in the UK, according to figures compiled for The Lawyer’s UK 200 Annual Report 2009.
Greenberg adds to hiring spree with W&C partners
Rapidly growing Greenberg Traurig Maher (GTM) has snared a brace of capital markets partners from White & Case.
Linklaters, Slaughters act as Resolution finally wins Friends Provident
Linklaters and Slaughter and May have taken the key advisory roles as Resolution completes its £1.86bn takeover of Friends Provident.
Macfarlanes gains mandate as ITV sells Friends Reunited
Macfarlanes and Lovells won key advisory roles on ITV’s sale of loss-making social networking site Friends Reunited.
Freshfields names London partner as global corporate chief
London corporate partner Ed Braham has been appointed as global head of corporate at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.
Clifford Chance, Freshfields win key roles on Porsche's VW merger
Clifford Chance, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Hengeler Mueller have picked up lead roles advising on the merger of German car companies Volkswagen (VW) and Porsche.
Lovells, Slaughters bag roles on Icelandic banks’ recapitalisation
A group of UK and US firms has landed key roles advising on the $2.1bn (£1.28bn) recapitalisation of the Icelandic banking sector.
Lovells advises on Babcock & Brown fund sell off
Lovells has been instructed by a group of former Babcock & Brown staff who have bought out the failed firm’s €2.2bn (£1.9bn) European infrastructure fund.
Orrick and Slaughters advise as Venture rejects Centrica's takeover bid
Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe and Slaughter and May are advising as talks continue between Centrica and North Sea gas producer Venture Production.
Slaughters on standby to advise on BA rights issue
Slaughter and May looks set to advise long-standing client British Airways (BA) on an anticipated £500m rights issue.
Rio Tinto calls on Sullivan to offload Alcan business
Baker & McKenzie and Sullivan & Cromwell have won lead roles on Rio Tinto’s $1.2bn (£740m) sale of its US packaging business.
FFW, Stephensons to cover Tottel’s takeover by Bloomsbury Publishing
Bloomsbury Publishing has agreed to buy Tottel Publishing, leading to instructions for Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW) and Stephenson Harwood.
Vinson guides Sinopec through Addax Petroleum acquisition
Vinson & Elkins is advising Chinese oil company Sinopec International Petroleum Exploration and Production Corporation on its proposed $8.8bn (£5.3bn) takeover of Addax Petroleum.
Brit’s bid for Chaucer brings in Macfarlanes, Norton Rose
Macfarlanes and Norton Rose have been called in to advise on the potential merger of Lloyd’s insurers Brit Insurance and Chaucer Holdings.
Ashurst’s corporate dept misses budget by 20 per cent
Ashurst’s corporate practice missed budget by around 20 per cent for the last financial year, dropping to around £60m.
Hammonds shown half-time red card during Portsmouth FC talks
The consortium attempting to take control of Portsmouth Football Club has dumped legal adviser Hammonds midway through the bidding process.
Slaughters seals £350m rights issue for Punch Taverns
Slaughter and May has advised longstanding client Punch Taverns on a £350m rights issue, the second of its kind in the pub industry.
A&O, Links advise on Sainsbury's capital raising
Two magic circle firms have secured lead roles on Sainsbury’s £445m capital raising.
Slaughters plays pivotal role as Greene King toasts £30m swoop
Slaughter and May has advised Punch Taverns on the sale of 11 managed pubs to Greene King for £30.4m.
CC, Links join Skadden and Sullivan on £8.2bn Barclays sell-off
Clifford Chance, Linklaters, Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom and Sullivan & Cromwell have led the legal advisers on the $13.5bn (£8.2bn) sale of Barclays Global Investors (BGI) to BlackRock.
Herbert Smith wins key role on Rio Tinto deal
Herbert Smith has won a place alongside the regular advisers in a deal that will see mining giant Rio Tinto strike up a joint venture with rival BHP Billiton and raise $15.2bn (£9.37bn) in a rights issue.
Shearman wins another GM-related role
US firm Shearman & Sterling has won a lead role advising on the acquisition of General Motors business Hummer.
Firms line up for roles on GM bankruptcy
A raft of firms have won roles advising on the restructuring of the European arm of car manufacturer GM, which filed for bankruptcy in the US yesterday (1 June).
BMI chairman flies in Linklaters to force Lufthansa’s hand
BMI BRITISH Midland chairman Sir Michael Bishop has drafted in Linklaters to try to force rival airline Lufthansa to complete its planned takeover of the company.
Freshfields secures South African media merger role
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has been instructed by South African company MTN Group to advise on its merger with mobile operator Bharti Airtel.
Reed Smith HK helps forge $1.3bn China IPO listing
THE HONG Kong arm of Reed Smith has advised on one of the largest Asian IPOs this year, winning an instruction from China Zhongwang Holdings on its $1.3bn (£800m) listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
Setanta: Dentons restructures while Olswang renegotiates
Denton Wilde Sapte and Olswang have won roles advising troubled sports broadcaster Setanta as it attempts to renegotiate broadcast rights and restructure its business.
Ashurst and Herbert Smith bag Lonmin work
Herbert Smith and Ashurst have won places on the $457m (£303m) cash call made by platinum miner Lonmin.
CC, Links land roles on Travis Perkins rights issue
Clifford Chance and Linklaters have scored lead roles on Travis Perkins’ £300m rights issue.
Herbies and Links advise as Centrica buys British Energy stake
Linklaters and Herbert Smith have won instructions in a £2.3bn deal that saw British Gas owner Centrica buy a 20 per cent stake in nuclear energy group British Energy.
Legal teams advise power giants on next generation nuclear plants
The UK is one step closer to having a new generation of nuclear power stations, following the successful acquisition of three sites by potential developers.
Promotions: corporate wins out
Associate careers special: corporate and finance most prevalent in partnership rounds despite recession
Slaughters secures plum role on £700m 3i rights issue
Slaughter and May has won a choice instruction from 3i over its impending rights issue.
Weil, Cleary, Baker Botts star in US media merger
A trio of us firms have scored lead roles on DirecTV’s merger with Liberty Media Corporation.
Candover turns to SRM for first GC
Candover Investments, the listed-arm of the UK private equity group, has appointed its first general counsel, hiring Philip Price from hedge fund SRM Global.
CC boosts Asia private equity team with City partner transfer
Clifford Chance London private equity partner Simon Cooke is relocating to the firm’s Hong Kong office to work alongside Hong Kong private equity head Andrew Whan.
CC’s Barclays conflict gifts SJ Berwin second CVC mandate
SJ Berwin has secured its largest mandate from CVC Capital Partners, acting for the private equity group on negotiations to buy Barclays subsidiary iShares after regular adviser Clifford Chance was conflicted out.
CMC Markets invites pitches for global work
CMC Markets has asked selected firms on its UK panel to take part in a beauty parade as it looks to draw up an international roster to deal with its overseas expansion.
Plus equals good business for firms as recession takes its toll on AIM
As the fortunes of AIM decline, mid-sized firms have been taking advantage of buoyancy in the Plus market to boost their corporate coffers. Kit Chellel reports
Herbies launches Hong Kong restructuring practice
Herbert Smith has launched an insolvency and restructuring practice in Hong Kong after hiring Appleby partner Michael Barker.
Linklaters gains 18 new partners, six in London
Magic circle firm Linklaters has promoted 18 to its partnership, favouring London on a regional basis and corporate on a practice group basis.
Linklaters repels Slaughters to snatch Aquarius mine deal
Linklaters has seen off competition from Slaughter and May to advise platinum miner Aquarius on its $191m (£134.67m) fund-raising and all-share offer for rival Ridge Mining.
Resolution takeover prompts Pearl cuts
Insurance group Pearl is cutting back its legal function following its £5bn takeover of rival Resolution.
SJ Berwin ditches European brand with Gulf push
SJ Berwin has reinforced its move towards becoming an international firm by setting up an office in Dubai less than a month after launching in Hong Kong.
DLA Piper advises on administration of Southampton FC
The company behind Southampton Football Club has fallen into administration, leading to instructions for DLA Piper, Clarke Willmott and Dundas & Wilson.
Ashurst corporate head joins Competition Commission
Ashurst’s former corporate head Roger Finbow has joined the Competition Commission as a reporting panel member along with Linklaters partner Tony Morris.
Orrick and Slaughters called in to oversee £1.1bn North Sea gas talks
Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe and Slaughter and May have been appointed to advise on talks between Centrica and North Sea gas producer Venture Production.
Osborne Clarke steers Haynes sale
Osborne Clarke has advised Haynes Publishing on the sale of its book production business to JF Print, which was advised by Thring Townsend.
Punching above its weight: Norton Rose holds it own in corporate ring
HSBC rights issue has seen Norton Rose steal a march on its magic circle rivals.
Trio work on daimler investment deal
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Shearman & Sterling and Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom are advising on the sale of a $2.7bn (£1.9bn) stake in Daimler to Middle East investors.
Herbies and Halliwells act on JJB gym sale
DLA Piper, Halliwells and Herbert Smith have won places advising troubled retailer JJB Sports on the sale of its gym business and restructuring package.
Slaughters advises Premier on Oilexco acquisition
Premier Oil has agreed to buy Oilexco North Sea for $505m (£344m), rescuing it from administration and leading to mandates for Allen & Overy (A&O), Clifford Chance, Herbert Smith and Slaughter and May.
Salans offers staff four-day week
Salans is offering a four-day working week to staff in some departments, becoming the latest firm to propose flexible working in response to the economic downturn.
Slaughters hands Treasury £22m bill
Slaughter and May has billed the Government more than £22m since the start of the credit crunch, pocketing £4m in a single month at the height of the crisis.
Slaughters pockets £9.4m in Rock Government fees
Slaughter and May earned £9.4m in fees from the collapse and nationalisation of Northern Rock, it was revealed today.
A&O rehires Dubai partner after spell at Abraaj
Allen & Overy (A&O) Dubai-based alumnus Pervez Akhtar has returned to the magic circle firm after defecting to private equity house Abraaj Capital last year.
McKeeve to head BLP's private equity practice
Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has hired private equity heavyweight Raymond McKeeve in a boost for the firm’s ambitious corporate practice.
Opinion: Private equity can be our saviour – if it’s not demonised
This year the private equity industry has been delivering a clear message to governments around the world: far from being a cause of the current crisis, it is an important part of the solution. In the UK at least, that message has not fallen on deaf ears.
BLP boss vows to target corporate practice growth
Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) managing partner Neville Eisenberg has pledged to expand the firm’s corporate practice as an “absolute priority”, following his election for a fourth term.
Eversheds wins slice of stricken Lehman’s private equity sale work
Eversheds has landed a place alongside a host of US firms in a deal to spin off the ;European ;private equity business of Lehman Brothers.
US firms lead the way on Merck’s $41bn bid for pharmaceuticals rival
A quartet of US firms have won lead roles on Merck’s $41bn (£27.77bn) bid for pharmaceuticals rival Schering-Plough.
Who fits the bill? Apax on the hunt for unflappable GC
As private equity house Apax embarks on its search for a general counsel, the sector’s lawyers are abuzz with who might land the plum in-house role.
US quartet advise on $41bn Merck buyout
A quartet of US firms has won lead roles on Merck's $41bn acquisition of pharmaceuticals rival Schering-Plough.
Private equity: more lawyers in the house
Nearly half the lawyers working at private equity houses are having their salaries ;significantly enhanced through receiving shares of fund’s profits.
Ashurst settles on new corporate chief
Ashurst has selected private equity partner Stephen Lloyd as managing partner of its corporate practice. He replaces Roger Finbow, who is due to retire at the end of the year. Finbow has been a partner at Ashurst since 1985 and corporate managing partner for five years. He announced that he was going to stand down in January 2008. Adrian Clark remains the European head of corporate at the firm.
Private equity debate hijacked by politicos
Leading corporate lawyers have spoken out against the politicisation of the debate over regulation of Europe’s private equity and hedge fund industries, which is expected to form a critical part of the agenda in the forthcoming European elections.
Cuatrecasas leads the way on Enel’s Endesa takeover
Leading Spanish independent firms Cuatrecasas and Uría Menéndez have scored the lead roles on Italian energy company Enel’s e11.1bn (£9.94bn) takeover of Spanish giant Endesa.
Norton Rose calls on international team to help with HSBC rights issue
Norton Rose has won a trophy mandate from key client HSBC, advising on its £12.5bn rights issue.
Davis Polk, Shearman act on Ford debt restructure
Davis Polk & Wardwell and Shearman & Sterling have been handed the lead mandates on the restructuring of Ford Motor Company's debt.
NYC elite secure mandates on AIG restructuring
Davis Polk & Wardwell, Sullivan & Cromwell and Weil Gotshal & Manges have secured lead roles on the restructuring of US insurance giant AIG.
Freshfields, Herbies on Wolseley's £1bn rights issue
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Herbert Smith have been called in to advise on building supplies company Wolseley's upcoming £1bn rights issue.
Apax on the hunt for first general counsel
Private equity group Apax Partners is set to hire its first global general counsel, joining a growing list of funds employing dedicated in-house lawyers.
DLA advises Deloitte as Mosaic goes into administration
Mosaic Fashions, which owns retail chains including Karen Millen and Oasis, went into administration today, with DLA Piper winning the instruction.
CC Abu Dhabi launch prompts major oil acquisition mandate
Clifford Chance has bagged a role as the only UK firm on the Abu Dhabi state-owned International Petroleum ;Investment Company’s (Ipic) $2.3bn (£1.58bn) purchase of Canada’s Nova Chemicals Corporation.
Norton Rose takes lead on HSBC rights issue
Norton Rose takes lead on HSBC rights issue" /Norton Rose has won a trophy mandate from key client HSBC, advising on its £12.5bn rights issue.
Herbies picks up Bank of Scotland loan facility work
Herbert Smith advised Bank of Scotland on a $300m (£206.13m) loan facility to oil and gas exploration and production company Dana Petroleum.
Stanford receiver calls on Camerons
CMS Cameron McKenna is advising the receivers of two Antiguan companies owned by Texan billionaire Allen Stanford.
Slaughters gets nod from Land Securities
Land Securities has turned to stalwart adviser Slaughter and May on its £755.7m rights issue.
William Hill bets on Ashurst for rights issue
Ashurst has secured a key instruction frm William Hill over its plan to raise £1.2bn in a rights issue and debt facility, alongside Allen & Overy (A&O) and Skadden ;Arps ;Slate Meagher & Flom.
Countrywide sale proves big draw for big firms
The negotiations over the fate of debt-ridden estate agent Countrywide have pulled in a dizzying array of legal advisers.
From a cross to bear to a leap of faith – private equity’s second coming
Putting houses in order is becoming the mainstay of law firms’ private equity work, says Kian Ganz.
US elite line up for Citi stock deal
A trio of US firms has snared lead roles advising on Citigroup’s recapitalisation.
City lawyers line up on Countrywide restructuring
Freshfields, Halliwells, Linklaters and Slaughters have landed key roles ahead of the potential takeover of Countrywide, the UK’s largest residential estate agency.
Slaughters leads on Land Securities rights issue
Land Securities has turned to stalwart adviser Slaughter and May for advice on its £755.7m rights issue.
Eni shuns external advice on £4bn deal to cut costs
Italian energy company Eni drew entirely on its in-house legal team when disposing of EUR 4.7bn (£4.18bn) worth of subsidiaries, amid a plan to drastically cut its future legal spend.
A&O hires restructuring duo for New York
Allen & Overy (A&O) has beefed up its US restructuring group after hiring lawyers from Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft and King & Spalding.
Mayer Brown names insolvency head
Mayer Brown has appointed Ian McDonald to head its eight-partner insolvency team in London.
SJ Berwin, White & Case wind up Baugur
SJ Berwin and White & Case have bagged roles as key advisers on the collapse of Baugur, which was placed into administration following a ruling by the High Court.
Links strives to keep Ferretti afloat with debt restructuring
Linklaters private equity partner Ian Bagshaw is working across the table from former colleagues at his old firm Clifford Chance on the restructuring of Italian boatbuilder Ferretti’s debt.
Norton Rose gets picked for mining merger
Russian gold producer Peter Hambro Mining has turned to Norton Rose partner Simon Cox for advice on its proposed merger with iron ore company Aricom, from which it demerged in 2003. Cox also advised Peter Hambro on a share placing that raised $105m (£74.16m) for the company.
BLG provides swift results on Abbey Life divestment
Barlow Lyde & Gilbert (BLG) has picked up a choice mandate for reinsurer Abbey Life Assurance Company on a £1.5bn insurance portfolio sale to Pacific Life.
Freshfields leads on British Land rights issue
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has cemented its relationship with British Land by acting on the group's £740m rights issue.
Clifford Chance, Linklaters lead on Rio Tinto deal
Clifford Chance, Linklaters lead on Rio Tinto deal" /Clifford Chance and Linklaters have taken lead roles in the Chinese government's $19.5bn (£13.5bn) cash injection into mining group Rio Tinto.
Lovells’ new Dubai head heralds rejig
Lovells’ decision to parachute London-based corporate partner Nick Parden into Dubai as joint office head is part of a strategic refocus of the firm’s Middle East presence.
Mishcon offers Smarta online advice
Mishcon de Reya has signed up to a legal advice helpline, with two of its lawyers giving advice via online business support site Smarta.
Pinsents, Mills & Reeve knock rivals off Trafficmaster panel
Pinsent Masons and Mills & Reeve have landed spots on Trafficmaster’s legal panel, knocking previous advisers ;Addleshaw Goddard and Lewis Silkin off the list.
Skadden in shake-up of London groups
US firm Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom has launched a number of practice groups in London in a bid to insulate its business against changing market conditions.
Wragges sets its sights on Dollond-Boots Opticians tie
Wragge & Co has advised the Italian parent company of UK optician chain Dollond & Aitchison on the brand’s merger with Boots Opticians.
Barclay bros return to Weil for Woolies purchase
Weil Gotshal & Manges corporate partner Marco Compagnoni has reprised his role for Daily Telegraph owners Sir David and Sir Frederick Barclay, advising the brothers on their acquisition of the Woolworths brand.
White & Case wins PwC role on Baugur administration
White & Case has won a role alongside SJ Berwin on the collapse of Baugur, which was placed into administration following today’s High Court ruling.
A&O, Clifford Chance on Abu Dhabi banks deal
Allen & Overy (A&O), Clifford Chance and White & Case have advised on the Abu Dhabi Government's 16bn AED (£2.98bn) bail-out of five local banks.
PwC calls on SJ Berwin for Baugur administration
SJ Berwin has won a choice instruction from PwC administrators Tony Lomas and Zelf Hussain, who have been asked to take control of Icelandic investment group Baugur.
Gatwick disposal gives legal advisers wings
At a time when transactions are few and far between, airline deals have been keeping their advisers busy, what with Ryanair looking to buy Aer Lingus then changing its mind, and British Airways’ talks with Qantas reaching a similar conclusion.
MoFo nudged towards traditional tech work
Waning life sciences market prompts firm’s hunt for new corporate partners.
Weil advises Barclay twins on Woolies buyout
Weil Gotshal & Manges corporate partner Marco Compagnoni has reprised his role for Daily Telegraph owners Sir David and Sir Frederick Barclay, advising the brothers of their acquisition of the Woolworths brand.
Dentons, BDO called in to handle hotels sale
Denton Wilde Sapte has won a role advising the administrators of European hotel chain the Real Hotel Company.
Olswang: second redundancy round, 45 to go
Olswang: second redundancy round, 45 to go" /Olswang has launched a second redundancy consultation and is proposing to cut 45 jobs.
Freshfields, Links team up on Xstrata rights issue
Mining group Xstrata is set to launch a £4.1bn rights issue, leading to mandates for magic circle rivals Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Linklaters.
Dentons names Kitchen as next chairman
Corporate partner Martin Kitchen has been named as the new chairman of Denton Wilde Sapte, following a contested election with a total of three contenders.
Cadwalader wins role on $68bn Pfizer mega-merger
Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft has scored a lead role on US drug manufacturer Pfizer’s $68bn (£49.8bn) acquisition of rival Wyeth, the biggest M&A deal in the world for months.
Orange squeezes Bevan Brittan out of new panel
Mobile phone giant Orange has left Bevan Brittan out of its new-look panel.
Firms gather to sort Royal Mail potential sell-off
A group of elite City firms has won roles on a possible private sector investment in Royal Mail, with Slaughter and May advising the potential target.
Camerons scoops Czech government airline role
CMS Cameron McKenna has been instructed by the government of the Czech Republic on the privatisation of state-owned carrier Czech Airlines.
Simmons advises oligarch on Evening Standard deal
The Daily Mail and Russian oligarch Alexander Lebedev have called on Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Simmons & Simmons to advise on the sale of the Evening Standard.
O'Melveny taps private equity house for Asia hire
O'Melveny & Myers has hired a former director of private equity house Actis to bulk up its Asia practice.
A&O, Slaughters advise on Britannia ‘super-mutual’ merger
Allen & Overy and Slaughter and May have won lead legal roles in Britannia Building Society’s merger with Co-op Financial services, creating a £70bn so-called super-mutual group.
Arthur Cox, MOP advise on Anglo Irish nationalisation
Irish firm Arthur Cox has been called in by the Irish Government to work on the nationalisation of Anglo Irish Bank.
Herbert Smith advises on Nortel administration
Herbert Smith has won another instruction on an administration with a Canadian element, advising Ernst & Young (E&Y) on the administration of the European businesses of Canadian telephone manufacturer Nortel Networks.
Slaughters, Freshfields advise on latest bank bailout
Slaughter and May has cemented its close ties to the Treasury, advising on the Government's latest bank bailout package as well as a further governmental investment in Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS).
Safe hands: Søren Lundsberg-Nielsen, G4S
Being the top lawyer at a company active in 120 countries is no easy task, but G4S’s Søren Lundsberg-Nielsen has worked hard to create unity across the group.
2Birds captures partner duo in volatile Frankfurt with Lovells, Willkie Farr raids
Bird & Bird has boosted its Frankfurt office with the hire of two partners, taking Wolfgang Hess and Sven-Erik Heun from Lovells and Willkie Farr & Gallagher respectively.
Mcgrigors, Kirkland bag fund sale roles
McGrigors and Kirkland & Ellis have scored the lead roles on the wind-down of a £434m fund containing the Bank of Scotland’s investments in UK PFI/PPP infrastructure assets. Almost half of the fund was sold to a group of four UK pension fund investors. The McGrigors team advising the Bank of Scotland was led by partner Michael Watson with assistance from partner Euan McVicar. Kirkland & Ellis ...
Lovells, Olswang take prime roles on £100m New Star sale
Olswang take prime roles on £100m New Star sale" /Lovells and Olswang have won key finance mandates as bidders circle troubled asset management group New Star.
Herbies gets Ernst & Young call as downturn swallows first oil company
Herbert Smith is advising Ernst & Young on the administration of one of the first oil companies to fall victim to the credit crunch.
Lewis Onions beats Brum rival to Viyella mandate
Niche Birmingham insolvency firm Lewis Onions has been instructed in the administration of clothing chain Viyella – the recession’s latest high street casualty.
Can Addleshaws hang on to its dominance in building societies?
Its clients are being taken over, but the firm remains a big hitter in the sector.
UK trio dominate on £8.4bn RWE-Essent deal
It was one of the biggest deals of the past 12 months and, excluding the banking mergers hastily agreed last autumn, one of the largest since the credit crunch began in 2007.
K&L Gates opens in Frankfurt with Simmons hires
K&L Gates has opened a new German office in Frankfurt with the hire of two Simmons & Simmons partners.
Links and Slaughters lead on RBS China sell off
Linklaters and Slaughters have been handed roles on RBS's $2.34bn (£1.6bn) sale of its entire stake in Bank of China, raising $2.34bn (£1.6bn) for the troubled lender.
Camerons advises RWE on E.ON joint venture
CMS Cameron McKenna has been instructed by RWE on a long-term joint venture with E.ON that will see the German utilities build nuclear power stations in the UK.
Cravath, Davis Polk, Wachtell advise on broker mega-merger
A trio of US firms have snared lead roles advising on the merger of Morgan Stanley Wealth Management and Citi’s Smith Barney.
Ashurst appointed in Land of Leather administration
Ashurst has landed the latest retail insolvency, having been called in by the administrators of Land of Leather.
Former Halliwells partner launches insolvency team
JMW has launched a corporate recovery and insolvency department with the recruitment of a former Halliwells partner.
CC, O’Melveny help raise £2bn for Actis
Clifford Chance and O’Melveny & Myers jointly advised emerging markets private equity house Actis on a $2.9bn (£1.99bn) fundraising for Actis Emerging Markets 3. Partners Jason Glover and Ed Gander and associate Peter Olds led the Clifford Chance team. O’Melveny & Myers was led by UK partners John Daghlian and Solomon Wifa and included US partners Luc Moritz and Kathy Sanders.
DLA Piper kept busy as slump continues to hit UK businesses
DLA Piper kept busy as slump continues to hit UK businesses" /DLA Piper bagged roles on three high-profile administrations as businesses across the UK continued to succumb in the pre-Christmas period.
Addleshaws, Muckle thrash out Officers Club rescue
Addleshaw Goddard and Muckle led the legal involvement in the administration and subsequent rescue of menswear retailer Officers Club.
Linklaters advises on stricken UK stalwart Waterford Wedgwood
Linklaters has been named as adviser to Deloitte on the administration of luxury goods maker Waterford Wedgwood.
PwC enlists Hammonds on Adams collapse
The administrators for ailing retail chain Adams Childrenswear have appointed Hammonds as legal counsel.
Insolvency heritage pays off as DLA, Hammonds mop up the mandates
Mid-market firms are working their clearing bank contacts.
Slaughters, Links lead on £444m Land Secs Trillium sell off
Slaughter & May and Linklaters have helped Land Securities and property business Telereal reach an agreement on the sale of Land Securities Trillium.
Cadwalader bankruptcy chief joins Greenberg
Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft has lost two bankruptcy partners, including its co-chair of restructuring Bruce Zirinsky, to Greenberg Traurig.
Sonnenschein inherits IndyMac role from Thacher
Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal has won the lead role on the sale of US bank IndyMac after hiring 100 Thacher Proffitt & Wood lawyers.
Linklaters bags key role in Wedgwood administration
Linklaters has been named adviser to the administrator of another failing UK business, with Deloitte instructing the firm on the administration of luxury goods maker Waterford Wedgwood.
Top five UK law firms increase hold on M&A work as recession deepens
Small and mid-size legal teams given short shrift as downturn prompts ‘flight to quality’.
Trio of firms advise on Shard of Glass financing
Eversheds, Norton Rose and Rosenblatt have snared key roles in a deal to secure a new funding package for construction of Europe's tallest building.
CC, O'Melveny advise on £1.8bn fund raising
Clifford Chance and O'Melveny & Myers have jointly advised emerging markets private equity house Actis on a rare fundraising in persistently challenging markets.
GM turns to Weil, Dewey for bankruptcy advice
General Motors has turned to Weil Gotshal & Manges and Dewey & LeBoeuf for advice on potentially filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
White & Case loses bid for Lloyds-HBOS merger JR
White & Case's bid to launch a judicial review over the Government's decision not to refer the Lloyds TSB-HBOS merger to the Competition Commission has failed.
Weil, Clifford Chance act in AIG Private Bank sale
Weil Gostshal & Manges and Clifford Chance have snared lead roles advising on the sale of AIG Private Bank to Abu Dhabi investment group Aabar Investments PSJC.
Special report: private equity
The deals may have all but disappeared, but for private equity lawyers there isstill plenty to be getting on with. The first article in this private equity special report highlights how the knowledge of private equity solicitors can be essential to clients who need assistance ...
Private equity special report: why investors are reluctant to fund
In recent months attention has focused on the potential demise of private equity resulting from the lack of leverage available to finance transactions.
Private equity special report: fund raising in the current market
Reports on the private equity market over the past few months have made for depressing reading for those in the fund raising industry.
Private equity special report: Cometh the hour…
With deals in markedly short supply, these are challenging times for private equity transaction lawyers – but their clients have more need of their skills than ever, says Jonathan Wood.
What next for Slaughters, Links as BHP seam runs dry?
The collapse of BHP’s bid for Rio Tinto leaves big firms’ big billers at a loose end.
Bakers acts on launch of green private equity fund
Baker & McKenzie has won a mandate to help set up a $5bn (£3.4bn) eco-friendly private equity fund run by former Man Group chief executive Stanley Fink.
Mayer Brown, Wachtell lead in Chevy Chase sale
Latham & Watkins, Mayer Brown and Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz have snared key roles advising on US bank Capital One’s acquisition of Chevy Chase Bank.
Slaughters, SJ Berwin advise in BA-Qantas merger
Slaughter and May and SJ Berwin have profited from their longstanding ties with British Airways (BA) and Qantas, advising the two respective airlines on their proposed merger.
A&L and Arthur Cox act on Ryanair's Aer Lingus bid
Irish firms A&L Goodbody and Arthur Cox have reprised their roles for Ryanair and Aer Lingus respectively as the former prepares to make another attempt to buy the latter.
Latham entrusts Dubai to London partner
Latham & Watkins has shaken up its Middle East management structure – replacing its regional partner Rindala Beydoun in favour of London partner Bryant Edwards.
Ashurst moves staff into energy and transport team
Ashurst has redeployed three corporate and three finance junior associates to its energy, transport and infrastructure (ETI) team as the transactional side of its business has slowed down.
Tough climate prompts generational shift among top private equity lawyers
Firms experience a changing of the guard as key partners move on or into management.
Speechly Bircham wins MFI administration mandate
Troubled furniture chain MFI has gone into administration, despite a last-ditch rescue attempt by its management, with Speechly Bircham getting the call from administrators MCR.
Freshfields, Linklaters advise on Woolies administration
Linklaters advise on Woolies administration" /The administrators of Woolworths have called on Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Linklaters to help wind up the stricken retail giant.
Cadwalader clutches rainmaker as strategy crumbles
The rumour mill on Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft has gone into overdrive in recent weeks, with estimates on the firm’s drop in profit ranging from 20 per cent right up to 65 per cent.
Ashurst, Dentons, Gibson land roles on Kroll MBOs
Denton Wilde Sapte, Ashurst and the London office of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher have scored the lead mandates on the two management buyouts of consulting company Kroll’s UK corporate advisory and restructuring practice.
Trio takes on £1bn Lucite acquisition
Hammonds, Macfarlanes and Paul Weiss have lined up on a rare £1bn M&A deal as Mitsubishi Rayon swoops on UK chemicals company Lucite.
SJ Berwin scoops CPC Barracks mandate
SJ Berwin advised CPC Group on its sale to the Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company of Project Blue (Guernsey) Holdings, the joint venture company redeveloping the Chelsea Barracks site in London.
Linklaters, Slaughters on £1.78bn Standard Chartered rights issue
Slaughter and May and Linklaters have sewn up the lead roles in Standard Chartered's £1.78bn rights issue to existing shareholders.
Davis Polk advises Citigroup on US government bailout
Davis Polk & Wardwell has scored another credit crunch-related mandate, advising US bank Citigroup on its $20bn (£13.4bn) government bailout.
Slaughters advises on Santander rights issue
Slaughter and May has teamed up with best friends Davis Polk and Spain's Uria Menendez to work on Banco Santander's E7.2bn(£9.2bn) rights issue.
Gide sees off rivals to win lead role on sale of aircraft manufacturer
Gide Loyrette Nouel has edged out Clifford Chance and Willkie Farr & Gallagher to score its first French instruction from defence company EADS in five years.
Trio scores Mitsubishi sale
Hammonds, Macfarlanes and Paul Weiss have lined up on a rare £1bn deal as Mitsubishi Rayon swoops for UK chemicals company Lucite.
EMW´s £50m ambition starts with London tie-up
Milton Keynes firm EMW Law has merged with London international corporate boutique Picton Howell, taking the first step in its radical expansion plan.
Pinsents tightens AIM stranglehold as downturn hits market capitalisations
Pinsent Masons continues to lead the way in terms of the number of AIM clients, with DLA Piper and
Ashurst, Milbank, Slaughters land roles on Porterbrook sale
Ashurst, Milbank, Slaughters land roles on Porterbrook sale" /A trio of City firms have scooped instructions on one of the largest leveraged buy-outs this year, after a consortium of banks and investors bought rolling stock leasing company Porterbrook Leasing Company from Abbey.
BLP’s corporate ambitions still burn, but the hunt for a rainmaker goes on
Trophy clients are vital if the firm is to compete with Ashurst and Herbert Smith.
A&O, Addleshaws act on fourth building society merger
A&O and Addleshaws have squared up on a fourth building society deal, A&O advising Skipton on its takeover of Addleshaws client Scarborough.
Pinsents, LG buck trend by winning Aim clients
Pinsent Masons and LG have boosted their Aim practices despite the turmoil engulfing the financial markets.
Hard times are making the case for compliance
Corporate crises present opportunities to put compliance programmes at the heart of board strategy, leading in-house lawyers told delegates at The Lawyer’s global compliance conference last week (29 and 30 October).
Iceland banking saga hands A&O, 2Birds roles on Kaupthing UK sale
Allen & Overy (A&O) and Bird & Bird are the latest firms to win instructions resulting from Iceland’s banking crisis, acting on the sale of Kaupthing Singer & Friedlander’s (KSF) UK investment management business.
Halliwells begins third redundancy consultation
Halliwells has launched a redundancy consultation with 10 banking and corporate fee-earners, citing a fall in deal flow and overcapacity as the cause.
Heller City corporate partners to join Orrick
The core of Heller Ehrman’s London corporate team is poised to join Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe before the end of the week.
Hamilton Bradshaw to create first law panel
The new head in-house lawyer at Hamilton Bradshaw, the private equity fund run by James Caan of hit BBC show Dragons’ Den, is set to appoint the company’s first formal panel within three months.
Freshfields associate takes operations role
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer associate George Swan has taken on the role of operations officer in the firm’s corporate practice management team. Swan replaces Richard Thexton, who was the first associate to hold the position.
Bredin Prat lands SNCF’s italian job
Bredin Prat is advising French state railways group SNCF on its acquisition of a 20 per cent stake in Italian train operator Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori. A three-partner team from Bredin Prat is advising SNCF, while Italian firm Gianni Origoni Grippo & Partners is advising on Italian law aspects. Managing partner and law firm founder Francesco Gianni is leading the team. Bonelli Erede Pappalardo partner Carlo Montagna is advising the founders of Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori.
Norton Rose advises HSBC on Indonesian bank buyout
Norton Rose advises HSBC on Indonesian bank buyout" /Norton Rose has won an instruction from HSBC over the purchase of Indonesian lender Bank Ekonomi for $608m (£351m).
A&O, Addleshaws advise on building society rescue
Allen & Overy and Addleshaw Goddard were the main legal advisers in the merger of Barnsley Building Society with regional rival Yorkshire Building Society.
Macfarlanes gets tough with corporate, property lawyers
Macfarlanes is reviewing the performance of its lawyers amid difficult conditions for its core corporate and real estate practices.
Squire Sanders takes lead role on Landsbanki after A&O quits
Squire Sanders & Dempsey secured a major role in the negotiations between the UK and Iceland following the fall of Icelandic bank Landsbanki.
Layton takes Clifford Chance corporate crown
Clifford Chance private equity partner Matthew Layton will today be voted into the post of global corporate head.
Cleary handed Fortis sale
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton has joined in the sale of struggling Benelux bank Fortis, securing the instruction for BNP Paribas on its €14.5bn (£11.3bn) offer.
Davenport Lyons steers yachting sale
Davenport Lyons has acted for yacht brokerage company Yachting Partners International (YPI) in its sale to BRS Yachting.
Latham & Watkins poaches seven A&O Hong Kong partners
Latham & Watkins poaches seven A&O Hong Kong partners" /Allen & Overy (A&O) has lost a quarter of its Hong Kong office partners as seven corporate partners including its regional corporate head have defected ...
UK firms line up for Icelandic bank roles
Denton Wilde Sapte, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Slaughter and May have snared key roles as the UK arms of two Icelandic banks at the heart of the ...
Cleary Gottlieb wins role in Fortis bank sale
Cleary Gottlieb wins role in Fortis bank sale" /Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton has joined in the acquisition of struggling Benelux bank Fortis, bagging the instruction for BNP Paribas on its €14.5bn (£11.3bn) offer.
Lane partner quits before TwoBirds linkup
Fox Williams has recruited corporate partner Nick Sayers from Lane & Partners, which has just merged with Bird & Bird.
SJ Berwin, Speechly advise on last-ditch rescue bid for MFI
Ashurst, Salans, SJ Berwin and Speechly Bircham have been handed leading roles in the rescue of troubled home furnishing MFI with an eleventh hour management buyout.
Wild frontiers: Sarah Clinch, Aureos Advisors
As legal counsel at private equity house Aureos Advisors, Sarah Clinch often has to work in countries with little, if any, legislation for financial deals.
Stibbe lands role on second Belgian bank bail out
Herbert Smith's Benelux ally Stibbe has landed a role on the bailout of another Belgian bank, acting for the authorities on the nationalisation of Dexia.
Davis Polk, Skadden, Sullivan in Citi's Wachovia buy
Davis Polk & Wardwell, Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom and Sullivan & Cromwell have scored lead roles on Citigroup’s acquisition of Wachovia’s banking operations.
City trio bag roles on Bradford & Bingley rescue
Ashurst, Herbert Smith and Slaughter and May have been handed leading roles in the rescue package for Bradford & Bingley.
CC to vote on global corporate head
Clifford Chance private equity partner Matthew Layton is running unopposed for the role of global corporate head at the firm, with nominations set to close this week.
City office upgrade signals Mintz Levin’s drive to boost corporate, IP
US firm Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo is to move into bigger offices in London as it seeks to build up its reputation for corporate and IP in the UK capital.
Pinsents hires Eversheds veteran McHugh
Pinsent Masons has hired former Eversheds partner Peter McHugh to head its commercial practice.
Simmons steers Ministry of Defence through £257m QinetiQ share sale
Simmons & Simmons advised the Ministry of Defence (MoD) on the £257m sale of its entire ordinary shares in defence technology ;company QinetiQ.
TLT scoops lead role on ECT Group’s subsidiaries disposal
Bristol firm TLT Solicitors has advised social enterprise organisation ECT Group on the disposal of 16 subsidiaries in a restructure aimed at clearing the charity’s debts.
Norton rose in $200m samena fund launch
The finance team at Norton Rose has scored the lead role advising Samena Capital on the launch of its $200m (£108.25m) Special Situations Fund.
Freshfields joins Nomura deal
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has joined the raft of firms advising on Japanese bank Nomura's acquisition of Lehman Brothers' investment banking business in Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
Sullivan's Cohen grabs role on WaMu's demise
Sullivan & Cromwell chairman Rodgin Cohen has landed a role advising JPMorgan on its acquisition of failed US bank Washington Mutual.
Links, Cleary Gottlieb get fourth Wall St mandates
Linklaters and Cleary Gottlieb Hamilton & Steen have each bagged their fourth major instruction in relation to the fall-out on Wall Street.
Sullivan, Munger Tolles on Buffett Goldman deal
Sullivan & Cromwell and Munger Tolles & Olson have snared the lead roles on Warren Buffett’s $5bn (£2.7bn) cash injection in Goldman Sachs, announced yesterday (23 September).
Clifford Chance, Herbert Smith bag key roles on EDF-Brit Energy
Clifford Chance, Herbert Smith, Shepherd & Wedderburn and Slaughter and May have tied up the £12.5bn sale of power giant British Energy to EDF.
Cleary, Ropes & Gray on latest Lehman sale
Bain Capital and Hellman & Friedman have turned to longstanding advisers for their joint acquisition of Lehman Brothers’ investment management unit.
Profile: Charlie Geffen, Ashurst senior partner
Ashurst's senior partner elect, Charlie Geffen, said that the future of Ashurst's business lies overseas, pledging a major expansion in Asia.
The bigger bang: who’s got what in the Lehman, HBOS sagas
The groans of the US’s fourth-largest bank and a Scottish heavyweight as they unceremoniously fall to their knees. The rustle of papers in cardboard boxes as they are carried through swishing revolving doors.
Shearman, Wachtell acting on Merrill Lynch takeover
Shearman & Sterling’s New York office advised longstanding client Merrill Lynch on its $50bn (£28.06bn) sale to Bank of America (BofA) over the weekend.
Banks turn to Cravath, Davis Polk for creation of $70bn liquidity fund
Cravath Swaine & Moore and Davis Polk & Wardwell won places advising on the creation of the $70bn (£39.29bn) liquidity facility set up by leading investment banks in the aftermath of Lehman Brothers’ collapse.
PwC calls on Links as Lehman Bros goes into administration
Linklaters bagged the biggest UK instruction on the Lehman collapse, advising four Pricewaterhouse-Coopers (PwC) partners on the administration of Lehman Brothers International (Europe).
Shearman’s London office scales back its corporate ambitions
Finance remains the focus but grand plan to take on the magic circle bites the dust.
AIG hands $20bn rescue mandate to Sullivan
US insurance giant AIG drafted in Sullivan & Cromwell to advise it on its $20bn (£11.23bn) lifeline from ;New ;York ;State regulators.
Kirkland and Willkie power up for Constellation deal
Kirkland & Ellis and Willkie Farr & Gallagher have snared lead roles on MidAmerican Energy’s $4.7bn (£2.6bn) acquisition of Constellation Energy.
Davis Polk, Sullivan & Cromwell land key AIG roles
Sullivan & Cromwell land key AIG roles" /Davis Polk & Wardwell and Sullivan & Cromwell have landed lead roles on the US government $85bn bail out of AIG.
Allen & Overy opens in Munich with Shearman hires
Allen & Overy (A&O) is to open in Munich after the hire of Shearman & Sterling's global co-head of tax and one of the US firm's rising M&A stars.
A&O, Linklaters in HBOS-Lloyds merger talks
Allen & Overy has bagged the lead instruction advising struggling mortgage lender HBOS in its reported merger talks with Lloyds TSB.
CC, Cleary complete Barclays' £1bn Lehman buy
Clifford Chance thrashed out the details of Barclays' acquisition of Lehman Brothers' investment banking and capital markets arms for a consideration of £1bn.
Slaughters, De Brauw, Uria to launch in Beijing
Slaughter and May is set to open an office in Beijing, in a rare international push by the elite City firm.
Shearman, Wachtell in Merrill Lynch takeover
Shearman & Sterling's New York office has advised long-standing client Merrill Lynch on its $50bn (£28bn) sale to Bank of America over the weekend.
White-collaring
The FSA has invested heavily in trying to clean up financial crime, but only results will justify that investment.
White-collar crime
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) director Richard Alderman has had a rough ride since taking over the role from Robert Wardle in April.
Eversheds, Debevoise lead on Bodycote testing sell-off
Eversheds and Debevoise & Plimpton were the lead legal advisers as British engineering company Bodycote sold its testing business to a US private equity investor for £417m.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Shearman wins place on Allianz’s sale of Dresdner
The relationship between Shearman & Sterling German managing partner Georg Thoma and Allianz board member Paul Achleitner has paid off, with the firm winning an instruction on the insurer’s sale of Dresdner Bank.
Slaughters puts its faith – and its clients – in the next generation
Hand-me-down approach to accounts helps younger partners climb the corporate ladder
Clifford Chance adds judge to Paris tax practice
Clifford Chance has boosted its Paris tax team with the hire of French judge Laurent Vallée as of counsel.
CC, Herbies go head to head on Adecco’s Michael Page bid
Clifford Chance and Herbert Smith have come up against each other in Adecco’s pursuit of UK-listed recruitment company Michael Page.
CC gains corporate partner from Macquarie
Former Macquarie Group division director Amy Mahon has rejoined Clifford Chance as a partner in the magic circle firm’s corporate department.
'Managing associate' pays off for Freshfields
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s corporate department was given a shake-up earlier this year when Mark Rawlinson took over from Tim Jones as head (The Lawyer, 31 March).
Protherics enlists Ashurst on takeover
Ashurst is advising UK biotech company Protherics after it announced several takeover approaches from unnamed parties.
CC, Freshfields land BAA refinancing gig
Clifford Chance and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer won the lead roles on BAA’s £13.3bn refinancing.
Orrick taps Mayer Brown for restructuring push
Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe has hired Mayer Brown's global restructuring, bankruptcy and insolvency co-chair for its New York office.
Cadwalader's Beijing head defects to A&O
Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft has suffered its first partner defection since it laid off 96 people in July (as reported by The Lawyer 30 July).
CC and Freshfields lead on £13.3bn BAA refinancing
Clifford Chance and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have landed the leading roles in BAA's £13.3bn refinancing deal.
CC eyes Indian market with Amarchand hire
Clifford Chance has significantly bolstered its Indian group with the hire of a capital markets partner from top Indian firm Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A. Shroff & Co.
Travers' Barter goes in-house at Bridgepoint
Private equity star Charles Barter is to leave Travers Smith to join Bridgepoint Capital, one of the firm's key private equity clients.
Ashurst prepares Protherics for potential takeover
Leading UK biotechnology company Protherics has called on Ashurst as it embarks on takeover talks.
Rosenblatt gets the call as Collins Stewart weighs up takeover offer
Collins Stewart, the UK’s largest stockbroker, has called on Rosenblatt Solicitors as it considers a multi-million-pound takeover bid.
Camerons edges out rival to help airline start-up take off
CMS Cameron McKenna’s fledgling Ukraine office has won an instruction from start-up airline Wizz Air Ukraine.
Links scores Centrica mandate as British Energy battle hots up
Linklaters has waded into the multibillion-pound battle for control of nuclear power station operator British Energy.
A&O beats CC to Iberia-BA merger gig
Allen & Overy (A&O) has edged out magic circle rival Clifford Chance to win the lead role advising Spanish airline Iberia on its proposed merger with British Airways (BA). A&O Madrid managing partner Inigo Gomez-Jordana is running the team along with London corporate partner Alan Paul. Clifford Chance had ...
Ashurst to send Green to Hong Kong
Ashurst to send Green to Hong Kong" /Ashurst is to launch its first-ever office in China and has picked current senior partner Geoffrey Green to spearhead the initiative.
Ex-Fladgate partner gets wrist slapped
Former Fladgate corporate head Nicolas Greenstone has been reprimanded by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) for actions that led to a £27m fraud.
Ex Shearman German partner rejoins legacy firm
Shearman & Sterling's former German legacy firm, Schilling Zutt & Anschütz (SZA), has re-hired corporate partner Stephan Brandes from McDermott Will & Emery six months after he left.
A&O ousts Clifford Chance on BA/Iberia merger
Allen & Overy (A&O) has edged out magic circle competitor Clifford Chance to win the lead role advising Spanish airline Iberia on its proposed merger with British Airways (BA).
Simpson, Weil, Cravath on KKR’s landmark dual listing
The world’s elite firms are jostling for position on Kohlberg Kravis Roberts’s (KKR) landmark dual listing in Amsterdam and New York.
Davis Polk, Latham take lead as Roche sets sights on Genentech
Two US firms have snared lead roles on Swiss pharmaceutical group Roche’s $43.7bn (£21.88bn) bid for US drug giant Genentech.
Davis Polk and Latham lead on Roche megadeal
A duo of US firms have snared lead roles on Swiss pharmaceutical group Roche's $43.7bn (£21.88bn) bid for US drug giant Genentech.
Travers resigned to harder times
Travers Smith managing partner Chris Carroll has predicted more woe for M&A lawyers after the corporate-heavy firm saw its average profit per equity partner (PEP) fall by more than 7 per cent last year.
Nabarro strengthens corporate and banking
Nabarro has called on the silver circle for its latest lateral hire, signing up Travers Smith corporate partner Alasdair Steele.
Somerfield uses Kirkland for £1.57bn takeover by Co-op
Kirkland & Ellis has muscled in on the Co-op’s £1.57bn takeover of Somerfield, winning a mandate from former Linklaters client Somerfield.
Magic circle trio in on £26bn drinks deal
Three magic circle firms have scored plum roles on the financing of InBev's $52bn (£26.12bn) acquisition of US drinks company Anheuser-Busch, the makers of Budweiser beer. Allen & Overy (A&O) secured bank mandates advising BNP Paribas, Deutsche Bank and JPMorgan on Anheuser-Busch's financing.
Nabarro signs up Travers partner for corporate push
Nabarro signs up Travers partner for corporate push" /Nabarro has called on the silver circle for its latest lateral hire, signing up Travers Smith corporate partner Alasdair Steele.
Magic circle muscles in on $52bn InBev deal
A trio of magic circle firms has scored plum roles on the financing of InBev’s acquisition of Budweiser producer Anheuser-Busch.
Slaughters and A&O on Santander's A&L bid
Slaughter and May and Allen & Overy (A&O) have bagged lead roles on Banco Santander's £1.25bn recommended offer for Alliance & Leicester.
Firms drafted in as Danish furniture giant quits UK
CMS Cameron McKenna, DLA Piper and Eversheds have been called into action as Danish furniture chain Ilva puts its UK business into administration.
Shearman counts cost to Europe of King’s abdication
Several months before Shearman & Sterling corporate star Peter King quit for Weil Gotshal & Manges (The Lawyer, 7 July), a former ...
The world is Skadden’s playground as European arm flexes US muscle
Ultimate deal machine can ride out M&A dip with European investment into the US, says Kit Chellel
DLA Düsseldorf takes White & Case team
DLA Piper’s Cologne office has poached a corporate team of two partners and three associates from White & Case in Düsseldorf.
Dentons leads on Cadogan Petroleum’s London IPO
Denton Wilde Sapte has advised Cadogan Petroleum on a London Stock Exchange (LSE) IPO to raise finance for its Ukrainian drilling programme.
Clifford Chance acts in Nokia bid for Symbian
Clifford Chance has won its first major UK mandate from Nokia, as the mobile phone giant moves to take over mobile software company Symbian.
Magic circle takes hit as big-ticket M&A falls away
Corporate practices at magic circle firms have been rocked by dramatic falls in big-ticket M&A during the first half of 2008.
Shearman corporate head quits for Weil
Shearman & Sterling’s London office has been hit with a further loss, with corporate star Peter King set to join Weil Gotshal & Manges.
Ireland’s William Fry appoints new managing partner
Irish firm William Fry has appointed Myra Garrett to succeed Brendan Cahill as managing partner.
Dickson Minto and Willkie Farr sign alliance
Dickson Minto and Willkie Farr sign alliance" /Private equity firms Dickson Minto and Willkie Farr & Gallagher have entered into a strategic alliance aimed at upping both their profiles either side of the Atlantic.
Linklaters makes competition masterstroke
Former Slaughter and May partner Laura Carstensen has joined magic circle firm Linklaters as a consultant in the competition and antitrust practice
CC targets corporate fraud with RJW ace
Clifford Chance has ramped up its white-collar crime capabilities with the hire of Russell Jones & Walker (RJW) financial fraud star Judith Seddon.
Duane Morris London moves next door
US firm Duane Morris has moved into a new London office to pave the way for the expansion of its core practice areas. The firm is targeting litigation, insurance, corporate, IP, insolvency and employment as areas of growth in the City. London co-managing partner Susan Laws said: "The much-improved office space will allow us to continue to support the growing interest in the London legal market from our US, Singapore and Vietnam offices." The new office is next door to the old premises ...
Macfarlanes' growth sluggish as corporate and property take a hit
Macfarlanes experienced muted growth over the past 12 months, with turnover rising by 6.7 per cent while average profit per equity partner (PEP) remained static at £1.1m.
Gibson, Simpson to act on Apria Healthcare buyout
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett have won lead roles on the Blackstone Group's 1.6bn Dollars (£815.68m) acquisition of Apria Healthcare.
DLA, Skadden line up for pharma merger
DLA Piper has scored a role on one of the biggest pharmaceutical deals of the year, lining up alongside Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom in the 6.7bn Dollars(£3.42bn) merger of US biotech suppliers Invitrogen and Applera Corporation. DLA Piper acted for the buyer, Invitrogen, led by San Diego-based ...
Travers in bid to woo tool rental giants Ashtead
Travers Smith has set its sights on traditional Slaughter and May client Ashtead Group, the FTSE250 tool rental company, after advising it on the £95.6m auctioning off of its offshore oil and gas equipment business.
A&O, CC and Norton Rose win £4.5bn Barclays deal
Allen & Overy, Clifford Chance and Norton Rose have scooped lead roles on Barclays' £4.5bn share issue.
Olswang bags mid-market corporate team of year
Olswang was the surprise winner of the Mid-market Corporate Firm of the Year at The Lawyer Awards 2008 last night.
Herbies City corporate man to lead Singapore
Herbert Smith has appointed a London corporate partner to head its Singapore office.
Lawyers lambast FSA's new short selling rules
City lawyers have warned of chaos over the Financial Services Authority's (FSA) new rules on short selling, following fierce criticism of the regulatory body's handling of the issue.
Addleshaws, Macfarlanes, CMS bag Freightliner buyout
Addleshaw Goddard, CMS Cameron McKenna and Macfarlanes have won key roles in the estimated £340m secondary buyout of rail logistics company Freightliner Group.
DLA Piper scoops $6.7bn biotech merger
DLA Piper has scored a role in one of the biggest pharmaceutical deals of the year, lining up alongside Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom in the $6.7bn (£3.4bn) merger of US biotechnology suppliers Invitrogen and the Applera Corporation.
Lawyers force FSA to defend short-selling 'quick fix'
The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has provoked a storm of protest from City law firms with its new rules on short-selling.
Named: Skadden partners on InBev-Anheuser deal
Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom partners Paul Schnell and Tom Greenberg have been unveiled as the partners leading the firm on the iconic InBev acquisition of Anheuser-Busch acquisition.
Three made up at McGrigors as Gray departs for Eversheds
Scottish-headquartered firm McGrigors has made up three partners across its UK network a week after it emerged that former managing partner Colin Gray is to leave the firm for a fee-earning role at Eversheds.
Market researchers recruit for merger
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Slaughter and May have been handed places on the £2.2bn merger of market research giants Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS) and Germany's GfK. Freshfields corporate partner Jeff Roberts led the team representing UK-based TNS. GfK was advised by Slaughters ...
Shearman, Greenberg Traurig in $2.5bn Brazil deal
Shearman & Sterling and Greenberg Traurig scooped lead roles advising on a Brazilian $2.5bn equity offering.
Trio of firms act on multi-billion dollar Alltel sell-off
A trio of US firms has scooped lead roles advising Verizon Wireless on its $28.1bn (£14.3bn) acquisition of network operator Alltel.
BG legal chief instructs alma mater A&O on Origin battle
Allen & Overy (A&O) and Linklaters have won mandates on the A$13.6bn (£6.6bn) takeover battle for Australian-listed gas company Origin Energy.
Hammonds star puts trio of football deals in the net
Hammonds has won a hat trick of contract deals for football clubs, including advising Manchester City on the sacking of manager Sven-Goran Eriksson.
Arnold & Porter bags Winston & Strawn lawyer to head Euro corporate
Arnold & Porter has boosted its London office with the hire of Geneva-based Winston & Strawn corporate partner Carl Liederman.
Freshfields and Slaughters seal £2bn TNS merger
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Slaughter and May have been handed places on the £2.2bn merger between market research companies Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS) and Germany's GfK.
Ex McGrigors chief, banking partner join Eversheds
Eversheds" /McGrigors’ former managing partner, Colin Gray, has left the firm for a role at Eversheds, where he will be joined by McGrigors banking partner Colin McKay.
Linklaters, Cleary in TPG's £150m B&B investment
Linklaters has won a role alongside Cleary Gottlieb advising US private equity giant Texas Pacific Group (TPG) on its £150m investment in UK bank Bradford & Bingley.
Top firms retain FTSE stranglehold amid tough times
In the past three months several of the FTSE100's biggest names have fallen victim to takeovers, leaving City firms to wave goodbye to some of their most prized clients.
Freshfields moves two more partners to Middle East
Two more Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer partners have relocated to the Middle East, with Charles July and Ian Poynton joining Bob Charlton in Dubai.
Gaz de France gets green light for €67bn Suez merger
News that the Gaz de France (GdF) works council has issued its formal opinion on the proposed e67bn (£53.07bn) merger between French utility company Suez and GdF allows the companies to proceed to board and shareholder approval.
McGrigors leads Indian power company AIM listing
McGrigors has scored a coup for new client OPG Power Ventures, floating the Indian power plant business on AIM.
US trio acts on vodka giant buyout
Three US firms won roles on UK private equity house Lion Capital's $600m (£303.58m) purchase of Russian Alcohol. Weil Gotshal & Manges corporate partner Ian Hamilton, London managing partner Michael Francies and tax partner Sarah Priestley represented Lion Capital. Russian Alcohol instructed Hogan & Hartson Paris corporate partner Xenia Legendre, while the Central European Distribution ...
Cravath, Paul Weiss win Time Warner deal
Cravath Swaine & Moore and Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison snared lead roles on Time Warner's $9.25bn (£4.68bn) spin off of its cable television operations. Longstanding adviser Cravath advised Time Warner on the deal, which has separated the media conglomerate from Time Warner Cable. Corporate relationship partner Richard Hall led the team. Paul Weiss corporate partners Ariel Deckelbaum and Robert Schumer led the team advising Time Warner Cable.
A&O takes top role on Corporate Express deal
Allen & Overy's (A&O) Amsterdam office has scored a lead role on one of the biggest corporate deals to hit the Netherlands this year, advising Corporate Express on its e1.7bn (£1.35bn) takeover of wholesaler Lyreco.
FFW and Simmons cook up roles on bakery purchase
Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW) and Simmons & Simmons have won places on the sale of UK-based baked goods producer Eurobuns to Scandinavian giant ;Lantmannen Unibake.
Firms cash in on Enodis selloff
Ashurst and Hammonds have joined the £1bn takeover battle for kitchen equipment maker Enodis. The London-listed company, advised by Ashurst corporate partners Richard Gubbins and Anthony Clare, has received a £1.03bn cash offer from Illinois Tool Works (ITW). ITW has turned to Hammonds corporate partners Giles Distin, Jane Haxby, Richard Burns and Simon Gordon to oversee the bid, which is set to ...
Camerons reaches Pinnacle in e600m sale
CMS Cameron McKenna is working opposite Linklaters on the sale of major Eastern European warehouse operator Pinnacle Real Estate to Islamic investment fund Arcapita.
Trio of firms seal Russian vodka deal
A trio of US firms have been handed roles as UK private equity house Lion Capital buys Russia’s biggest vodka brand in a deal worth $600m (£303m).
Cravath, Paul Weiss advise in $9.25bn media deal
US firms Cravath Swaine & Moore and Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison snared lead roles on Time Warner’s $9.25bn spin off of its cable television operations.Long standing advisers Cravath advised Time Warner on the deal, which will see the...
Gibson Dunn launches Singapore base
Los Angeles-based Gibson Dunn & Crutcher has moved to fill one of the gaps in its international network by opening an office in Singapore.
Simmons takes ship designer to AIM
Simmons & Simmons has advised German ship designer TGE Marine AG on its entry to AIM in one of the largest flotations on the alternative market this year.
Allen & Overy, Ashurst scoop roles on Imperial Tobacco rights issue
Allen & Overy (A&O) and Ashurst have guided Imperial Tobacco through its £4.9bn rights issue, which was announced today.
Irwin Mitchell bolsters corporate team with swoop for Howard Kennedy partner
Irwin Mitchell h a s poached Howard Kennedy corporate partner Andrew Woolf.
Dickson Minto rules out Willkie Farr merger
Dickson Minto has scotched Willkie Farr & Gallagher’s plans to build a transatlantic private equity powerhouse. The Anglo-Scottish firm ruled out a merger, vowing to stay independent.
Cleary leads the way aboard the bank capital-raising bandwagon
If US-style equity offerings cross the Pond the magic circle will be ready.
Firms wired up for Irish broadband sale
Irish firm Matheson Ormsby Prentice and William Fry are representing NTR and Kilsaran Concrete on the sale of Irish Broadband to Imagine Communications for €47m (£37.35m).
Trio lands roles on best buy's EU adventure
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Osborne Clarke and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett scooped lead roles on Carphone Warehouse’s $1.1bn (£564.47m) alliance with US electronics retailer Best Buy, which ...
2Birds’ Fielder called in to advise on management buyout of GRS Group
Bird & Bird corporate partner Simon Fielder has landed an advisory role in the MBO of international recruitment consultant GRS Group, having previously acted for its new chief executive Ken Brotherston.
Ashurst, Hammonds and Linklaters do battle on £1bn Enodis deal
Ashurst, Hammonds and Linklaters have lined up to fight the £1bn takeover battle for kitchen equipment maker Enodis.
K&L Gates merges with Taiwan firm
K&L Gates merges with Taiwan firm" /US firm K&L Gates has announced a merger with Taiwanese firm J&J Attorneys-at-law, strengthening its Asian capabilities.
Linklaters bags Mexican FTSE100 debutant
Freshfields and Linklaters have won places on the £4bn listing of Mexican silver giant Fresnillo on the London Stock Exchange in the second largest IPO of the year.
Pitmans sets up City pensions team with Nabarro hire
Nabarro partner Ian Flowers has moved over to Reading firm Pitmans to establish a London-based pensions team.
Squire Sanders poaches team of eight for Ukraine office relaunch
Squire Sanders & Dempsey has relaunched its office in Ukraine after taking an eight-lawyer team from its former local ally The Silecky Firm.
AIM listing gives Norton Rose first Mongolian client
Norton Rose has landed a deal for its first Mongolian-based client, advising oil company Petro Matad on its AIM listing.
In corporate, one mid-market firm continues to punch above its weight
While some corporate lawyers have reportedly been twiddling their thumbs since the credit crunch took hold, Macfarlanes started 2008 with a couple of stellar deals.
Silver service
Freshfields corporate guru Barry O'Brien is back with a bang following his run-in with the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal - much to the delight of his colleagues
Rocking the boat
The Northern Rock affair has called the UK's principles-based approach to financial services regulation into question, while the same could be said for the FSA's position as sole regulator.
Limiting liabilities
The subprime debacle and the credit squeeze have combined with existing pensions pressures to make life even harder for companies seeking to manage their costs and risks.
Clifford Chance bags White & Case partner for Prague
Clifford Chance has beefed up its Prague office with the hire of White & Case partner David Kolacek.
Freshfields, OC and Simpson in $1.1bn Best Buy tie-up
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Osborne Clarke and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett scooped lead roles on the transatlantic Carphone Warehouse and Best Buy joint venture worth $1.1bn.
Orrick London ups restructuring capability with raid on Hunton
The City office of Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe is the latest firm to ramp up its restructuring capabilities.
Fladgate scoops up Gordon & Co
West End-based Fladgate has acquired two-man boutique Gordon & Co to ramp up its corporate practice.
Halliwells selected by digital media company over sale
Halliwells has won a role on the sale of digital media agency Greenroom Digital thanks to its contacts with financial advisers Fisher Corporate Finance.
Why a code of conduct for hedge funds is good news
Six weeks ago, shortly after shares in HBOS plunged by 17 per cent in one day, the Financial Services Authority took the unprecedented step of attacking publicly the "completely unfounded rumours" spread by a number of unscrupulous investors.
O'Brien takes reins at Freshfields corporate group
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer partner Barry O'Brien has taken over responsibility for one of the firm's four core corporate groups, replacing Mark Rawlinson, who is now overall head of corporate.
Cleary bags Citigroup equity hat trick
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton has advised on Citigroup's third equity offering so far this year.
A&O bags £4bn HBOS rights issue
HBOS has called in magic circle firm Allen & Overy to advise on its £4bn rights issue.
Simpson Thacher scoops $23bn chewing gum deal for Mars
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett is celebrating after picking up the lead role for Mars on its $23bn bid for Wrigley’s, a deal which will create the world’s largest confectionery company.
Freshfields 'superhero' O'Brien voted back into equity
Top M&A dealmaker Barry O'Brien is set to be voted back into the Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer equity partnership
K&L Gates London raids Nabarro for tax partner
K&L Gates has boosted its London tax practice with the hire of partner Paul Beausang from Nabarro.
US quartet scoops airline mega-merger
Four US firms have won lead roles on the Delta Airlines and Northwest Airlines merger.
Chadbourne acts on Pepsi's russian buy
Chadbourne Parke and Clifford Chance are the main legal advisers on PepsiCo's $1.46bn (£730m) bid for control of Russia's leading juice company JSC Lebedyansky.
Ashworth quits O'Melveny for Lovells
O'Melveny & Myers London office co-head Chris Ashworth is set to leave the firm to join Lovells.
Freshfields and Linklaters scoop key roles on RBS £12bn rights issue
Linklaters scoop key roles on RBS £12bn rights issue" /Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Linklaters have secured the key legal roles in Royal Bank of Scotland's (RBS) record £12bn rights issue.
Lawyer stands down as head of insolvency body R3
Nabarro restructuring and insolvency head Patricia Godfrey has stepped down as president of R3, the association of business recovery professionals.
CB Equity Partners swoops for former Landesbank Berlin GC
German private equity firm CB Equity Partners has hired Landesbank Berlin's former general counsel Dariush Ghassemi-Moghadam as a partner in its transactional team.
Coffee and Cake give Osborne Clarke a tasty bit of business
Osborne Clarke has finalised two major deals after being instructed by Milestone Capital Partners to act on the takeover of Coffee Nation and by media agency Cake on its sale to Havas Media.
Eggars, BPE to act on Evans cycles buyout
Cheltenham-based BPE and South East firm Thomas Eggar have won places on the private equity buyout of high street chain Evans Cycles.
Glass half full
The boom days of cheap debt may be over for now, but the private equity market remains an optimistic place.
Resident upheaval
Changes to the way non-doms are taxed are part of a Government drive to make the private equity sector pay a 'fairer share'. But what will this mean in practice?
Herbies launches hedge fund 'healthcheck'
Herbert Smith has set up a team that will spend time in-house with hedge fund clients to ensure they do not commit market abuse.
KKR chooses Akin lobbyist as public affairs chief
Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) has snared high-profile Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld Washington DC lobbyist Ken Mehlman to become its first global head of public affairs.
Chadbourne seals PepsiCo Russia acquisition
Chadbourne Parke and Clifford Chance have won places as main legal advisors in soft drinks giant PepsiCo's $1.46bn (£740m) bid for control of Russia's leading juice company.
US firms win mandates on airline mega-merger
Four US firms have secured lead mandates on the merger between Delta Airlines and Northwest Airlines, which is set to create the world’s largest carrier.
Simmons takes on O'Melveny counsel
Simmons & Simmons has boosted its corporate practice with the lateral hire of O'Melveny & Myers counsel Matt Rees.
Tchenguiz looks to Dentons to help reinvigorate pub group
Longstanding Kirkland & Ellis client Robert Tchenguiz has turned to Denton Wilde Sapte for advice on restructuring a 400-strong pub portfolio.
FFW acts on sale of BBC's outside broadcasts division
Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW) has fended off competition from a range of other firms to advise the BBC on the sale of its outside broadcasts division to sports broadcaster Satellite Information Services (SIS).
A&O, Cravath score Nestlé's Alcon sale
Allen & Overy (A&O) and Cravath Swaine & Moore have landed roles in Nestlé's sale of eyecare company Alcon in a two-step megadeal worth up to $39bn (£19.62bn). Cravath called on New York-based corporate partners Alan Stephenson and Robert Townsend to advise Nestlé, while A&O New York partners Daniel Cunningham and Eric Shube turned out for the buyer, pharmaceutical giant Novartis. Alcon turned ...
Herbies and Weil seal £126m Boosey & Hawkes deal
Herbert Smith client Imagem Music has won an auction to acquire classical music publisher Boosey & Hawkes from private equity house Hg Capital.
BPE and Thomas Eggar win Evans Cycles buyout
BPE and Thomas Eggar have won places on the private equity buyout of High Street chain Evans Cycles.
Simpson Thacher advises WaMu on private equity bail out
US bank Washington Mutual (WaMu) has become the latest financial institution to turn to the private equity industry for investment in the wake of the credit crunch.
Macfarlanes helps Kroenke build Arsenal interests
Macfarlanes has landed a role advising sports mogul Stan Kroenke on his acquision of a 50 per cent share in Arsenal Broadband.
A&O, Camerons, Freshfields seal Welcome Break sale
Allen & Overy (A&O), CMS Cameron McKenna and Freshfields Bruckhaus ...
A&O, Cravath seal Nestle's $39bn Alcon sale
Allen & Overy (A&O) and Cravath Swaine & Moore have landed plum roles in Nestle's sale of eye care company Alcon in a two-step mega-deal worth up to $39bn (£19.5bn).
Share of US firms' revenues confirms City's pre-eminence as a financial hub
London's position as one of the world's leading financial centres is underlined today by the 2007 revenues of the top 30 US firms in the capital.
Macfarlanes delivers Vin & Sprit deal to Pernod Ricard
Macfarlanes has landed a leading role in the e5.6bn (£4.5bn) acquisition of Absolut Vodka producer Vin & Sprit by French drinks giant Pernod Ricard.
Bedell to act in liquidation of Carlyle Capital Corporation hedge fund
Offshore firm Bedell Group has been appointed to advise on the liquidation of collapsed hedge fund, Carlyle Capital Corporation (CCC).
Crutes scores role on £17m JJB Soccer Domes sale
Newcastle's Crutes has assisted the Powerleague Group in its £17m asset purchase of JJB Soccer Domes indoor and outdoor football pitches across five sites.
Slaughters bucks tradition with female corporate head
The Women's Liberation Movement has come a long way since Millicent Fawcett's campaigning days - so much so that barely an eyebrow is raised when a top boardroom job is filled by a woman.
Davis Polk raids OMM for Beijing head
Davis Polk & Wardwell has ramped up its China M&A capability with the hire of Howard Zhang, the former Beijing managing partner O’Melveny & Myers.
A&O, Freshfields bag £15m from Northern Rock
A&O and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have made at least £15m in combined fees from the collapse of Northern Rock, it was revealed yesterday.
Corporate promotions to the fore as Herbert Smith and Freshfields unveil partnership lists
Corporate has led the way at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Herbert Smith - the two largest firms to have announced their promotions.
A&O Düsseldorf hires Shearman M&A duo
Allen & Overy (A&O) has ramped up its M&A corporate capacity in Düsseldorf with the hire of Shearman & Sterling M&A partner Birgit Reese.
Freshfields corporate set for major shake-up
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer's incoming corporate head Mark Rawlinson is restructuring the department's management team to give responsibility to a wider group of partners.
White & Case number one as bankruptcy cases soar
The contenders for the title of 'leading US bankruptcy practice' were revealed this month in a new list showing the number of pending cases at year-end 2007.
Ginestié brings in extra partners to strengthen corporate practice
French independent firm Ginestié Magellan Paley-Vincent has boosted its corporate practice with the hire of two new partners.
Gazprom turns to Hunton UK for TruRead investment
The UK office of Hunton & Williams has won a mandate from trophy client Gazprom, advising its UK subsidiary on the purchase of an equity stake in smart metering company TruRead.
Mcgrigors' valiant role on aim listing
McGrigors has advised Valiant Petroleum on its £50m AIM listing, which gave it a market capitalisation of £200m on admission. Martin Finnegan, head of McGrigors' capital markets practice, led the team acting on the IPO, with Watson Farley & Williams partner Jan Mellman advising Oriel Securities as nominated adviser and Tristone Capital as joint broker and global bookrunner.
Travers Smith lands leading role on Dorset Cereals sale
Travers Smith has bolstered its private equity roster after helping new private equity client Langholm Capital offload portfolio company Dorset Cereals to Wellness Foods.
No bank deals in the UK? Try a slice of Turkey
Clifford Chance and Cleary are already looking at the Turkish market
A&O wins rare Anglo-Russian mining deal
Allen & Overy (A&O) has won a rare instruction on a mining deal, advising Russian mining giant Mechel on its $1.498m (£750m) bid for London-based Oriel Resources.
Kirkland star leaves law for Tchenguiz
Kirkland & Ellis private equity partner Raymond McKeeve is set to join client and property tycoon Robert Tchenguiz as an investment professional in mid-April.
Brodies brings in tax director
Scottish firm Brodies has beefed up its tax capabilities with the hire of chartered accountant Isobel d'Inverno as director of corporate tax.
MoFo doubles up on first Korean AIM float
Morrison & Foerster (MoFo) has taken on two roles in the first flotation of a Korean company on AIM.
Akin gump, wachtell on Halcyon NY listing
US firms Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld and Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz are playing key roles in the New York listing of hedge fund company Halcyon Asset Management.
Links, jones day to act on kazakh mega-deal
Linklaters and Jones Day have been handed key roles on a proposed mega-deal that would see the creation of a £20bn mining giant in Kazakhstan. Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation (ENRC) has made an approach for copper producer Kazakhmys, with the former understood to have turned to Jones Day European head of capital markets Giles Elliott, who represented it during its £136bn London Stock Exchange IPO in December.
Reed smith wins role on AOL's bebo buyout
The London office of Reed Smith Richards Butler has won a minor role in a major US technology deal, handling UK issues on AOL's $850m (£424.24m) cash buyout of social networking site Bebo.
Lovells to act on ICTS europe holdings sale
Lovells has landed an instruction from German private equity house Deutsche Beteiligungs advising on its e100m (£78.73m) acquisition of ICTS Europe Holdings.
Skadden and Wachtell seal Bear Stearns buyout
Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom and Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz have scooped lead roles on JPMorgan Chase's acquisition of troubled investment bank Bear Stearns.
Akin Gump, Wachtell lead on hedge fund listing
US firms Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld and Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz are playing key roles in the New York listing of hedge fund company Halcyon Asset Management.
Lovells scores role on ITV sale of Liverpoolfc.tv
Lovells has maintained its relationship with ITV following the departure of relationship partner Hugh Nineham, advising the company on the sale of its share in Liverpool FC website www.liverpoolfc.tv.
Freshfields, lovells lead on duty free deal
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Lovells have steered BAA's £546.6m sale of World Duty Free Europe Ltd (WDF) to Autogrill.
Reed Smith, Amarchand team up on Standard sale
Reed Smith Richards Butler has strengthened its relationship with Indian firm Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A Shroff & Co by teaming up on the acquisition of Standard Chartered's Indian asset management business.
NABARRO WRAPS UP £61m duo of deals
Nabarro has closed a pair of deals, acting for Premier Recruitment International in its £45m offer for competitor Imprint, and representing Chelford Group on its £16m offer from Solarsoft Business Systems.
Links and Jones Day instructed on tentative mining buyout
Linklaters and Jones Day have been handed key roles on a proposed mega-deal that would see the creation of a £20bn mining giant in Kazakhstan.
Ashurst handed key role on Indian IPO
Ashurst has been instructed on its first Indian IPO, advising on the $400m (£196.80) flotation of Rural Electrification Corporation on India's Bombay and National stock exchanges.
Reed Smith wins UK Bebo role on AOL deal
The London office of Reed Smith Richards Butler has won a minor role in a major US technology deal, handling UK issues on AOL's acquisition of Bebo.
Lovells leads the way in German private equity acquisition
Lovells has landed an instruction from German private equity house Deutsche Beteiligungs, advising on its €100m (£76.07m) acquisition of ICTS Europe Holdings.
Clifford Chance GC demands freedom from conflicts
CC general counsel and chairman of the City of London Law Society rules and regulation committee Chris Perrin has called for significant widening of client conflict.
Kirkland confident despite loss of private equity ace
Kirkland & Ellis remained upbeat about the state of its London private equity practice last week, despite the admission that high-profile hire Raymond McKeeve is to part company with the firm (first revealed on www.the lawyer.com, 4 March).
Lyceum Capital moots legal investment
Private equity fund Lyceum Capital has set up a dedicated committee to explore the possibility of investing in the legal profession once the Legal Services Act comes into force in 2011.
Turkish finance used in CC, Dickson Minto deal
Clifford Chance and Dickson Minto have won roles on Turkey's largest-ever private equity deal, which was funded entirely by local banks.
BAT uses Herbies on danish purchase
British American Tobacco (BAT) has turned to Herbert Smith for advice on its £2.05bn purchase of Scandinavia's largest tobacco brand.
Wilsons in Butterfly World launch
Wilsons has won the mandate to set up Butterfly World, a £25m butterfly dome near St Albans that will open this week.
Bakers and Norton Rose navigate DP World's first Egyptian buyout
Baker & McKenzie and Norton Rose have steered through the first Egyptian investment by Dubai ports operator DP World, which has taken control of the Sokhna Port Development Company.
SJ Berwin and Herbies act on Universal music selloff
SJ Berwin and Herbert Smith have landed roles advising on the disposal of European music publishing catalogues that include tracks from the likes of Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears.
Firms package up Britton Group deal
Browne Jacobson, DLA Piper and Eversheds advised on the £77m secondary buyout of Britton Group by HSBC Private Equity and HSBC Bank.
Camerons names Kiev head at official office launch
CMS Cameron McKenna has appointed recent hire Adam Mycyk to run its new office in Ukraine, which opened officially yesterday (6 March).
Private equity star McKeeve quits Kirkland
Private equity rainmaker Raymond McKeeve is to leave Kirkland & Ellis (K&S) in three months for an unknown destination, believed to be a role at a private equity house.
Herbies advises BAT on £2.05bn Danish acquisition
British American Tobacco (BAT) has turned to Herbert Smith for advice on the £2.05bn purchase of Scandinavia's largest tobacco brand.
Herbies hits joint second in FTSE client rankings
Herbert Smith secured three new clients during the last quarter to push ahead of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Allen & Overy (A&O) in the rankings for FTSE100 clients.
Macfarlanes, travers act on pret buyout
Macfarlanes and Travers Smith have won key roles on the private equity buyout of sandwich chain Pret a Manger. The sale saw private equity house Bridgepoint Capital buy a controlling stake in Pret a Manger, in a deal believed to value the business at £350m.
A&O and latham scoop oyster sale
Allen & Overy (A&O) and Latham & Watkins advised on the £50m sale of luxury yacht builder Oyster Marine to private equity house Balmoral Capital. Private equity start-up Balmoral was launched in 2007 by two former Credit Suisse First Boston bankers.
City trio advise private equity bidders on Kurt Geiger sell-off
Addleshaw Goddard, SJ Berwin and Travers Smith landed key roles in the sale of designer shoe brand Kurt Geiger, which had created interest from a number of private equity buyers.
Ardana calls on MoFo in search for merger
UK pharmaceutical company Ardana has called on Morrison & Foerster (MoFo) as it seeks a buyer or merger partner to raise money for research.
Davis polk and white & case snare visa ipo
Davis Polk & Wardwell and White & Case have landed plum roles on the $19bn (£9.55bn) IPO of credit card company Visa, the largest in US history.
Simpson thacher and weil scoop getty LBO
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and Weil Gotshal & Manges have both secured key roles on the leveraged buyout of Getty Images by private equity house Hellman & Friedman.
Davis Polk and White & Case advise on blockbuster Visa IPO
Davis Polk & Wardwell and White & Case have landed plum roles on the $19bn (£9.62bn) Visa IPO, the largest ever in US history.
Halliwells set to make redundancies in London and Manchester
Halliwells has launched a redundancy consultation process across its London-based corporate team, as a result of the group lagging behind budget.
Simpson Thatcher and Weil in frame on Getty sale
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and Weil Gotshal & Manges have snared key roles on the leveraged buy-out of Getty Images by private equity house Hellman & Friedman.
Linklaters wins role advising bank's new board
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer's role on the Northern Rock saga has been marginalised after the mortgage lender passed into public hands last week.
One small legal step and a giant leap for Northern Rock
Northern Rock passed into public ownership last Friday (22 February) following what was ultimately a very simple legal process.
Shareholders face £50 fee to sue Govt over Northern Rock
Northern Rock's smaller shareholders, who are hoping to sue the Government over their lost shareholdings, face costs of up to £50 each before any action can get underway.
Sullivan toasts drinks giants' tie-up
Sullivan & Cromwell has cemented its relationship with drinks giant Diageo, advising the company on its $900m (£456.5m) joint venture with Dutch distiller Ketel One.
Herbert Smith oversees London listing of Marshall Wace hedge fund
Herbert Smith is advising Marshall Wace on the London listing of its hedge fund MW Tops, which will take place thanks to updated listing rules.
Hammonds, walkers step up to dolcis sale
Hammonds and Walker Morris have acted on the administration of high street shoe shop chain Dolcis. Prior to being wound up, Dolcis operated from 185 locations across the UK.
Macfarlanes and Travers lead on Pret a Manger sale
Macfarlanes and Travers Smith have been handed key roles in the private equity buyout of sandwich chain Pret a Manger.
Simpson Thacher dropped on Microsoft’s Yahoo! bid
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett has lost its plum role advising Microsoft on its $46.4bn (£23.91bn) hostile bid for internet giant Yahoo!
A&O and Latham guide sale of luxury yacht builder
Allen & Overy (A&O) and Latham & Watkins have advised on the £50m sale of luxury yacht builder Oyster Marine to private equity house Balmoral Capital.
Linklaters usurps Freshfields to advise new Northern Rock board; Slaughters to advise on nationalisation
Linklaters usurps Freshfields to advise new Northern Rock board; Slaughters to advise on nationalisation" /Linklaters has been handed a key mandate in the Northern Rock saga as rival magic circle firm Freshfields ...
DLA Piper advises Our Cilla on psychic love venture
Davenport Lyons and DLA Piper have won lead roles on a joint venture between Psychic Investments Limited and Cilla Black.
Latham launches in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Qatar
Latham & Watkins is to simultaneously launch three offices in the Middle East at the end of the first quarter of this year, becoming the first law firm to do so.
Revealed: Akzo Nobel threat to global firms
The Akzo Nobel ruling, which controversially stripped in-house counsel of privilege, has again come under fire for having the same impact on non-European private practice lawyers in the EU.
Herbert Smith streamlines corporate client teams
Herbert Smith corporate head Michael Walter has restructured the firm's internal practice groups to streamline client teams and improve associate development.
MoFo, Herbies win roles on Buy.at's sale to AOL
Morrison & Foerster (MoFo) and Herbert Smith have won instructions on the sale of Buy.at to US internet services company AOL.
City trio in £1.2bn biffa take-private
A trio of City firms has bagged roles on the proposed £1.2bn take-private of waste collection company Biffa.
Slaughters and Herbies close major annuity deal
Standard Life has turned to long-term adviser Slaughter and May in a deal that will see the life insurance giant offload annuity liabilities worth £6.7bn to Canada Life.
Sullivan guides Diageo on Ketel One investment
Sullivan & Cromwell has cemented its relationship with drinks giant Diageo, advising the company on its $900m (£456.50m) joint venture with Dutch distiller Ketel One.
Simpson Thacher and Sullivan $4bn sovereign fund
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and Sullivan & Cromwell have scored lead roles on China Investment Corporation’s (CIC) $4bn (£2bn) investment into a JC Flowers fund designed to rescue ailing financial institutions.
Sidley ramps up funds group with Covington hire
Sidley Austin has snared a Covington & Burling London tax partner to boost the firm’s fund formation practice in the capital. David Hinds, who joins the firm as a partner, has been brought in to help build a funds formation group in Sidley’s London office. He will also advise on tax issues on ...
Davis Polk misses out as Oracle M&A work goes way of Latham
Latham & Watkins edged out Oracle's longstanding primary M&A adviser Davis Polk & Wardwell last month to secure its first lead acquisition mandate for the technology giant.
DLA Piper scales the AIM ranks as market confidence weakens
DLA Piper has added another four companies to its roster of AIM clients, but is still a few short of Norton Rose, which has the highest number of AIM clients in the market at 65.
Cadwalader raids Latham for private equity assault
Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft made a spectacular raid on the New York office of Latham & Watkins last week (6 February), snaring the latter's global head of private equity Ronald Hopkinson.
Slaughters leads pub group's merger bid
Slaughter and May is acting for longstanding client Punch Taverns in a takeover bid for Mitchell & Butlers (M&B) that would create the UK's largest pub group.
Amarchand, Cleary act on indian float
Indian firm Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A Shroff & Co and Wall St firm Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton advised on the $2.93bn (£1.49bn) IPO of Reliance Power - the largest Indian flotation to date.
CC, Macfarlanes join mining giant battle
Clifford Chance and Macfarlanes have won key roles in the battle for control of Rio Tinto, the UK-listed mining giant.
All-terrain vehicles
Challenging market conditions look set to force a rethink on the terms of investment partnerships, says Iain Redford
Trio of firms act on revised Biffa offer
A trio of City firms have bagged roles on the proposed £1.2bn take-private of waste collection company Biffa.
Clifford Chance and Macfarlanes wade into Rio Tinto battle
Clifford Chance and Macfarlanes have won key roles in battle for control of Rio Tinto, the UK-listed mining giant.
HG Capital cements Weil ties with new GC
Private equity firm HG Capital has snared Weil Gotshal & Manges private equity consultant Alison Hampton as its new general counsel and compliance officer. Hampton, who will replace retiring general counsel and former Lovells partner John Kitching, appears to further cement Weil Gotshal's relationship with the private equity house. Hampton joined the firm from Lovells ...
Slaughters and A&O battle for control of pub chain M&B
Slaughter and May is acting for longstanding client Punch Taverns in a merger bid that would create the UK's largest pub group.
Linklaters launches Dutch insolvency team with Simmons hire
Linklaters has launched a restructuring & insolvency practice in the Netherlands with the hire of a Simmons & Simmons partner.
Cadwalader and Simpson Thacher scoop Microsoft bid for Yahoo!
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett has assembled a top tier M&A team to help Microsoft win its $44.6bn battle for Yahoo!
Linklaters bags £800m extra for S&N shareholders
The Scottish & Newcastle (S&N) saga has finally come to a close after the £7.8bn offer by the Carlsberg and Heineken consortium was accepted.
Hammonds toasts new winery client
Hammonds, led by partner Marco Zavala, has snared one of the largest and oldest Chilean wine producers as a new client.
DLA and LG help MyFootballClub score first web-based takeover
Couchman Harrington, DLA Piper and LG advised on the first web-based takeover of a business after an online community took over Kent football club Ebbsfleet United.
Egorov opens door for Rostar takeover
Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners succeeded where US law firm Dewey & LeBoeuf failed by securing permission for the sale of a can manufacturer from Russia's Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS).
Dewey helps Arcelor enter Russian market
Dewey & LeBoeuf has advised ArcelorMittal, the world's largest steel company, on the purchase of three Russian coalmines.
Cleary and Sullivan scoop $19bn Citi equity offering
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton and Sullivan & Cromwell scooped lead roles on the $19bn Citigroup equity offering. The transaction is the latest investment bank equity offering to see sovereign and domestic wealth funds invest into banks since market volatility hit global banks' profits worldwide ...
Travers nets hat trick with Derby deal
Travers Smith has landed its third top flight football takeover in two years, acting on the acquisition of Derby County FC.
Willkie Farr revenues, profits up 20 per cent
Willkie Farr & Gallagher today (Tuesday, 29 January) posted double digit increases in revenue and profits for the second year in a row.
O'Melveny loses third New York partner to Dechert
Dechert has strengthened its corporate group in New York with the hire of a senior partner from O’Melveny & Myers.
Linklaters helps squeeze £7.8bn from Carlsberg-Heineken
The Scottish & Newcastle (S&N) saga has finally come to a close after the £7.8bn offer by the Carlsberg and Heineken consortium was accepted.
Edwin Coe forges ahead with Northern Rock claim
Edwin Coe forges ahead with Northern Rock claim" / Edwin Coe has gathered 6,000 Northern Rock shareholders and is still considering legal action despite the Government's bail out plan, which was announced last week.
UK law firms emerge as private equity frontrunners with £1.2bn fee windfall
UK law firms made an estimated £1.2bn from the private equity sector last year, according to new figures released by the British Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (BVCA).
Mishcon de Reya guides Cubus Lux back to AIM
Mishcon de Reya has advised new client Cubus Lux on its readmission to AIM and reverse takeover of two Croatian companies that own development land on Croatia's Olive Island Resort.
Olswang advises on sale of Channel 4 International
Olswang's corporate and specialist rights lawyers have advised 4 Ventures, the commercial arm of long-standing client Channel 4, on the sale of its international distribution business Channel 4 International (C4i) to Digital Rights Group.
Word of mouth gets Norton Rose the gig with Quorum Oil and Gas
Norton Rose has advised new client Quorum Oil and Gas Technology on its initial public offering and listing on the London Stock Exchange.
Reynolds cleans up in tissue brand sale
Reynolds Porter Chamberlain (RPC) advised Swedish paper products giant SCA, which has annual sales of more than £7.4bn, on the sale of its Softis tissue brand to Italian tissue company Sofidel.
Speechly, K&L gates take jet hirer to aim
Speechly Bircham and Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Preston Gates Ellis (K&L Gates) have advised on the £73.4m AIM listing of a commerial jet hire company.
Irish pillars of strength
The Company Law Review Group has proposed sweeping reforms that will bring together Ireland's various Companies Acts. The new rules are expected to make life easier
Law firms reap £1.2bn from private equity boom
UK law firms made an estimated £1.2bn from the private equity sector last year, according to new figures released by British Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (BVCA).
Freshfields to place City staff in Dubai and Moscow
FRESHFIELDS Bruckhaus Deringer's corporate practice is upping its focus on mobility as the internationalisation of the legal profession continues.
Arnold & Porter captures in-houser for corporate, IP push
Arnold & Porter has snared the former general counsel of Body Shop and Gap to bolster its London corporate team.
Heller lures Sidley corporate partner
Heller Ehrman has snared a Sidley Austin corporate partner to bolster its London corporate practice.
Salans brings Hunton partner on board
Salans has boosted its London office with the hire of corporate partner Rob Askew from US firm Hunton & Williams. Askew's practice focuses on equity capital markets, M&A and private equity, with an emphasis on advice to nominated advisers and brokers on AIM transactions. His appointment follows the promotions of 15 new partners at Salans, giving the firm a total of 176 partners.
Herbies' Silicon Valley trip seals Atmel factory sale
Herbert Smith won work on the sale of a Tyneside factory after a trip to Silicon Valley with alliance partners Gleiss Lutz and Stibbe.
Thin end of the hedge
The SEC is reeling after a second court decision dismissing allegations of hedge fund fraud.
After Nineham: what the future holds for Lovells' corporate dept
After the departure of Nineham, is Lovells a wounded animal?
New French corporate boutique launched
Eight French lawyers have left their firms to set up a corporate boutique called Redlink, creating a new contender in the crowded Paris legal market.
Lovells legend Hugh Nineham quits for McDermott
McDermott Will & Emery has hired Lovells corporate icon Hugh Nineham to become its European and London corporate head.
Lovells' loss of Nineham sees rivals anticipating big-ticket incursions
Hugh Nineham's name has been synonymous with Lovells' corporate practice since, as its head, he was credited with masterminding its resurgence at the turn of the century.
Hammonds cements Alba tie with sell-off work
Hammonds has advised consumer electronics business Alba in two recent sell-offs, including a 50 per cent stake in Grundig Multimedia.
Goodbodys and Dundas lead on SSE energy deals
A&L Goodbody and Dundas & Wilson have scooped key roles in two back-to-back renewable energy acquisitions by FTSE 100 client Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE).
Private equity: Cash and Tom, Dick or Harry
The private equity and investment gangs better look at the small print of the Legal Services Act if they're thinking of partnering with law firms.
Eversheds advises JP Morgan on Northern Rock deal
Eversheds is the latest firm to land a role on the Northern Rock saga, advising JP Morgan in the purchase of £2.2bn-worth of mortgages from the stricken lender.
A&O scoops Shearman global M&A chief
Allen & Overy has raided Shearman & Sterling for its global co-head of M&A for its Düsseldorf office in the latest high-profile move in the German market.
Lovells, Macfarlanes bag roles on Maximuscle sale
Lovells and Macfarlanes have played key roles on a private equity secondary exit, with the former acting for vendor Piper Private Equity while the latter advised buyer Darwin Private Equity.
CC and Links step up for latest KKR deal
Magic circle rivals Clifford Chance and Linklaters dominated the latest acquisition by US private equity powerhouse Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR).
A&O lures old boy back from Norton Rose
Allen & Overy (A&O) has convinced Norton Rose corporate finance partner Chris Moore to rejoin its ranks.
Third-party litigation funder joins AIM
Third-party litigation funding has jumped into the mainstream of financial investments with the first admission to AIM of a specialist litigation fund.
ABN-RBS deal gives A&O a leg-up in 2007 global and European M&A rankings
The protracted £50.2bn takeover of ABN Amro by a Royal Bank of Scotland-led consortium was big enough to propel Allen & Overy (A&O) up Bloomberg's global and European M&A advisory tables for 2007.
Obituary: Dominic Welham
Linklaters’ highly regarded corporate partner Dominic Welham has died aged 44 after a battle with cancer.
BLP racks up AIM hat trick before 2007 year-end
Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) wrapped up three AIM deals before the 2007 year-end, including its first listing of an Indian company and the flotation of the first Asia-based gaming company to seek a London listing.
Wiggin scores sport and media triple
Wiggin's sport and media team has scored a hat trick of deals, picking up mandates from ITV, Virgin Media and Manchester United FC.
Firms cash in on Abbot takeover
A raft of advisers has secured one of the biggest take-privates since the credit crisis jammed the market last summer.
Linklaters steers banks to success on troubled Ugandan project
Linklaters has advised the 10 lenders that brought the $867.7m (£439.4m) Bujagali power plant deal in Uganda to a successful close after the previous sponsor, AES, pulled out.
Magic circle dominates 2007 Thomson M&A league
The magic circle firms have grabbed a record volume of the European 2007 M&A pie, which has grown by 36 per cent to $1.8tr (£911bn), despite a weak finish to the year.
Heavyweights secure oil exploration take-private
A raft of heavyweight advisers have secured one of the biggest take-privates since the credit crisis jammed the market this summer.
Lovells in H Bauer magazine purchase
Lovells' London office has reaped the benefits of a recommendation from the firm's Hamburg base, landing an instruction on publisher H Bauer's £1.14bn acquisition of Emap's consumer magazine and commercial radio divisions.
BLP tipped for first asian gaming float
Online gaming is set to get a boost in the coming weeks, with Asian Logic becoming the first Asia-based gaming company to seek a London listing.
Jones Day London scoops lead role on £1.36bn ENRC flotation
The London office of Jones Day has secured one of the Stock Exchange’s biggest flotations this year, advising Kazakhstan mining company Eurasian Natural Resources Corp (ENRC) on its £1.36bn London listing.
Clifford Chance in internal restructuring
Clifford Chance has indulged in a bout of internal restructuring, merging its three large M&A, private equity and corporate practices into one mammoth department on 1 December 2007.
Taylor Wessing nets Brentford stadium development
Taylor Wessing has scored the lead role advising Brentford Football Club on the development of a new stadium.
Freshfields Frankfurt partner defects to Bakers
A further corporate partner from Freshfields German operation has left the magic circle firm, surfacing at Baker & McKenzie.
Cobbetts benefits as Abramovich invests in gold
Cobbetts has landed a key role on the latest acquisition by Russia’s richest man and Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich.
BLP strengthens energy company ties with AIM fundraising
Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has advised Clean Energy Brazil , a company that invests in the Brazilian sugar and ethanol energy production sector, on a £20.8m fundraising on AIM.
Cleary and A&O bag major North African takeover
Paris-based corporate partners Pierre-Yves Chabert and Gamal Abouali led the team at Cleary.
Linklaters, Herbies battle over biffa
Linklaters and Herbert Smith are squaring up in the battle for UK-listed waste disposal company Biffa.
Freshfields and Travers scoop roles on Eni-Burren takeover
Travers Smith and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have agreed the £1.74bn takeover of London-headquartered oil independent Burren Energy by Italian energy giant Eni.
Private equity star Rosen set to join DLA Piper
Former Weil Gotshal & Manges private equity star Will Rosen is set to join DLA Piper in January.
JC Flowers pulls out of Rock as Olivant ups the ante
Herbert Smith client JC Flowers has pulled out of the auction for stricken mortgage lender Northern Rock.
Dewey & LeBoeuf boosts Frankfurt tax practice with CC hire
Dewey & LeBoeuf has boosted its Frankfurt office with the hire of a senior tax lawyer from Clifford Chance.
SJ Berwin scoops finance role on private equity exit
SJ Berwin has scooped a lead role advising on a key acquisition in the healthcare and fitness sector.
A&O wins lead role on DFG's £530bn EFG deal
Allen & Overy (A&O) has scooped the lead role advising Dubai Financial Group (DFG) on its acquisition of a 24.6 per cent stake in Middle Eastern investment bank EFG-Hermes from Abraaj Capital.
Chadbourne star quits to join client GLG Partners
Hedge fund GLG Partners has snared a Chadbourne & Parke partner to ramp up its in-house legal team in London and New York.
Nabarro and White & Case win coveted hedge fund roles on Northern Rock
Nabarro and White & Case win coveted hedge fund roles on Northern Rock" /Nabarro and White & Case have found themselves holding key roles in the battle for Northern Rock.
Ashurst bags North West Electricity Networks on United Utilities selloff
Ashurst is advising North West Electricity Networks, a joint venture made up of JPMorgan Infrastructure Fund and its long-standing client Colonial First State Global Asset Management, on the acquisition of United Utilities' electricity network. The acquisition cost £1.78bn.
Private equity: On close terms
As the world becomes smaller, the terms used in private equity deals in Europe and the US are becoming increasingly similar. Mark Mifsud and Stephanie Biggs report
Private equity: Best of both worlds
If managed well, exiting from an investment via a twin-track IPO or M&A can reap huge rewards, says Stephen Lloyd
Private equity: Flexible funds
The collapse of the US sub-prime mortgage market has forced lenders to tighten the purse-strings. By Mark Davis and Eleanor West
Northern Rock signs up Laurie Adams
Northern Rock has brought in ABN Amro's former legal head as a non-executive director to steady the beleagured mortgage lender through its next difficult chapter.
Herbies acts for banks on Chinese share offering
Herbert Smith has advised JPMorgan Securities and China International Capital Corporation (CICC) on the $1.16bn (£0.56bn) global offering of shares in Chinese truck manufacturers Sinotruk.
Ashurst and Egorov scoop £7.6bn Rusal deal
Aluminium giant Rusal has turned to the familiar pairing of Ashurst and Russian firm Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners (EPAP) to guide it through its first major M&A deal since its 2006 tripartite merger with Sual and Glencore.
BLP scores corporate finance partner
Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has continued on its aggressive hiring spree by taking on its second new partner in as many weeks.
CC and Lovells navigate Egyptian law on Abraaj acquisition
Clifford Chance and Lovells played lead roles on a major refinancing in the Middle East and North Africa.
Fasken chosen to act on £25.2m Vestpa purchase
Albany Capital's AIM-listed special purpose vehicle Vestpa has acquired Singaporean and Chinese food company Full Fortune Holdings for £25.2m in a reverse takeover structured by Anglo-Canadian firm Fasken Martineau Stringer Saul.
Travers steers 3i lingerie purchase
Travers Smith has lent its support to private equity house 3i in the purchase of a £60m majority stake in designer lingerie chain Agent Provocateur.
Nabarro, slaughters handed land sec roles
Slaughter and May is advising Land Securities on the corporate aspects of its three-way demerger.
Olswang comes good for Photon with deal trio
Olswang has signed off on a trio of acquisitions for new client Photon Group, which has turned its acquisitive focus away from Australia and onto Europe.
SABMiller snubs Lovells for Stibbe
SABMiller has passed over longstanding adviser Lovells on its €816m (£583m) bid for Dutch brewer Grolsch, turning instead to Herbert Smith alliance firm Stibbe.
Links and CC defy credit squeeze on major buy out
Linklaters’ lateral hiring policy has borne fruit with two new partners securing one of the biggest buyouts since the credit crunch dried up liquidity.
S&N enlists Swedish firm on Carlsberg arbitration
Linklaters client Scottish & Newcastle has turned to Swedish arbitration specialist Jacob Melander at Hammarskiöld & Co as its defence against a Heineken-Carlsberg consortium takeover bid hots up.
KKR turns to Simpson Thacher for first general counsel
Private equity giant Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) has handed a Simpson Thacher & Bartlett corporate partner the role of its first ever general counsel.
Stibbe usurps Lovells on SABMiller deal
SABMiller has passed over longstanding adviser Lovells on its €816m (£583m) bid for the Dutch brewer Grolsch, turning instead to Herbert Smith alliance firm Stibbe.
Travers lands 3i lingerie deal
Travers Smith has lent its support to private equity house 3i in the purchase of a £60m majority stake in designer lingerie chain Agent Provocateur.
Morgan Lewis snares Norton Rose partner
Norton Rose partner" /Morgan Lewis & Bockius has snared a corporate finance equity partner from Norton Rose.
Camerons leads Alfred McAlpine on £600m offer
CMS Cameron McKenna is advising support services company Alfred McAlpine on a proposed £600m offer by rival Carillion.
Links, Norton Rose seal DRC mining tie-up
Linklaters and Norton Rose have secured the merger of two mining giants with assets in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Dewey helps russia's NCSP with LSE float
Dewey & LeBoeuf has advised Novorossiysk Commercial Sea Port (NCSP) on its $955m (£461.21m) IPO on the London Stock Exchange, resulting in a post-IPO valuation of NCSP of $4.9bn (£2.34bn).
Freshfields and Travers bag roles on Close Brothers buy-out
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Travers Smith have landed key roles on the latest potential union of two City financial institutions.
Slaughters and Nabarro bag LandSecs demerger
Slaughter and May is advising Land Securities on corporate aspects of its three-way de-merger that the company announced yesterday (15 November).
Hammonds secures acquisition for new client Endless
Hammonds has advised new client Endless on the acquisition of Lancashire Chemical Works via a management buy-in led by Endless candidate Richard Sykes.
Linklaters names new tax head
Linklaters’ global head of tax Guy Brannan is standing down after two terms in the role, with partner Yash Rupal set to take on the position.
Pinsent Masons hires two to boost regulatory team
Pinsent Masons has hired two associates into its partnership to boost the regulatory offering in the firm’s corporate group.
Morgan Lewis scoops Norton Rose partner
Morgan Lewis has snared a corporate finance equity partner from Norton Rose.
SullCrom bags Olivant role on Northern Rock
Sullivan & Cromwell is the latest firm to be drafted in on the Northern Rock saga, with the New York M&A behemoth advising investment group Olivant on the potential purchase of a minority stake in the beleaguered mortgage lender.
Magic circle muscles in on AIM as value skyrockets
Ashurst, Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP), DLA Piper, LG and
Law Soc steps up campaign against China's AIM restrictions
The Law Society is stepping up its lobbying campaign after unsuccessful talks with the Chinese government failed to change rules that appear to prohibit Chinese companies from listing on AIM.
Simmons nets Lovells corporate rising star
As part of its strategic focus on equity capital markets (ECM), Simmons & Simmons has scored one of Lovells' up-and-coming corporate partners.
New leadership for Ashurst's Dubai office
Ashurst has a new managing partner for its Dubai office, with corporate partner Nick Bryans taking over from incumbent Paul de Cordova.
Dechert builds Paris corporate team with Morgan Lewis raid
Dechert has beefed up its Paris corporate and securities practice with the hire of Morgan Lewis & Bockius partner Stephan Alamowitch.
Linklaters reunited with DIC after Freshfields conflicted out
Linklaters reunited with DIC after Freshfields conflicted out" /Linklaters has won back Dubai International Capital (DIC) as a client, completing two mega-deals for the emirate's investment arm in one week.
Stephenson Harwood Asia strategy pays off
Stephenson Harwood has landed a lead role advising on a significant UK investment by an Indian company.
Olswang lands bdo's chiltern purchase
Olswang has acted for longstanding client BDO Stoy Hayward on its acquisition of Chiltern Public Limited Company's tax advisory and consultancy business.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
Hogan suffers double loss in London
US firm Hogan & Hartson has lost two key partners from its corporate and employment teams in London.
Debevoise swipes Linklaters partner
Debevoise Plimpton has snared Linklaters London corporate partner Guy Lewin-Smith.
McGrigors targets AIM with new team
McGrigors has formed a dedicated capital markets team with the intention of ramping up its AIM capability.
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.
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.
Howes Percival fields rugby club acquisition
Regional law firm Howes Percival is representing Ian Lenagan on his takeover of Wigan Warriors Rugby League Club.
Reed Smith lands Tate & Lyle Mexico deal
Reed Smith Richards Butler’s longstanding relationship with UK client Tate & Lyle has gifted the firm’s Chicago office a role on a £46m divestment for the company in Mexico.
FFW signs off trio of AIM deals
Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW) corporate finance partner Dominic Gurney-Champion has advised on a trio of AIM deals that closed within a week.
Tesco escapes Competition Commission rap
The Competition Commission has found that Tesco does not stifle competition, according to its provisional findings published today (31 October) after an 18-month investigation into the UK groceries market.
CC boosts Beijing with Jones Day hire
Clifford Chance has hired Jones Day partner Bruce Schulberg as a partner in its Beijing corporate finance team.
Norton Rose cements easyJet links with BA takeover
Norton Rose has consolidated its position as corporate adviser for budget-airline easyJet in its £103.5m purchase of British Airways (BA) franchisee GB Airways.
Lovells doubles office space in Singapore for corporate offensive
Lovells is expanding its Singapore offering by developing its corporate practice after taking extra floor space to accommodate the growth.
TwoBirds takes Asia corporate chief loss on the chin
Bird & Bird is not planning to replace Julian Courtney-Stubbs, its outgoing head of the Asia corporate practice.
Fladgates, Dorsey seal TV company tie-up
Fladgate Fielder has acted for television production company Twenty Twenty Television on its acquisition by AIM-listed Shed Media.
Paris Smith acts on HMS acquisition
South Coast firm Paris Smith & Randall has advised on the £22m acquisition of Hazard Management Solutions (HMS), a UK company specialising in terrorist threat advice to global clients.
Camerons gets in with magic circle on BNFL work
CMS Cameron McKenna has muscled in on what is an otherwise magic circledominated defence auction for Project Services, the nuclear decommissioning unit of British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL).
Bakers guides nike through umbro bid
Baker & McKenzie has pulled off a coup by scooping the lead role advising Nike on its £284m takeover bid for UK sportswear maker Umbro.
CC, Links land roles on DP World's DIFX listing
Clifford Chance and Linklaters have scooped lead roles on Dubai Ports World’s (DP World) landmark listing on the Dubai Stock Exchange (DIFX).
Dickson Minto and Halliwells advise on Saints takeover
Dickson Minto and Halliwells have scored lead roles on hedge fund Sisu Capital’s approach to Southampton Football Club.
Links wins role on Sino-African banking deal
Linklaters guides Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) through its £2.6bn investment in Standard Bank, Africa’s largest bank.
Lovells lands waste PFI for Veolia
Lovells has advised Veolia Environmental Services on a 27-year waste PFI deal, having been appointed to the company’s panel earlier this year.
Mayer Brown partner returns from Newcastle sojourn
Former Mayer Brown partner Michael Hutchinson has rejoined the firm following a brief spell in Dickinson Dees’ Newcastle office.
Bakers wins Nike role on £284m Umbro takeover
Baker & McKenzie has scored a stunning coup by scooping the lead role advising Nike on its £284m takeover bid for UK sportswear maker Umbro.
CC and Links act on DP World's Dubai flotation
Clifford Chance and Linklaters have scooped lead roles on Dubai Ports World’s (DP World) landmark listing on the Dubai Stock Exchange (DIFX).
MoFo raids O'Melveny for Japanese boost
Morrison & Foerster (MoFo) Tokyo has raided rival US firm O’Melveny & Myers for a corporate team.
E&Y hire maintains TwoBirds' Italy growth
Bird & Bird has raided Ernst & Young's (E&Y) Italian corporate practice as it continues its European hiring spree.
Spanish firms edged out of largest domestic IPO
Anglo-Saxon firms have completed a clean sweep in Spain, edging out domestic players to win all the major roles in the country's largest IPO to date.
Firms sink teeth into West Cornwall Pasty buy-in job
Addleshaw Goddard, Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP), Burgess Salmon and DLA Piper have all played a role in the private equity-backed management buy-in of the West Cornwall Pasty Company.
Simmons and Ogier act on AbCap dispute
Simmons & Simmons and offshore firm Ogier have landed lead roles on a dispute between beleaguered hedge fund Absolute Capital (AbCap) and a group of its investors.
DWS, Herbies handle Sainsbury's crisis
Denton Wilde Sapte (DWS) and Herbert Smith are thrashing out key pensions issues that are vital if Delta Two's acquisition of J Sainsbury is to go ahead.
Norton Rose bags role on KKR's first private equity deal in Turkey
Norton Rose's strategy of targeting Turkey-based deals has paid off, with the firm landing a lead role on Turkey's biggest private equity transaction to date.
DLA Piper and Travers handle CVS Aim listing
DLA Piper and Travers Smith have played major roles in the AIM listing of veterinary service provider CVS Group, which entered the junior market via a private equity exit.
Eversheds leads henderson acquisition
Eversheds' real estate funds group has represented the Henderson UK Shopping Centre Fund on its £253m acquisition of Canterbury's White Shopping Centre from Land Securities.
Partnerships: Limited thinking
The Companies Act 2006 promises some big changes for limited-liability partnerships. Tina Williams and Daniel Sutherland report
A&O and Norton Rose instructed on brewing mega takeover
Heineken and Carlsberg have turned to traditional advisers Allen & Overy (A&O) and Norton Rose respectively to assist in their potential joint hostile takeover of Scottish & Newcastle (S&N).
Olswang seals Midlands property deal
Olswang has acted for longstanding client REIT Asset Management on its $814m (£400m) acquisition of a property portfolio from Evans Property Group.
SJ Berwin acts on Wagamama sale
The owners of noodle bar group Wagamama have turned to regular adviser SJ Berwin on the planned sale of the chain, decided yesterday (17 October).
Simmons, Skadden, Clifford Chance brought in on Resolution bid
Simmons & Simmons has landed a key role on a multi-billion-pound financial services deal that has called in a roster of City firms.
Freshfields scoops raft of Chinese deals
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has hedged any effects of the credit crunch by landing key roles on five headline equity capital markets (ECM) deals out of China this week.
Orrick raids Mintz Levin for corporate chief
Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe’s London office has snared the head of corporate at Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Golvsky.
DLA and Travers take vets to AIM
DLA Piper and Travers Smith have played major roles in the AIM listing of veterinary service provider CVS Group, which entered the junior market via a private equity exit.
A&O: 'We have no conflict on Northern Rock'
Allen & Overy (A&O) has defended its dual roles on Northern Rock, maintaining that they pose no conflict of interest.
Thomas Eggar cruises to all leisure aim ipo
South East firm Thomas Eggar has represented cruise holiday operator All Leisure Group on its AIM flotation.
A&O scores victory in southern water bid
An Allen & Overy (A&O)-advised consortium has emerged triumphant in the £4.2bn auction for Southern Water.
BLG corporate team boosted by role on dairy companies' tie-up
Barlow Lyde & Gilbert's (BLG) corporate practice has had a major fillip by landing a lead role on a headline £1bn merger.
K&L Gates provides AIM advice to Kaupthing
Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Preston Gates Ellis (K&L Gates) has won its first AIM instruction for Kaupthing Singer & Friedlander Capital Markets since the stock exchange granted Iceland's largest bank nominated adviser (nomad) status.
Virgin choose A&O for Northern Rock
Allen & Overy (A&O) has landed another role on Northern Rock by advising the Virgin Group on its proposals to the beleaguered mortgage adviser.
Firms celebrate completion of RBS-ABN
The Royal Bank of Scotland’s (RBS) €71bn acquisition of Dutch bank ABN Amro has been declared unconditional, making history with one of the largest ever bank takeovers.
Simmons and Ogier act on AbCap restructuring dispute
Simmons & Simmons and offshore firm Ogier have landed lead roles on a dispute between beleaguered hedge fund Absoute Capital (AbCap) and a group of its investors.
Linklaters and Travers bag Carpetright deal
Lord Harris of Peckham has turned to longstanding adviser Travers Smith to navigate him through his £850m offer for Carpetright, where he is currently chairman and chief executive.
A&O scores £4.2bn Southern Water victory
An Allen & Overy (A&O)-advised consortium has emerged victorious in the £4.2bn auction for Southern Water.
A&O and Shearman close £3.4bn SAP takeover
A raft of top firms have managed to land a £3.4bn cross-border friendly takeover, despite the financial markets’ jitters.
Davenport, DWS scoop Macmillan deal
Davenport Lyons and Denton Wilde Sapte (DWS) have acted on Macmillan Publishers’ successful acquisition of Kingfisher Books.
City delegation heads to Beijing on AIM quest
City lawyers are flying to Beijing in an attempt to convince Chinese regulators to relax obstacles it is feared will stop Chinese companies listing on AIM.
Linklaters cuts adrift Cologne for focus on Düsseldorf
Linklaters has axed its Cologne office, the birthplace of German legacy firm Oppenhoff & Rädler, which Linklaters merged with in 2001.
Third-quarter dearth fails to dampen M&A figures as A&O, CC rule the roost
Allen & Overy (A&O) and Clifford Chance have maintained their lead in announced European M&A deals during the first three-quarters of the year, despite an alarming slump in deal volume during the last quarter.
M&A boost for Memery Crystal in Gate Gourmet deal
Memery Crystal has won its first piece of M&A work from airline services company Gate Gourmet as the firm seeks to ramp up its corporate practice.
Addleshaws advises on Reliance purchase
Addleshaw Goddard has acted for Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co on its acquisition of Metalweb, having received the instruction on the recommendation of Willkie Farr & Gallagher.
Herbies scoops JC Flowers bid for Northern Rock
JC Flowers has confounded expectations by turning to Herbert Smith for advice on its approach to beleaguered mortgage lender Northern Rock.
Clifford Chance bags BoE role on Northern Rock
Clifford Chance is the latest heavyweight firm to land a key role in the Northern Rock saga. The magic circle firm is advising the Bank of England.
Sony BMG gets go ahead - again
The European Commission (EC) has approved the mega-merger between Japan’s Sony and Germany’s Bertelsmann for the second time in three years.
A&O and Clifford Chance top M&A league
Allen & Overy and Clifford Chance have maintained their lead in announced European M&A deals during the first three-quarters of the year despite a slump in deal volume during the last quarter.
BLG attempts comeback with Taylor Wessing raid
Barlow Lyde & Gilbert (BLG) is attempting to relaunch its struggling non-contentious practice with the hire of Taylor Wessing corporate partner Richard Pike.
DLA Piper reinforces Shanghai with US M&A partner
DLA Piper has assigned its Seattle-based corporate, securities and M&A partner Jeff Greene to its Shanghai office to meet the increased demand for M&A work in the nation.
Companies Act ushers in derivatives actions
A raft of legislation has come into force today (1 October) from the age increase for buying cigarettes from 16 to 18 years-old to the introduction of the Companies Act 2006.
Ex-CC boss Cornell resurfaces at private equity giant Terra Firma
Former Clifford Chance managing partner Peter Cornell is to take up a new role at private equity house Terra Firma this month.
Pillsbury left reeling as City corporate ace joins TwoBirds
US firm Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman has been left with just one full-time partner in its London office after a raid by Bird & Bird.
Lovells, O'Melveny pave way for Prudential's South African tie-up
Lovells and O'Melveny & Myers have steered a landmark joint venture between UK insurance giant Prudential and its South African counterpart Discovery.
Montagu revisits Links with £276m sell-off role
Linklaters has retained private equity client Montagu for a £276m deal that sees insurance intermediary Towergate acquire software broker Open International despite the departures of the firm's key contact partners.
LG secures aim triple for Arbuthnott
LG has cemented its relationship with investment bank Arbuthnott, representing it in its position as nominated adviser on three separate AIM deals.
Travers Smith steers Deutsche Bank's Climate Exchange plan
Travers Smith has won a key client in the expanding carbon trading market with a mandate to steer it through an innovative arrangement with Deutsche Bank.
Bakers steers MCG through merger
Baker & McKenzie has advised Management Consulting Group (MCG) on its $125m (£62.02m) proposed merger with global management consulting firm Kurt Salmon Associates.
Linklaters raids Freshfields for Düsseldorf launch
Linklaters raids Freshfields for Düsseldorf launch" /Linklaters has carried out a daring raid on Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer to open an office in Düsseldorf.
Slaughters joins Northern Rock saga
Slaughter and May is the latest City firm to be enlisted into the saga of Northern Rock.
Mid-market firms bullish on results as credit crunch bites…
Record first-quarter deal activity helps firms maintain healthy financial positions; magic circle also confident
NY proposes conflict rule relaxation
The Appellate Division in New York is considering an amendment to the local professional conduct code, which could radically affect current conflict restrictions on US lawyers.
Kirkland lands Apax US pharma acquisition
Kirkland & Ellis has scored a coup for key private equity client Apax Partners, closing a US acquisition despite prevailing credit market conditions.
Regional firms dine out on Symington’s buy-in
Addleshaw Goddard, Hammonds, Pinsent Masons and Linklaters have all benefited from one of the smaller private equity deals being announced in the regions, despite the credit crunch.
Stephenson Harwood in Singapore AIM focus
Stephenson Harwood has ramped up its international capabilities with the launch of a Singapore corporate practice.
A&O, LeBoeuf scoop Centrica deal
Allen & Overy (A&O) and US firm LeBoeuf Lamb Greene & MacRae have secured the $486.4m (£243.87m) disposal of Newfield's UK subsidiary to Centrica, the UK's biggest energy supplier.
Mayer Brown nets Charnley for dramatic London corporate push
Mayer Brown nets Charnley for dramatic London corporate push" /The eye-catching raid on McDermott Will & Emery for corporate rainmaker William Charnley by Mayer Brown is part of a wider strategic push aimed at seeing ...
Akin Gump raids DLA Piper for Beijing plan
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld has scooped DLA Piper corporate partner Janet Jie Tang and her three-person transactions team in Beijing nine months after the US firm opened the doors of its office in the Chinese capital.
Ashurst secures activist investor's HSBC bid role
Ashurst's bold strategy of targeting activist investors as clients is paying off, with the top 10 firm advising a boldface activist on its current assault on HSBC.
Travers seeks corporate associates' input
Travers Smith's corporate department is creating its first formal body to improve communication between associates and partners.
Devonshires ushers in new era with hire of corporate chief
City firm Devonshires has a new head of corporate in the shape of Jonathan Ebsworth, who was previously a partner at Bates Wells & Braithwaite.
Taylor Wessing becomes star player on Rugby World Cup team
Taylor Wessing has scored the lead role on the disputes committee of the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France, thanks to a recommendation from rival Clifford Chance.
A&O, CC and Clydes scoop record UAE acquisition
Allen & Overy (A&O), Clifford Chance and Clyde & Co have benefited from their longstanding positions in the Middle East to grab roles on the biggest private-sector acquisition of a United Arab Emirates company by a foreign investor.
CC advises arrangers on giant Norilsk mining deal
Clifford Chance has scooped the lead role on its second mega-deal in the past three months, advising on the financing of Norilsk Nickel's acquisition of LionOre Mining International.
Lovells looks after Ramsay acquisition
Lovells has represented Australian private hospital operator Ramsay Health Care on the £193m acquisition of Swedish healthcare provider Capio's UK operations.
Nabarro's Taylor is the real deal-doer
It seems somebody forgot to tell Nabarro's Glyn Taylor that there's a downturn in the M&A market, with the corporate partner announcing four deals in just 10 days.
Charnley quits McDermott for Mayer Brown
Mayer Brown has hired London McDermott partner William Charnley into its London corporate group - the firm's first big UK signing since its worldwide restructure which has seen the departure of up to 45 partners, mostly in the US.
Gibson Dunn raids Latham for LA corporate practice
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher has hired a former Latham & Watkins corporate partner in its Los Angeles office.
Olswang attempts to reposition as corporate firm
Olswang attempts to reposition as corporate firm" /Olswang is attempting to distance itself from its technology, media and telecoms (TMT) boutique roots, launching a six-month marketing campaign in a bid to achieve its goal.
Clifford Chance bags HVB role on tripartite collateralised loan
Clifford Chance bags HVB role on tripartite collateralised loan" /Clifford Chance has scooped the lead role advising on a unique collateralised loan obligation (CLO) that incorporates three bank portfolios in a single transaction.
Addleshaws at coal face in beringea deal
Addleshaw Goddard advised venture capital house Beringea on its investment in Coal Restaurants, which was advised by a team from K&L Gates.
A&O wins spot on sale of Thomson Regional Newspapers' pension fund
Allen & Overy (A&O) has played a key role in a landmark pensions deal, advising Thomson Regional Newspapers’ pension fund on its acquisition by Citigroup.
Norton Rose back in vogue with HSBC on KEB bid
HSBC has instructed traditional corporate adviser Norton Rose on its $4.9bn (£2.43bn) bid for Korea Exchange Bank (KEB).
SJ Berwin acts on SLIPE reorganisation
SJ Berwin has advised the management team of Standard Life Investments (Private Equity) (Slipe) on the proposed reorganisation of the company's private equity investment management business.
Eversheds, Freshfields win care home deal
Eversheds and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have acted on one of the largest deals in the care home sector.
Links scores key role on Kazakhmys acquisition
Linklaters got the nod on a key acquisition by FTSE100 mining client Kazakhmys, Kazakhstan's biggest copper producer.
Proskauer merges with Paris private equity firm
Proskauer Rose has boosted its ranks in Paris via a merger with local boutique SGDM.
HSBC turns to Norton Rose for Korea Exchange Bank buy-out
HSBC has instructed traditional corporate advisers Norton Rose to advise on its $4.9bn (£2.43bn) bid for Korea Exchange Bank (KEB).
Olswang handles unique film finance template for Slingshot
Olswang has advised on a film financing programme that has seen a new UK digital film company release its first movie.
Hammonds instructed on Hamsard's Polypipe buyout
Hammonds has advised Hamsard 3054 on a multimillion-pound secondary buyout of one of Europe's leading plastics manufacturers.
Legal claims leave Rusal float in the balance
Legal woes might yet scupper the £3.75bn London flotation of Rusal, the aluminium giant.
K&L Gates bats for ICC on Cricket World Cup broadcast rights sale
K&L Gates has scored the lead role advising world cricket governing body the International Cricket Council (ICC) on the sale of its global media rights.
Dobbies picks Dickson Minto for sale to Tesco
Garden centre Dobbies turned to Dickson Minto over regular adviser Tods Murray for the £156m bidding war that saw Tesco emerge as the likely victor.
Leed Petroleum AIM float goes way of Memery Crystal, K&L Gates
Memery Crystal, K&L Gates" /Memery Crystal and K&L Gates have played key roles advising on the AIM flotation of oil and gas company Leed Petroleum.
Pinsents improves public sector standing with Govt IT instruction
The outsourcing team at Pinsent Masons has raised its public sector profile by advising the Cabinet Office on a framework contract for sharing IT services.
Slaughters and best friend Bredin land Steria purchase
Slaughter and May's best friends strategy has again proved its viability, with the firm acting on a £470m takeover alongside Bredin Prat.
A&O and CC top Thomson M&A rankings
Allen & Overy (A&O) and Clifford Chance have topped the latest league tables of European M&A advisers for the year to date.
CC overcomes panel omission to advise Co-op on merger
The Co-operative Group has ventured outside its recently revised panel and appointed Clifford Chance to advise on its £9.5bn merger with fellow co-operative Rochdale-based grocer United Co-operatives.
Covington facilitates US biotech player's AIM float
Covington & Burling has scored the lead advisory role on the AIM listing of US biotechnology company Northwest Biotherapeutics.
Latham makes its mark in Spain as Carlyle relationship pays off
Latham & Watkins has hit the Spanish market in style, advising private equity house Carlyle Group on its 1.5bn (£1.01bn) acquisition of engineering company Applus.
Jones Day and Olswang bag gambling IPO
Jones Day has cemented its relationship with investment bank Collins Stewart, advising it as nominated adviser and broker on WorldSpreads Group's AIM listing.
Lloyds and Deutsche choose Links and Freshfields for Abbey Life
Lloyds TSB and Deutsche Bank took no chances in the latest consolidation in the financial institutions sector, by turning to their longstanding magic circle advisers.
Bevan Brittan victory ensures increased Ofgem accountability
Bevan Brittan victory ensures increased Ofgem accountability" /Bevan Brittan has scored a Competition Commission victory against Ofgem that will force the regulator to justify fully any decisions that modify energy industry codes.
Compagnoni proves his worth on Weil's Advent win
The benefits of private equity partner Marco Compagnoni's February 2006 arrival at Weil Gotshal & Manges have extended beyond the London office.
Fasken takes Pan African to alternative markets
Fasken Martineau Stringer Saul has landed a deal advising Pan African Resources on its dual listing on London's AIM and Johannesburg's AltX.
Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act gains approval
The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act received its Royal Assent today (26 July) after 10 years of campaigning by unions and pressure groups.
Norton Rose scoops £1.5bn China Bank-Barclays role
Norton Rose and Lovells have played key roles in injecting Chinese and Singaporean cash into Barclays.
Monckton forces Euro Commission into £30m payout to UK workers
MONCKTON Chambers has scored a victory at Luxembourg’s Court of First Instance (CFI) that will see the European Commission pay out almost £30m in damages to UK workers.
Travers unseats Herbies in West Ham’s Tevez saga
TRAVERS Smith has installed itself as West Ham United FC’s lead firm after the £105m takeover by Eggert Magnusson, advising the club on the protracted transfer of Carlos Tevez to Manchester United FC.
Eversheds rescues Kwik Save in nine-hour race against the clock
EVERSHEDS, North West firm DWF and Linklaters have all acted in an against-the clock bid to save supermarket chain Kwik Save from collapse.
Addleshaws wins first deal for Tiscali
Addleshaw Goddard has advised Tiscali UK Holdings for the first time, working on its £210m acquisition of Pipex Communications’ broadband and phone businesses.
US firms scoop key roles on new Sainsbury's bid
US firms Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom and Shearman & Sterling have landed major roles on the latest bid for Sainsbury’s.
Keeble Hawson advises start-up financial adviser support service
Yorkshire law firm Keeble Hawson has scored a deal advising independent financial adviser (IFA) support network 2plan on its start up.
A&O bags Unicredit hat trick with subsidiary's Ukrainian purchase
Allen & Overy (A&O) has secured its third deal in two months for banking group Unicredit, advising on Bank Austria Creditanstalt's (BA-CA) acquisition of Ukrainian bank Ukrsotsbank.
Fried Frank raids A&O for German ECM launch
Fried Frank is set to launch an equity capital markets (ECM) practice in Germany with the hire of a partner from Allen & Overy’s Frankfurt office.
Freshfields and Linklaters scoop Rio Tinto-Alcan megadeal
Linklaters has scored the lead EU and US roles on Rio Tinto's $34bn (£16.75bn) bid for Canadian aluminium company Alcan.
Monckton hauls back £300m in VAT for investment trusts in ECJ
Monckton Chambers has scored a European Court of Justice (ECJ) victory that will see investment trusts collectively receive a £300m tax refund in addition to making annual savings of £40m.
MoFo wraps up Renovo drug licence and AMT float
The London office of US firm Morrison & Foerster (MoFo) has scored a life sciences double, advising on an $825m (£409.52m) licensing deal for drug researcher Renovo and on the float of Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics (AMT) on Euronext.
Kirkland builds Bain relationship with work on Samsonite buyout
The $1.7bn (£844.14m) secondary buyout of luggage company Samsonite by CVC Capital Partners has strengthened Kirkland & Ellis's ties with key private equity client Bain Capital.
300-lawyer A&O team completes Tyco split
Allen & Overy (A&O), McDermott Will & Emery and Gibson Dunn & Crutcher have completed the three-way $65bn (£32.4bn) split of Tyco International, the biggest spin-off in the world so far this year.
Simpson Thacher and Davis Polk steer KKR towards IPO
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and Davis Polk & Wardwell have landed key roles advising on Kolberg Kravis Roberts' (KKR) proposed stock market flotation.
A&O, Ashurst and SJ Berwin scoop £1bn Canary Wharf deal
Allen & Overy, Ashurst and SJ Berwin each landed a role advising on the £1bn sale of Citigroup's Canary Wharf European headquarters, with the deal closing on Saturday night (30 June).
CC, Dickson Minto, Travers and Pinsents steer Saga-AA merger
Dickson Minto, Travers and Pinsents steer Saga-AA merger" /Clifford Chance, Dickson Minto, Travers Smith and
Hammonds gets the nod for Fulham FC's kit deals
The sports group at Hammonds has held onto Fulham FC as a client, scooping the lead role on the club's kit supply and sponsorship deals.
Saga-AA merger provides rich pickings for firms
Clifford Chance, Dickson Minto, Travers Smith and Pinsent Masons have played key roles in the £6.15bn merger of Saga and the Automobile ...
Old Square race case sees Appeal Court consider two-tier system
Old Square Chambers is heading to the Court of Appeal in a case that could see a two-tier approach to the enforcement of claims in respect of the Race Relations Act 1976.
Herbert Smith leads Saga towards flotation
Herbert Smith has scooped a role advising Saga on its potential IPO.
Harbottle & Lewis wins star role for BBC talent show winners
Harbottle & Lewis has expanded its relationship with the BBC, advising the finalists of talent show Any Dream Will Do and winning a mandate to do the same for contestants of a reality show to be screened on BBC2 in the autumn.
DWS and Hammonds score on Thai's Man City takeover
Denton Wilde Sapte and Hammonds have scooped the lead roles on the £81.6m takeover of Manchester City by former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
Cleary beats Ashurst, Links to main role on Rusal's IPO
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton has elbowed aside Ashurst and Linklaters to emerge as lead counsel to Rusal in a twist in the saga to secure an instruction on the Russian aluminium giant's London listing.
McDermott London puts up Ultimate Fight in High Court
The London office of McDermott Will & Emery has won the lead role on a High Court trademark dispute over the rights to the Ultimate Fighting Championship name.
A&O strengthens Quinlan ties on deal for hotel chain
Allen & Overy (A&O) has cemented a strategic relationship with Irish group Quinlan as the acquisitive property investment company opens a London office.
Lovells scores Infracapital instruction on purchase of Red Funnel
Lovells has fended off rivals Clifford Chance and Freshfields Bruckhaus Derringer to bag a lead role on the purchase of Isle of Wight ferry operator Red Funnel.
Public takeovers: The battle for AWG
Another high-profile listed company was taken private when AWG was taken over by a consortium of infrastructure investors. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s Simon Weller gives a blow-by-blow account of the deal
Norton Rose beats A&O to advise UK-Netherlands electricity tie-up
Norton Rose has scooped the advisory role for a multimillion-pound tie-up between the UK's National Grid and Dutch electricity supplier TenneT.
Lovells' Prof-Media relationship blooms
Lovells has cemented its relationship with Russian media company Prof-Media, advising on its purchase of Wayfarer Media, the holding company of MTV Russia and VH1 Russia.
Slaughters and Weil seal Terra Firma's Thresher divestment
Slaughter and May and Weil Gotshal & Manges have secured key roles advising on Terra Firma's sale of the Thresher Group to a consortium led by private equity and pensions investor Edmund Truell.
DLA, Herbies and Slaughters bag David Lloyd sale
Three City law firms have won the lead roles advising on the high profile £925m disposal of Whitbread’s fitness venture David Lloyd Leisure (DLL).
Irwin Mitchell to appeal High Court ruling on Olympic Village evictions
Irwin Mitchell is expected to appeal against a High Court ruling that allows the London Development Agency (LDA) to evict residents of the Clays Lane Estate in Stratford, East London, to enable the Olympic Village to be built.
Cleary enters arena to advise Citigroup on Terra Firma's EMI bid
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton has secured work on Terra Firma's high-profile bid for music giant EMI.
Weil scores private equity double with Alltel, EMI buyouts in the bag
Weil Gotshal & Manges has scored the week's largest private equity deals on both sides of the Atlantic.
Kaye Scholer snaps up Robeco's hedge fund management launch
Kaye Scholer has acted for Robeco Institutional Asset Management on the formation of a hedge fund management company.
First sharia-compliant private equity fund goes way of Dechert
Dechert" /Dechert has scooped a key role as lead adviser for the first sharia-compliant private equity fund, CMH Enterprise Fund I.
FFW, SJ Berwin get teeth into Hammer comeback
Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW) and SJ Berwin have clinched a new media client after raising Hammer Film Productions from the dead in a $50m (£325.24m) leveraged buy-in.
Addleshaws, DLA Piper land roles on Leeds Bradford Airport sell-off
Addleshaw Goddard and DLA Piper have acted on the £145m sale of Leeds Bradford International Airport by five West Yorkshire councils.
A&O ties help secure New Look auction instruction
An old relationship has gifted Allen & Overy (A&O) a key mandate to advise on the auction of high street retailer New Look.
Slaughters builds 3i links with new float
Slaughter and May is further reinforcing its relationship with private equity house 3i by advising on the proposed flotation of its latest vehicle.
Onside Law scores FA coup with National Express/Wembley deal
Sports boutique Onside Law has picked up a brace of football sponsorship deals as the FA Cup Final clash between Chelsea and Manchester United draws closer.
City giants enter the fray in battle for control of EMI
Top City firms are squaring up in the battle for music publishing group EMI.
Ashurst takes role on Congolese oil sell-off
Ashurst has advised on the $155m (£77.83m) purchase of two oil assets in the troubled Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
3i chooses Travers for Lord Foster coup
Private equity house 3i has turned to Travers Smith in its innovative plan to buy a stake in one of the UK's most famous architecture practices.
CC and Slaughters scoop £8.8bn Thomson-Reuters deal
An elite roster of City and Canadian firms have been drafted in to advise on Thomson’s £8.8bn takeover of Reuters.
Thompsons scores Lords victory in dinner ladies' equal pay claim
Trade union and personal injury specialist Thompsons Solicitors has won a battle for a group of dinner ladies in the war over equal pay.
Pru link gifts Boots health insurance deal to Lovells
Lovells has acted for health insurance group PruHealth on a deal that will see Boots offer co-branded private medical insurance products in its stores and on its website.
CC scoops three private equity floats in a week
Clifford Chance has acted on a trio of private equity exits, taking all three public via flotation on the London Stock Exchange's (LSE) main market.
Dutch court scuppers ABN Amro sale
A Dutch commercial court has ruled that ABN Amro cannot proceed with the $21bn (£10.5bn) sale of its US operations to Bank of America (BoA).
DLA Piper and RPC scoop Grant Thornton merger
Reynolds Porter Chamberlain (RPC) and DLA Piper have scooped lead roles on a merger that aims to shake up the Big Four accountants’ stranglehold on the market.
Banks turn to Herbert Smith for KKR's Alliance Boots bid
Herbert Smith is advising the syndicate of banks providing the finance for Kohlberg Kravis Roberts' (KKR) proposed takeover of Alliance Boots, The Lawyer understands.
Simmons' Spanish tie-up seals deal with Acciona
Simmons & Simmons has scored a deal with blue-chip Spanish client Acciona Energia one month into the firm enlarging its Spanish operation.
Private equity: Union hijack
With trade unions trying to sully the image of private equity, the global industry needs to pull together. By Kathryn Brown
Private equity: Loss of interest
The Government wants to stop private equity funds claiming tax breaks on the interest of shareholder debt, but kid gloves are required. By Rupert Shires and David White
Private equity: The American influence
European private equity funds have always had their own way of doing things. But now the US model is gaining popularity over here. By Marwan Al-Turki
AstraZeneca chooses Freshfields for $15bn deal
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has reinstated itself as AstraZeneca's main UK firm for big M&A deals, scooping a key role on the company's $15.6bn (£7.8bn) purchase of MedImmune.
More firms enter the fray as rival bidders move for ABN
A line-up of UK, US and Dutch firms is advising Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), Santander and Fortis on their battle with Barclays for ABN Amro.
New phase for Yukos sell-off as Italian utilities come to the table
The politically charged auction of Yukos assets to Italian utility companies Enel and Eni has cemented Salans' relationship with Enel on Russian acquisitions.
Burges Salmon secures Hargreaves Lansdown IPO
Bristol-headquartered Burges Salmon scored an instruction on the landmark flotation of independent financial adviser and stockbroker Hargreaves Lansdown, which will value the company at between £600m and £800m.
Bristows, Taylor Wessing alumni spirit away human genome case
Bristows, Taylor Wessing alumni spirit away human genome case" /Two of the biggest names in IP, Bristows and Taylor Wessing, have missed out on the UK's first-ever human genome patent litigation after the loss of key litigation ...
Hammonds to help revive Birmingham exchange
Hammonds has advised regional development agency Advantage West Midlands (AWM) on re-establishing the long-defunct Birmingham Stock Exchange.
Lovells attacks UBS over split capital trusts debacle
Irish property group Real Estate Opportunities (REO) has instructed Lovells to advise on legal action taken against UBS in relation to the collapse of the split capital trust market.
Vinson secures lead role as EMGS float makes a splash in Norway
US firm Vinson & Elkins has acted on one of Norway's most popular IPOs so far this year, the $1.6bn (£809.54m) flotation of innovative oil services company ElectroMagnetic GeoServices (EMGS).
Panama Canal Authority calls on MBRM to advise on expansion
Mayer Brown Rowe & Maw (MBRM) has won a beauty parade against a host of US firms to advise the Panama government on the Panama Canal expansion programme.
Travers cleans up on second MBO in two days
Addleshaw Goddard, Travers Smith and DLA Piper have grabbed the lead roles on the £500m management buyout of cleaning and maintenance company Enterprise.
Freshfields hits the fast lane with Porsche deal
City heavyweights Allen & Overy (A&O) and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have bagged the lead roles on the increase of Porsche’s stake in Volkswagen.
Linklaters tops Q1 M&A rankings
Linklaters has overtaken Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer to become Europe’s top M&A firm so far this year, according to the latest research announced today by Mergermarket.
Slaughters sides with Taylor Woodrow for £5bn mega-merger
Slaughter and May had to decide to back Taylor Woodrow rather than George Wimpey in the £5bn merger announced today between the two housebuilders.
Slaughters lands BOC Edwards sale despite parent's panel snub
Despite being knocked off Linde Group's panel of legal advisers, Slaughter and May has advised BOC Edwards, a Linde subsidiary, on its acquisition by CCMP Capital.
Slaughters beats A&O to Alliance-Boots as KKR makes overtures
Two mega-deals in the pharmaceuticals sector have cemented Allen & Overy (A&O), Clifford Chance, Lovells and
SCA picks RPC for Procter & Gamble tissue acquisition
Reynolds Porter Chamberlain (RPC) and the London office of Jones Day have scooped the lead roles advising on the £350m acquisition of Procter & Gamble's (P&G) European tissue business.
Slaughters lands key Alliance-Boots mandate
Slaughter and May has pipped Allen & Overy to represent Alliance-Boots in its first major corporate transaction since last year’s £8.1bn merger between Alliance Unichem and Boots: its £9.7bn approach from US private equity house Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR).
Taylor Wessing makes libel history with Charles Russell cost capping
Taylor Wessing made legal history by obtaining the first costs-capping order against an opposing firm's fees in a libel dispute, winning a four-year battle for Associated Newspapers.
UKvisas chooses MoFo for outsourcing advice
Morrison & Foerster's (MoFo) London office has bagged a lead role advising the UK Government on a £297m outsourcing project.
Simmons enlisted in push for pan-Ireland electricity market
Simmons & Simmons has landed an instruction as lead adviser on a groundbreaking project to create a pan-Ireland electricity market.
Addleshaws, Walker Morris clear up waste disposal PFI
Addleshaw Goddard and Leeds-based Walker Morris have completed the largest waste disposal PFI deal in the UK to date.
White & Case beats Dewey to major Greek telco acquisition
White & Case beats Dewey to major Greek telco acquisition" /White & Case has pipped US rival Dewey Ballantine to land a lead role on Naguib Sawiris's latest Mediterranean acquisition in its first corporate instruction from the Egyptian telecoms magnate.
Simmons wins sole role on DTI's Energy Technologies Institute
Simmons & Simmons has won the mandate to become the sole legal adviser to the Government's new Energy Technologies Institute.
Latham displays Russian muscle with Sitronics IPO
Latham & Watkins completed London’s first major listing of a foreign company this year with the IPO of Russian technology group Sitronics.
Weil scoops instruction from APN News & Media purchasers
Rising private equity star Jonathan Wood is leading on his biggest deal since joining Weil Gotshal & Manges from Lovells last year.
Macfarlanes picks up float mandate for accountant
Macfarlanes is advising longstanding client Smith & Williamson on its potential IPO. The advice is being led by partner Tim Lewis.
Emmerson joins Sullivan early for Thomas Cook-MyTravel merger
M&A rainmaker Tim Emmerson has landed his first deal since jumping ship from Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy to US rival Sullivan & Cromwell.
Birds Eye looks to DLA Piper for advice on IT implementation
DLA Piper and Wragge & Co have won significant new instructions from Birds Eye Iglo, the frozen food manaufacturer that was spun out of Unilever for £1.16bn in November last year.
Hammonds brought in by tycoon for Adams childrenswear purchase
Hammonds scored the first advisory role for retail entrepreneur John Shannon's newly formed company, which has bought Adams childrenswear.
Travers bags Towerbrook's Jimmy Choo acquisition
Travers Smith has scooped a major role on the £185m sale of manufacturer and retailer Jimmy Choo to private equity firm Towerbrook Capital Partners, reinforcing the firm's ongoing relationship with the luxury shoe business.
A&O triumphant on Liverpool FC bid
Allen & Overy (A&O) has scored a high-profile victory, advising a US-based consortium on its £470m acquisition of Liverpool Football Club.
Stockholm merger helps Ashurst with AJB Bergh's Mölnlycke sale
Ashurst with AJB Bergh's Mölnlycke sale" /Ashurst handled its first major Swedish deal since merging with Stockholm boutique AJB Bergh last December, advising on the €2.85bn (£1.88bn) private equity disposal of healthcare company Mölnlycke.
Freshfields scoops instruction on Marston's Eldridge Pope acquisition
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has picked up the mandate to advise UK pub group Marston's on the purchase of smaller Dorset-based rival Eldridge Pope from entrepreneur Michael Cannon.
Firms miss out as Manchester wins race for super-casino
Manchester's winning bid to house the UK's first 'super-casino' has left a slew of firms, including Clifford Chance, Denton Wilde Sapte (DWS) and Norton Rose, out in the cold.
Stephensons takes first steps into Turkey with mall sell-off
Stephenson Harwood has dipped its toe into the emerging Turkish market following a long-term real estate client's $750m (£377.38m) purchase in what is Europe's largest single-asset transaction in recent years.
Skadden picked as Ford listens to offers for Aston Martin
Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom's London office has scooped its first-ever mandate to advise Ford on its multimillion-pound disposal of the Aston Martin luxury car range.
Cleary Gottlieb handed role on Russia's Polymetal LSE debut
The rush by Russian companies to list in London is benefiting US firms.
CC and Weil secure instructions on GE's purchase of Vetco Gray
Clifford Chance has retained its role as lead adviser to a private equity consortium in its $1.9bn (£982.1m) disposal of an oil market supplier to Weil Gotshal & Manges client General Electric (GE).
Lawrence Graham, Sidley bag TV programmes sale
Lawrence Graham and Sidley Austin have advised Entertainment Rights on a mandate to take over the US-based owner of cult classics Lassie and The Lone Ranger.
Essar calls on Herbert Smith for telecoms showdown
Herbert Smith has scooped a role advising new client Essar in its $16bn (£8.27bn) bid for Hutchison Essar.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Freshfields cements Wilson Bowden ties with sale mandate
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, has scored a lead role on the £2.1bn scramble for developer Wilson Bowden.
Greenberg, Olswang pick up buyer role on Rank deal
US firm Greenberg Traurig and its ally Olswang have scooped a mandate to advise on the first major purchase of an international company by a native American tribe.
Ashurst, Weil and Slaughters snare Premier's £1bn RHM offer
Ashurst, Slaughter and May and Weil Gotshal & Manges have all scored lead roles on the £1bn approach for RHM by Premier Foods.
Covington and Kirkpatrick land AIM upgrade roles
US firms Covington & Burling and Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Nicholson Graham have picked up roles on the introduction of a groundbreaking electronic settlement system to AIM and on its first use by a company admitted to the junior bourse.
Lovells handed instruction for Indian real estate AIM flotation
Lovells has scored its first Indian real estate AIM flotation off the back of a referral from Deutsche Bank.
Herbies, Slaughters land roles on travel tie-up
First Choice and rival MyTravel have both instructed longstanding counsel Herbert Smith and Slaughter and May on preliminary talks for a potential tie-up worth £500m.
Bakers advises Bank of Georgia on LSE listing
Baker & McKenzie's London office has acted for the first Georgian company to list its shares on the London Stock Exchange (LSE).
Norton Rose secures Court of Appeal win over Lithuanian govt
Norton Rose has triumphed in a Court of Appeal spat over the enforcement of an arbitration award against the Lithuanian government.
Addleshaws bags hedge fund manager MBO role
Addleshaw Goddard has advised on the management buyout (MBO) of a fund of hedge fund managers.
Cravath, Macfarlanes land CSN v Tata battle for steelmaker Corus
Macfarlanes and Wall Street firm Cravath Swaine & Moore have secured key roles on a £4.3bn counter-bid for Corus in an intensifying battle for the Anglo-Dutch steelmaker.
Simpson Thacher and Sidley act on largest buyout in history
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and Sidley Austin last week landed roles on the latest private equity-backed mega-deal, which is set to break a slew of records.
Herbies, Stibbe, A&O, Simmons secure landmark Euronext listing
Allen & Overy (A&O), Herbert Smith with alliance firm Stibbe and Simmons & Simmons have all landed roles on the innovative listing of a closed-end company on Euronext, which hopes to raise EURO1.5bn (£1.01bn) to make it the largest ...
Weil gifts HG Capital work to Campbell Hooper
London firm Campbell Hooper received "the crumbs off Weil Gotshal [& Manges'] table", according to Campbell Hooper chairman Martin Wright, by advising new client HG Capital on an asset disposal of a manufacturing company in which it had a controlling interest.
Slaughters, Davis Polk to profit from Cairn's Bombay flotation
Edinburgh-based Cairn Energy's decision to float on the Bombay Stock Exchange has generated choice roles for Davis Polk & Wardwell, Slaughter ...
Linklaters, Travers land roles on Peel's sale to RREEF
Linklaters and Travers Smith scored lead roles on the latest infrastructure deal, acting on ports owner Peel Group's disposal of a significant stake to RREEF. Peel is understood to be valued at £1.6bn.
Heatons, SJ Berwin, Slaughters gain roles on Mosaic acquisition
Manchester firm Heatons has scored a major role on a £320m retail acquisition that cements the three-partner firm's relationship with Icelandic retail group Baugur.
Sullivan secures BarCap's purchase of NGP in US
Sullivan & Cromwell has profited from Barclays Capital's (BarCap) first major foray into the North American market through its purchase of a 40 per cent stake in Texas-based NGP Energy Capital Management, a $2.9bn (£1.52bn) private equity house focused on oil and gas production.
Debevoise partner's ties win Catlin instruction
Debevoise & Plimpton insurance partner Jeremy Hill has consolidated his relationship with insurance giant Catlin Group as he advises the US company on its offer for rival Wellington Underwriting.
Transport deals provide rich pickings for City project teams
Allen & Overy's (A&O), Ashurst's, CMS Cameron McKenna's, Denton Wilde Sapte's (DWS) and Herbert Smith's project practices have all received boosts this month through key London transport infrastructure deals.
Minter Ellison takes a gamble with Betcorp sale mandate
Australian firm Minter Ellison has cast aside market pressure to advise online gaming company Betcorp on the £4.8m sale of its operations to Bodog Entertainment.
DWF, Linklaters scoop roles on Kwik Save refinancing
Liverpool-based firm DWF has bagged a lead role advising Kwik Save on its £30m refinancing and expansion, acting opposite Linklaters, which retains Somerfield as a client despite the loss of its relationship partner.
Herbert Smith wins first CVC instruction with Euronext float
Herbert Smith has won its first instruction from private equity house CVC Capital Partners through the firm's alliance with Stibbe, bolstering both firms' equity and capital markets practices.
Linklaters advises Peruvian silver giant
Linklaters has continued its dominance of the mining sector, with the firm understood to be advising Peruvian silver miner Hochschild Mining on its proposed IPO and listing on the London Stock Exchange (LSE).
CAT supports Competition Commission interim measures
Lawyers have described the Competition Appeal Tribunal's (CAT) judgment in a case where a merged company felt that the Competition Commission had asked for unreasonable measures to be undertaken while it approved the merger as "significant".
Freshfields, White & Case tie up Kazakhstan deal
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and White & Case have made headway for future share offerings in the Republic of Kazakhstan, advising on the $2.03bn (£1.09bn) IPO of a Kazakh oil company.
Freshfields tops up on water work with AWG acquisition bid
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has scooped its second major water deal in as many weeks, advising the Colonial First State-led consortium on its £2.2bn bid for AWG, the owner of Anglian Water.
Bakers steers China Blue through HK IPO
Baker & McKenzie maintained its impressive track record for advising People's Republic of China clients on overseas listings, and firmed up its credentials with Chinese industrial giant CNOOC to boot, when it took the lead role on fertiliser manufacturer China Blue Chemical's $341m (£180.62m) IPO last month.
A&O, CC, Freshfields and Herbies win Thames Water hopefuls
Allen & Overy (A&O), Clifford Chance and Herbert Smith Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have all netted instructions on what could be Europe's largest infrastructure deal this year, the sale of Thames Water by German utilities group RWE.
SJ Berwin handles MEP's purchase of MFI for &163;1
SJ Berwin has scooped a role to advise new client Merchant Equity Partners (MEP) on the purchase of MFI's loss-making retail arm.
DWS wins Mobo Awards media mandate
Denton Wilde Sapte's (DWS) media team has scooped a role advising the organisers of the Music of Black Origin (Mobo) Awards.
Freshfields, Nabarros scoop Land Securities development
Nabarros scoop Land Securities development" /Nabarro Nathanson and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have landed mandates to advise on the redevelopment of
A&O firms up Och-Ziff ties on Whitehead Mann bid
Allen & Overy (A&O) has strengthened its relationship with Och-Ziff Capital Management, scooping a role to advise the secretive US hedge fund on a bid for headhunter Whitehead Mann.
A&O, Addleshaws land roles on UK building society mega-merger
Addleshaw Goddard and Allen & Overy (A&O) have scooped roles on the UK's largest-ever building society merger, with total asset values of more than £150bn and 13-million-plus members.
Ashurst, CC called upon for Genting's Stanley bid
Ashurst and Clifford Chance have retained their positions as preferred legal advisers for Stanley Leisure and Genting Group respectively, taking lead roles in the latter's £484m bid for the UK's top casino operator.
Herbies teams up with Minters for Aussie smartcard scheme
Herbert Smith has scored its first instruction from the Australian government, aided by a personal relationship with a partner at Minter Ellison.
Linklaters wins Harrah's casino expansion work
Linklaters has won Harrah's Entertainment as a new client, advising the Las Vegas-based gambling giant on a deal to extend its empire into Europe and Africa.
Freshfields instructed by Irish state on Aer Lingus flotation
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has scooped a mandate to advise the Irish government on the IPO of its flag carrier Aer Lingus.
Cleary instructed by latest bidder in three-way battle for Inco
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton has jumped into the bidding war for Canadian nickel producer Inco, advising Brazil's Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (CVRD) on its $17.6bn (£11.9bn) counter bid.
Lovells takes on Standard Chartered's bank venture
Lovells has advised Standard Chartered (Pakistan) on its acquisition of an 80.9 per cent stake in Union Bank for $413m (£218.73m), marking the biggest deal in the Pakistan banking sector to date.
Herbies, Kirkland scoop major roles on Caudwell Group buyout
Herbert Smith scooped the Barclays Capital and ING Bank acquisition finance mandate, while Kirkland & Ellis landed its first UK deal from Providence Equity Partners, with the £1.46bn acquisition of Phones 4U owner The Caudwell Group.
Reed Smith guides Napo through first-ever US primary listing on LSE
Reed Smith guides Napo through first-ever US primary listing on LSE" /With a transatlantic merger with Richards Butler looming on the horizon, Reed Smith has bagged a lead role on the first-ever primary listing of a US company on the London Stock Exchange (LSE).
Lovells hangs on to Terra Firma with landmark securitisation
Lovells has maintained its relationship with private equity house Terra Firma to advise on a landmark securitisation, even though the firm lost the original partner on the deal to Clifford Chance.
Freshfields steers Wolseley through €1.5bn DT purchase
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer advised Wolseley on its €1.5bn (£1.03bn) acquisition of Nordic distribution business DT Group from private equity group CVC Capital Partners.
Herbies lands deal for CLSA as Indonesia hots up
Herbert Smith has landed the underwriter role on the first major international IPO to originate out of Indonesia in three years.
DWS, SJ Berwin oversee first instances of 'roof tax' system
SJ Berwin oversee first instances of 'roof tax' system" /Denton Wilde Sapte's (DWS) and SJ Berwin's real estate departments have advised on the first commercial development to utilise a 'roof tax' system that could form a model for an alternative to the Government's controversial planning gain supplement tax.
A&O, Slaughters scoop roles on M&B's Whitbread pub acquisition
Slaughter and May has shown its strength in the pub operator market, acting for Whitbread on the sale of 239 pubs to Allen & Overy (A&O) client Mitchells ...
Milbank ace lends his weight to ex-directors' Misys takeover bid
Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy corporate star Tim Emmerson has scooped the lead role advising three former Misys directors on their £1bn attempted takeover of the company.
CC, Slaughters advise victors in £1bn McCarthy bid
Clifford Chance and Slaughter and May are acting for the winning bidder for McCarthy & Stone, though rival groups are still circling the retirement home developer.
CC steals a march on Ashurst with Blackstone coup
Ashurst with Blackstone coup" /Clifford Chance is celebrating after advising private equity house Blackstone Group on the flotation of Southern Cross Healthcare following an 18-month deal frenzy for the care ...
Macfarlanes builds on Oaktree link with Sara Lee instruction
Macfarlanes has consolidated its fledgling relationship with Oaktree Capital Management after landing its second instruction from the US private equity house.
Freshfields applies multi-office muscle to Siemens' Bayer deal
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has scooped the lead role on Siemens' purchase of Bayer's diagnostics division for €4.2bn (£2.91bn).
Hunton scoops the mandate for Gazprom's push into UK energy
Hunton & Williams has vindicated its approach to domestic energy work with its role advising Gazprom on the Russian gas giant’s move into the UK market.
Milbank handed role on Macquarie takeover of Stagecoach London
Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy has scooped an instruction to advise Macquarie Bank on its acquisition of Stagecoach's London bus operations.
Trio land key roles to advise on Axa acquisition of Winterthur
Swiss firm Lenz & Staehelin, Linklaters and Sullivan & Cromwell have secured roles on Axa's acquisition of Winterthur, the insurance arm of Credit Suisse, for SFr12.3bn (£5.9bn).
Freshfields instructed in Vue Entertainment MBO
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has landed instructions from its new clients Boston Ventures and Clarity Partners on a management buyout of cinema operator Vue Entertainment.
Freshfields and Herbert Smith win Hong Kong roles on ICBC flotation
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Herbert Smith have scooped the Hong Kong roles on the estimated $12bn (£6.51bn) Industrial & Commercial Bank of China's (ICBC) flotation.
Shearman, CC scoop leads in Nokia's Siemens deal
Shearman & Sterling and Clifford Chance have bagged the key roles on the €16bn (£10.97bn) merger of Nokia and Siemens' network businesses.
Leboeuf handed advisory role on Telefónica debt refinancing
LeBoeuf Lamb Greene & MacRae has sweetened its relationship with Spanish telecoms giant Telefónica, picking up the mandate to advise on its $5.25bn (£2.85bn) acquisition debt refinancing.
Cravath, Herbies land lead roles on potential AOL deal
Cravath Swaine & Moore and Herbert Smith have scooped lead roles advising Time Warner on the potential £1bn sale of its subsidiary AOL UK.
Cuatrecasas and Uría Menéndez to advise on Spanish construction sale
Cuatrecasas and Uría Menéndez have secured the lead roles advising on the E1.09bn (£740m) sale of the controlling interest in Spanish construction group Corporacion Uniland.
CC, DWS, Nabarros, Norton Rose win bid roles for super-casino
Nabarros, Norton Rose win bid roles for super-casino" /Clifford Chance, Denton Wilde Sapte (DWS), Nabarro Nathanson and Norton Rose ...
Bates Wells takes legal secretary's disability fight to European Court
Charity specialist Bates Wells & Braithwaite is heading to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) after a Croydon employment tribunal ruled that a legal secretary's disability discrimination case must be heard in Luxembourg.
Adidas resorts to High Court over clothing clash with tennis bodies
With only weeks to go before the start of the Wimbledon tennis tournament, sporting goods company Adidas-Solomon has challenged the dress code of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) in the High Court.
A&O's Middle East expansion brings in Dubai International Group work
Allen & Overy (A&O) has reaped immediate benefits from its renewed corporate focus on the Middle East, closing its first mandate after sending a senior corporate partner to Dubai.
A&O tightens Baugur ties with House of Fraser bid
Allen & Overy (A&O) is consolidating its shaky relationship with acquisitive Icelandic retail investor Baugur Group as it considers a cash offer for listed department store company House of Fraser.
Euronext turns to Cleary, Bredin Prat and Stibbe for merger talks
Bredin Prat, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton and Stibbe have joined forces to represent Euronext, which has been at the centre of a multibillion-dollar bidding war by the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Deutsche Börse.
Freshfields sees Goldman et al through APB offer
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has landed the lead advisory role for a Goldman Sachs-led consortium on its £2.4bn bid for Associated British Ports (ABP).
Two real estate IPO mandates see Nabarros rack up £513m AIM tally
Nabarro Nathanson has completed its fourteenth AIM flotation of 2006, with a combined value of £513m, following two successful IPOs completed last week.
Linklaters nets AstraZeneca role as conflict rules out Freshfields
Linklaters has scooped the lead advisory role on UK pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca's £702m offer for Cambridge Antibody Technology (CAT) after Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer was conflicted out of the deal.
Herbies and Slaughters switch roles on Resolution's Abbey negotiations
Herbert Smith and Slaughter and May have bagged the lead roles on the negotiations between insurer Resolution and Abbey over the bank's £29bn of closed life fund assets.
Simpson Thacher lands role on KKR vehicle Euronext flotation
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett has secured the lead advisory role on Kohlberg Kravis Roberts' (KKR) plans to create and float an investment vehicle on the Amsterdam stock exchange.
Rosneft fuels controversy as LSE IPOs flood in from Russia
Last year witnessed the first significant wave of Russian companies floating on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) since the high-profile Lukoil IPO in 2002.
Ashurst, Linklaters slug it out for Elephant & Castle project
Ashurst and Linklaters are vying for roles advising on the £1.5bn regeneration of London's Elephant & Castle area.
Bird & Bird wins advisory role on first privatisation in Serbia
Bird & Bird has won a role advising on the Republic of Serbia's privatisation of national mobile network MobTel, the republic's first-ever privatisation.
Birchams strives for pole position in motoring law
Bircham Dyson Bell has moved to develop a specialist automotive practice within the firm's corporate department, securing its first instructions on a management buyout of a dealership network for Volkswagen (VW).
Hunton's AIM expertise secures mining listing
Hunton & Williams has advised on the third AIM listing of a special purpose acquisition corporation (Spac),a niche US investment vehicle structure.
Richards Butler lands first Microsoft acquisition remit on Lionhead deal
Richards Butler has scooped the lead advisory role for Microsoft Game Studios on its takeover of UK company Lionhead Studios. It is the first time the firm has acted for Microsoft on an acquisition.
DWS boosts TMT practice with Lloyds IT outsourcing mandate
Denton Wilde Sapte (DWS) is looking to bolster its technology media and telecoms (TMT) practice after bagging mandates on three IT deals in three weeks, including its first outsourcing instruction from Lloyds TSB.
Gleiss leads Blackstone through telco investment
Gleiss Lutz advised longstanding client Blackstone on its first investment in a government-controlled company.
Latham aids Barbados in flying fish hostilities
Latham & Watkins has helped Barbados safeguard the future of its national delicacy, flying fish, with a landmark arbitration deciding fishing boundaries between Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago.
Shearman advises Citigroup and Goldman Sachs on ISS bond issue
US firm Shearman & Sterling scooped the mandate to advise the lead managers on the long-awaited high-yield bond issue from Danish cleaning company ISS.
DWS leads Rolta India through its London Stock Exchange flotation
Denton Wilde Sapte (DWS) has landed the lead mandate for new client Rolta India on its landmark flotation on the London Stock Exchange (LSE).
Travers leads Macquarie through Compass buy
Travers Smith has advised Macquarie Bank on a successful £1.82bn consortium bid for the travel concessions business of the world's largest contract catering group Compass.
Deals roundup
Stephensons secures Charlemagne AIM listing
Freshfields and Linklaters scoop work on joint Babcock takeover
Linklaters scoop work on joint Babcock takeover" /Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Linklaters have secured lead advisory roles on a potential joint takeover bid for Babcock International.
Skadden, Chiomenti instructed on Italy's largest IPO of the year
Skadden, Chiomenti instructed on Italy's largest IPO of the year" /Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom has advised on Italy's largest IPO of the year, despite not having an office in the country.
Slaughters on standby to advise ABP on offer
Slaughter and May has strengthened its corporate ties with Associated British Ports (ABP), with the firm set to advise on a possible bid by a consortium led by Goldman Sachs.
Deals roundup
Lewis Silkin helps Hutchison burst O2's bubble
Herbies staves off Freshfields, Simmons for Tata advisory role
Herbert Smith has scooped rivals Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Simmons & Simmons to advise Indian IT company Tata Consultancy Services on a £600m IT outsourcing contract with life insurer Pearl Group.
Linklaters handed role on Sainsbury's CMBS
Linklaters has secured the lead advisory role for longstanding client J Sainsbury on its £2.07bn commercial mortgage-backed securitisation (CMBS).
Eversheds sees Marley estate through guitarist's royalty fight
Eversheds and West End firm Hamlins are going head-to-head in a High Court dispute between Bob Marley's record company and Aston 'Familyman' Barrett, the singer's former guitarist, over unpaid royalties.
A&O lands role to advise on Collins Stewart Tullett operations demerger
Allen & Overy has landed the key role of advising Collins Stewart Tullett on its proposed demerger.
Cleary and Wachtell help to create banking giant
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton and Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz have helped to create one of the US's largest banking institutions after advising on Capital One Financial's $14.6bn (£8.4bn) acquisition of North Fork Bank.
Deals roundup
Ashurst acts on takeover bid for Center Parcs
Future Internet Technologies looks to MoFo for £50m AIM placement
Morrison & Foerster (MoFo) has been appointed as Future Internet Technologies' (FIT) key legal adviser after advising the AIM cash shell on its £50m placement and the first two acquisitions of an expected spending spree.
Weil draws a blank as Apax's House of Fraser bid collapses
Weil Gotshal & Manges has been left empty-handed after talks between client Apax Partners and House of Fraser ended last Friday (17 March).
Travers Smith secures lead role on 3i's Chorion take private bid
Travers Smith has strengthened its relationship with private equity house 3i, securing the lead advisory role on its £110.7m bid to take children's books brand manager Chorion private.
Telecoms specialists look East for the hottest M&A action
Matt Byrne on why a Middle East presence is crucial for firms targeting deals in the telecoms sector
Linklaters handles Kwik Save sale for Somerfield
Linklaters is celebrating after closing its first transaction for new client Somerfield.
Lead roles for independents as Gaz de France, Suez join forces
A heavyweight corporate quartet of French independents Bredin Prat, Darrois Villey Maillot Brochier, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Linklaters have bagged lead roles on the merger between Gaz de France (GdF) and Suez.
Linklaters scoops L'Oréal mandate to lead on potential Body Shop bid
Linklaters has scooped the lead instruction from L'Oréal on its potential takeover of The Body Shop International.
Slaughters flies in to aid BA in global cargo price-fixing case
Slaughter and May has scooped the lead advisory role for British Airways (BA), which was raided last week by officials from the European Commission over suspicions of price-fixing in its cargo business.
WilmerHale pitch lands firm Optos float on LSE
US firm WilmerHale is building a track record for Scottish technology floats after it advised Dunfermline-based medical technology business Optos on its London Stock Exchange (LSE) IPO.
FFW scores Hennes & Mauritz on Middle East franchise plan
Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW) has landed its first role acting for Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) on a multimillion-pound franchising deal in the Middle East.
Friends of the Earth forces U-turn from Chancellor on reporting rules
Friends of the Earth in-house lawyer Phil Michaels is celebrating after forcing the Chancellor to make a U-turn on company reporting rules.
Camerons bags Reg Vardy offer
CMS Cameron McKenna is back in the driving seat after a second bid by its client Pendragon for car dealership Reg Vardy was accepted.
PERMIRA'S BID FOR HMV
Simmons beaten to HMV role by Freshfields on Permira bid
Latham wins £653m Comstar IPO in second-largest Russian float to date
Latham & Watkins has scooped an instruction for Comstar United Telesystems on its proposed $1.17bn (£653m) IPO, continuing its dominance of the Russian IPO market.
DLA Piper IT ace snares $335m Indian outsource
DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary IT partner Kit Burden has opened his account at his new firm with India's largest IT outsourcing deal to date.
Projects practices line up for bite of massive road scheme
Projects practices across the City are gearing up for a lengthy bid process as five consortia vie for the lucrative £1.5bn M25 widening project.
CorporateCleary secures lead adviser role on Lotte Shopping's £1.7bn dual listing
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton has scooped the lead advisory role on the £1.7bn dual listing of South Korea's largest department store chain Lotte Shopping.
Waco looks to Linklaters on £500m private equity deal
LINKLATERS has shored up its leading status in South Africa after advising on the country's largest private equity deal to date, a £500m sale of industrial services giant Waco.
Mellon turns to MBR&M for WestLB joint venture
Mayer Brown Rowe & Maw has advised regular client Mellon Financial Corporation on its asset management joint venture with WestLB.
Herbert Smith joins Co-op for insurance group restructure
Herbert Smith has worked with Co-operative Financial Services' (CFS) in-house legal function to bring about a complete restructuring of the mutual's insurance business.
Freshfields beats rivals to IPO for Bank of China
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has trampled its competition to win the top advisory role on the Bank of China's $8bn (£4.5bn) IPO.
Freshfields fights Clifford Chance for Galileo brief
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Clifford Chance have gone head-to-head in a beauty parade for the lucrative role advising the private sector operators of the €3.3bn (£2.27bn) Galileo satellite navigation system.
Freshfields completes Unwins acquisition deal for Threshers
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has landed a role advising drinks retailer Thresher Group on its purchase of 200 stores from the collapsed Unwins chain.
Slaughters firms up Hilton link with reunification deal
Slaughter and May has strengthened its relationship with Hilton Group, acting on the company's agreement with Hilton Hotels Corporation (HHC) to acquire Hilton International for £3.3bn.
A&O keeps on top of covered bonds with Nationwide brief
Allen & Overy (A&O) has continued its domination of the covered bond market after advising on the first issue by a UK building society.
Rentokil picks Freshfields for selloff
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has bagged an instruction to advise Rentokil Initial on the sale of Style Conferences to the Alternative Hotel Group (AHG) for £325m.
Sidley leads Starwood on Le Meridien buyout
Sidley Austin Brown & Wood has secured the lead advisory role on Starwood Hotels & Resorts' successful acquisition of the Le Meridien brand and management business.
Linklaters IT client turns to Slaughters after conflict
A Linklaters conflict has gifted Slaughter and May with an instruction to advise a buyout team led by Sir Peter Ogden on its potential take private of FTSE250 company Computacenter.
DWS advises DP World lenders on Islamic bond for P&O buyout
Denton Wilde Sapte (DWS) has scooped a role advising the lenders on the innovative Islamic bond issue that will fund the P&O acquisition.
Herbert Smith scores Swiss Re GE acquisition instruction
Herbert Smith and its German ally has Gleiss Lutz have scooped instructions to advise Swiss Re on the $6.8bn (£3.95bn) acquisition of GE Insurance Solutions.
Drinks are on Weil Gotshal after Cadbury Schweppes purchase
Weil Gotshal & Manges has completed its first successful mandate for Lion Capital and Blackstone Group on their £1.27bn purchase of Cadbury Schweppes' European drinks business.
Debevoise to handle Novolipetsk flotation
Debevoise & Plimpton has landed an instruction from Russian steel manufacturer Novolipetsk, which is set to list on the London Stock Exchange with a value of £6bn - the biggest UK flotation for five years.
Linklaters and Freshfields win roles on Britvic's £800m IPO
Linklaters and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have reaffirmed their positions as market leaders for London Stock Exchange (LSE) listings after securing work on the £800m Britvic flotation.
Freshfields advises consortium of bidders on Drax acquisition talks
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has landed a plum role acting for a consortium of bidders on its ongoing negotiations over the possible acquisition of energy giant Drax.
Linklaters advises TDR Capital on PizzaExpress LSE offering
Linklaters is celebrating its first successful instruction from TDR Capital after advising the private equity house on the IPO of restaurant group PizzaExpress.
Ashurst beats City rivals to secure £435m Hikma Pharmaceuticals IPO
Ashurst beats City rivals to secure £435m Hikma Pharmaceuticals IPO" /Ashurst has beaten 10 of the City's top firms in a beauty parade to secure the lead role advising Hikma Pharmaceuticals in relation to its £435m IPO on the London Stock Exchange.
Peacock buyout sees Sullivan, Freshfields land advisory roles
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Sullivan & Cromwell have scooped advisory roles on the take-private of discount clothing retailer ...
Hammonds' Aston Villa relationship strengthened by takeover mandate
Hammonds has confirmed its longstanding relationship with Premiership football club Aston Villa by advising it on a takeover approach from a consortium led by Birmingham businessman Michael Neville.
Addleshaws advises on Travelodge's Little Chef sale
Addleshaw Goddard has strengthened its relationship with Travelodge after advising the budget hotel group on the £52m sale of roadside restaurant chain Little Chef to The People's Restaurant Group.
DWS helps Citigroup triumph in domain name damages row
Denton Wilde Sapte (DWS) has won its first IP deal for Citigroup as a result of its Taylor Wessing hires earlier this year.
Linklaters in place for BP- Sinopec link-up in China
Linklaters is in line to benefit from a pending partnership between oil giant BP and China's biggest producer of refined oil products Sinopec.
Bristows overcomes Freshfields to defend patent for new client Agripa
Bristows overcomes Freshfields to defend patent for new client Agripa" /Bristows has won a patent infringement battle which represents a David and Goliath victory not just for its Scottish client, but also for the firm itself, by defeating
BP uses Linklaters for Innovene sale to Ineos
Linklaters has continued its longstanding relationship with petroleum giant BP after advising on the $9bn (£5.14bn) sale of its plastics production arm Innovene, which was announced last week.
Norton Rose wins latest mining IPO on London Stock Exchange
Norton Rose wins latest mining IPO on London Stock Exchange" /Norton Rose has become the latest City firm to land a mandate to advise on mining company IPOs on the London Stock Exchange (LSE).
Bain sticks with Forschbach for purchase of Framatome
French private equity star Thomas Forschbach has completed his first deal for Boston buyout shop Bain Capital since his departure from Ashurst to Latham & Watkins ...
Nuclear expertise sees Imperial College instruct Burges Salmon
Burges Salmon" /South West firm Burges Salmon has won a beauty parade to become Imperial College London's legal adviser on nuclear law issues.
LeBoeuf instructed by Eon on purchase of Caledonia
LeBOEuf Lamb Greene & MacRae's London office has landed its first-ever deal for German power company Eon.
A&O, Linklaters land roles on 50-year inflation-linked bond
Linklaters land roles on 50-year inflation-linked bond" /Allen & Overy (A&O) and Linklaters have been awarded lead roles on the UK Government's landmark issue of a 50-year inflation-linked bond.
Freshfields, William Fry go head to head on Kappa-JSG merger
William Fry go head to head on Kappa-JSG merger" /Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Irish firm William Fry have landed lead roles on the €2.6bn (£1.75bn) merger between Kappa Packaging and ...
Bingham, Latham and Weil handed Gate Gourmet roles
A host of US firms have bagged work on the restructuring of troubled airline catering company Gate Gourmet as negotiations over the future of hundreds of workers continue.
Allianz calls on Shearman for merger, rejig advice
Shearman & Sterling's German offices have combined forces to advise longstanding client Allianz as it merges with Italian subsidiary Riunione Adriatica di Sicurtà (RAS) and undergoes a full-scale reorganisation.
Lovells captures Linklaters' client InterContinental on Paris hotel sale
Linklaters' client InterContinental on Paris hotel sale" /
Latham sees Urbium through Electra deal
US firm Latham & Watkins has bagged its first instruction from the management of Urbium, the owner of Tiger Tiger and other London bars.
CC sees Oger Telecom through its acquisition of Türk Telecom
Nabarros joins online gaming bonanza with Empire Online
Nabarros joins online gaming bonanza with Empire Online" /
Skandia goes with Skadden
Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom has bagged Skandia as a new client.
Centrica looks to Ashurst for advice on gas field gains
Ashurst is advising longstanding client Centrica on its £318.6m acquisition of interests in four North Sea gas fields.
CC lands Deutsche Telekom deal
Clifford Chance and DLA Weiss-Tessbach have won roles on the latest acquisition by German telecoms giant Deutsche Telekom.
Lovells reaps Asian Citrus's AIM flotation
Lovells has advised new client Asian Citrus Holdings on the largest Chinese IPO on the AIM market to date.
Shearman, Weil face-to-face on ProSiebenSat.1 Media sale
Shearman & Sterling and Weil Gotshal & Manges have taken the lead roles on Germany's largest-ever media deal.
Dickinson Dees earns Newham LEA contract
Newcastle giant Dickinson Dees has fought off competition from major national players to win a £180m contract to advise Newham Local Education Authority (LEA) on its Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.
Herbert Smith scoops Mizuho for Charterhouse-Avent deal
Herbert Smith has landed its first acquisition finance mandate from Mizuho Bank, working on Charterhouse's £225m buyout of baby care products manufacturer Avent.
MoFo handles Chinese TV deal for Zone Vision
Morrison & Foerster (MoFo) has snared its first deal for Zone Vision Networks, advising the London-based company on the purchase of China's Encore International.
Lovells scores brewing coup with SABMiller-Bavaria tie-up
Lovells' mainstream corporate practice has been given a much-needed boost after scooping its largest deal of the year.
Freshfields wins lead role on Debenhams recapitalisation
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has confirmed its position as lead adviser to Debenhams with a major role on the company's £2bn refinancing.
Simmons sees Telefónica through purchase of China Netcom Group
Simmons & Simmons has closed its first deal for Telefónica as the acquisitive Spanish telecoms operator made its first steps into China.
Herbies secures major Indian telecoms work
Herbert Smith has furthered its strategic push into both the Asian and communications markets with the completion of its largest transaction to date for key Indian client the Tata Group.
Lords reverses 25-year-old ruling on creditor payment
The House of Lords has overturned a decision made 25 years ago that has governed the way creditors are paid in insolvency cases.
Freshfields and DWS advise on Rentokil rejig
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Denton Wilde Sapte (DWS) have teamed up to advise FTSE 100 business services company Rentokil Initial on its corporate restructuring following the introduction of new international accounting rules.
Deals round-up
Davis Polk & Wardell, led by corporate partners John Amorosi and Christopher Mayer, has secured the lead role advising China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) on its $19.6bn (£10.73bn) counter bid for Californian power group Unocal. Herbert Smith's Hong Kong practice is understood to be assisting with local law issues related to the bid, while Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz, led by Daniel Neff and David Karp, is advising Unocal. Meanwhile, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, led by ...
Firms set to cash in as Drax begins refinancing and IPO
The fee bonanza that was the 2003 restructuring of power giant Drax is set to restart as the company begins a programme of refinancing that will culminate in an IPO later this year.
Deals round-up
Duane Morris is advising longstanding client Cannon Avent Group, the provider of baby care products, in the restructuring of the group's businesses and the sale of its baby care division to Charterhouse Capital Partners for £300m. The group is also demerging the Cannon-branded rubber car floor mats manufacturing business from its baby care division. Nabarro Nathanson is acting for the majority shareholders ...
CC scoops ABN Amro for covered bond programme
Clifford Chance has won the mandate for the first covered bond programme to be launched in the Netherlands.
Lovells secures major RBS, SocGen instruction
Lovells is celebrating after advising the lenders on Canada's landmark 'Sea to Sky' project.
Heinz picks CC to advise on HP Foods acquisition
Clifford Chance has consolidated its relationship with Heinz after advising the food group on its biggest acquisition to date.
Shearman nets Anglo American disposal
Shearman & Sterling's UK operation has completed its first English law deal for Anglo American following a direct instruction into the firm's London office.
Deals round-up
Reed Smith has bolstered its corporate finance practice by advising new client Global Oceanic Carriers (GOC) on its placing and admission to AIM. Douglas Rofe and Jeff Rodwell led the firm's team, which secured the instruction from the shipping company following a referral from existing client New York Global. The instruction increases the number of IPOs Reed Smith has acted on this year to six, compared ...
SJ Berwin rewarded with EDS work after DLA Piper conflict
SJ Berwin rewarded with EDS work after DLA Piper conflict" /A DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary conflict of interest has handed SJ Berwin its first instruction from EDS on the IT company's dispute with HM Revenue & Customs.
Linklaters, Travers finalise buyout of Mersey Docks and Harbour Co
Linklaters, Travers finalise buyout of Mersey Docks and Harbour Co" /Linklaters and Travers Smith are celebrating after agreeing final terms for the highly complex £771m buyout of Mersey Docks and Harbour Company by Peel ...
Cobbetts acts for Highland Gold on fundraising
National firm Cobbetts has consolidated its relationship with AIM-listed Highland Gold after advising the Russian mining company on a deal with US mining giant Barrick Gold Corporation.
Deals round-up
Cinven instructs Ashurst on sale of car parks business
Camerons pips Ashurst to win T&F Informa's acquisition of IIR
Ashurst to win T&F Informa's acquisition of IIR" /CMS Cameron McKenna is celebrating securing the lead role on T&F Informa's $1.4bn (£760m) acquisition of US conference organiser IIR, beating the publishing group's other ...
CorporateTrowers scoops Coal International as client with £20m AIM offering
Trowers & Hamlins has landed its first instruction from Coal International after advising the company on its £20m AIM debut.
CC, Freshfields advise on Inmarsat LSE float
Clifford Chance and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer are celebrating after scooping the lead roles on the £1bn London Stock Exchange (LSE) flotation of satellite operator Inmarsat.
Slaughters bags Diageo role in Allied Domecq saga
Slaughter and May has become the latest law firm to to benefit from Pernod Ricard’s £7.5bn bid for Allied Domecq.
Herbert Smith and Stibbe beat magic circle to win Tom Tom IPO
Magic circle firms Allen & Overy (A&O) and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer lost out to Herbert Smith and its Dutch best friend Stibbe in a ...
CorporateDewey secures LBO of Wind for Weather
Dewey Ballantine has advised on one of Europe's largest ever leveraged buyouts after last month's signing of the acquisition of Enel telecommunications group Wind by Weather Investments.
Addleshaws' Leeds nous lands Fenner instruction
Addleshaw Goddard has completed its first significant corporate deal for Fenner after advising the listed rubber manufacturer on its £44.6m recommended offer for Wellington Holdings.
Deals round-up
Shearman instructed on Yates pub group acquisition
SJ Berwin conflict hands British Land's Pillar offer to Freshfields
SJ Berwin conflict hands British Land's Pillar offer to Freshfields" /Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has muscled in on longstanding SJ Berwin client British Land after advising the property investment company ...
Shearman's London practice handed HBOS Tier 1 mandate
Shearman & Sterling's London office has scooped an instruction to advise the lead managers on the first Tier 1 issue of preference shares since the late 1990s.
BLP steals a march on Speechly on AIM debut work for Metal-Tech
Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has fought off competition from Speechly Bircham to win Israeli company Metal-Tech as a new client.
Farrers gets a bite of Green & Black's sale
Farrer & Co has scooped a role advising organic chocolatier Green & Black's on its first major corporate for almost six years.
BLP wins back client Isis from Olswang on Fat Face disposal
Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has won former client Isis Equity Partners back from Olswang after advising the private equity house on its exit from clothing company Fat Face to Advent International for approximately £100m.
UTV selects Travers for Wireless Group buyout
Travers Smith Braithwaite has won its first instruction from Ulster Television (UTV) on the television and radio company's acquisition of Wireless Group.
Freshfields beats Slaughters to Lehman's Le Meridien capture
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has landed a major role advising Lehman Brothers on its acquisition of Le Meridien, the troubled London-based hotel group.
A&O scoops Kaupthing's purchase of UK bank
Allen & Overy (A&O) has muscled in on longstanding Slaughter and May client Kaupthing Bank.
Freshfields sees EWG through buyout of Aviagen from Advent
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has landed its first instruction from the Erich Wesjohann Group (EWG), the privately-owned German poultry-breeding business - beating German rival Hengeler Mueller for the job.
Herbies grows BPE links by advising on Admiral sell-off
Herbert Smith has strengthened its relationship with Barclays Private Equity (BPE) after advising it on the sale of a stake in motor insurer Admiral Group.
Freshfields, Linklaters to act on Pyaterochka IPO
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Linklaters have scooped the lead roles on the IPO of Russia's largest grocery retailer Pyaterochka.
CC edges Beachcrofts out of East Surrey Holdings disposal
Clifford Chance has muscled in on longstanding Beachcroft Wansbroughs client East Surrey Holdings on the acquisition of its utilities business by Terra Firma Capital Partners.
Ginestié acts on dept store privatisation
France's Ginestié Magellan Paley-Vincent is advising the Moulin family on the privatisation of department store Galeries Lafayette.
Dewey storms race to secure Wind purchase
Gianni and Bonelli lose out as US firm triumphs in Italian telecoms contest
ABN Amro picks Cleary in bid to buy Italian bank
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton is advising ABN Amro on its audacious bid to acquire Italian bank Banca Antonveneta.
Herbies wins role for debt providers on Verna buyout
Herbert Smith's acquisition finance team is celebrating after landing its first instructions from Bank of Ireland and Scotia Group as senior debt providers for Legal & General Ventures' acquisition of healthcare manufacturer Verna Group.
Slaughters scoops Goldman bid for ISS
Slaughter and May is advising Goldman Sachs Capital Partners on a Nordic private equity bid following a major charm offensive with the house.
Lovells helps ING to say final farewell to Barings
Lovells has advised longstanding client ING on the sale of Baring Asset Management 10 years after helping the Dutch financial services giant to buy the business.
MBR&M strengthens Sloane Capital relationship
Mayer Brown Rowe & Maw (MBR&M) has cemented its relationship with Sloane Capital, the property fund of Irish horseracing magnates John Magnier and JP McManus, after advising on Standard Chartered's sale and leaseback of 35 Basinghall Street.
Exchange barristers take both sides on Morecambe Bay litigation
Exchange Chambers has won instructions on both sides of the forthcoming criminal trial over the deaths of 21 Chinese cockle pickers in Morecambe Bay last year.
Eversheds is top choice on Twenty-First Artists sale
The sale of Elton John's management company Twenty-First Artists to the Sanctuary Group became a partner reunion for the defunct London firm Frere Cholmeley Bischoff.
Ropes & Gray scoops coveted lead role on SunGard buyout
The $11.3bn (£6.03bn) acquisition of SunGard Data Systems by a consortium of private equity houses has turned into a feeding frenzy for lawyers, with no fewer than seven US firms landing roles on the biggest leveraged buyout since the 1980s.
Fournier and Solvay pick Freshfields and Skadden
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom's Paris offices are sharing the spoils as the French pharmaceutical sector continues its consolidation.
DLA Piper helps GNER on record rail franchise win
DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary has steered Great North Eastern Railway (GNER) through a competitive tender to win the largest franchise in European rail history.
Ashurst sees rare Apax success fees after HIT Entertainment bid
Ashurst has won its first UK deal for Apax Partners following its appointment as lead legal adviser, acting for the private equity house on its recommended offer for HIT Entertainment, the company behind Bob the Builder.
CC left behind as UniCredito turns to A&O on acquisition of Croatian bank
Allen & Overy's (A&O) corporate department has scooped a major client in the form of Italy's second-largest bank UniCredito Italiano.
Ashurst scores big with remit for Sega
Ashurst scores big with remit for Sega" /Ashurst has sealed its first deal for Japanese computer games company Sega.
Weil sneaks Sagard work away from CC and Latham
Weil Gotshal & Manges' Paris office has muscled in on longstanding Clifford Chance and
Eversheds sees through Geest buyout for Bakkavor
Eversheds has advised Bakkavor on its acquisition of Geest, the latest in a string of Icelandic raids on UK assets, with this one being announced last Tuesday (8 March).
In-housers rule the roost on MoD's IT outsourcing
In-house teams are dominating for the consortia bidding for the Ministry of Defence's (MoD) £4bn IT outsourcing deal.
Milbank sees Gatsby through £130m Sainsbury's disposal
Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy has sealed its first deal for Sainsbury's shareholder the Gatsby Charitable Foundation after advising on its disposal of £130m of shares in the company.
A&O corporate dept cocks a snook at its banking critics
The corporate group says it has made a comeback
Corporate deals round-up
Pinsent Masons (Roger Fink) advised the selling shareholders of Rubicon Retail, the owners of fashion chains Principles and Warehouse, on its sale to the Shoe Studio Group for £140m. The Shoe Studio Group was advised by SJ Berwin.
Euroclear gifts Wragges first instruction on IT outsourcing
Wragges first instruction on IT outsourcing" /Wragge & Co's outsourcing practice has scored a massive coup by advising new client Euroclear, Europe's largest securities settlement house, on the IT and outsourcing elements of its group restructuring.
Ashurst proves its premier position at Apax with Woolworths bid instruction
Ashurst proves its premier position at Apax with Woolworths bid instruction" /Ashurst has reaffirmed its position as Apax's adviser of choice by acting for the private equity house on its bid for Woolworths.
Barclay brothers weigh up Littlewoods offers
Lovells clients the Barclay brothers got on the retail merry-go-round with a review of the future of their Littlewoods chain.
Dechert conflict gifts FFW BHS work as retailers pick over Allders carcass
Four major retail deals are on the shelves, which have provided City lawyers with a much needed boost in M&A work
Somerfield turns to Dickson Minto after Baugur offer
Private equity boutique Dickson Minto is advising one of its biggest corporate clients Somerfield on an approach from Icelandic conglomerate Baugur.
Freshfields wins Texas Pacific buyout work
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has strengthened its relationship with Texas Pacific Group after landing an instruction to advise the US buyout house on its bid for British Vita.
Linklaters wins Spanish purchase for Capio
Linklaters' London office has completed a major Spanish acquisition for Capio, a long-term client of its Swedish practice.
Simmons gets first job from Royal Dutch
Simmons & Simmons has completed its first deal for Royal Dutch/Shell since being awarded a place on the oil giant's panel last year.
Paul Hastings hires private equity star Toth-Feher
Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker has taken its first tentative step toward establishing a German presence with the hire of high-profile German private equity lawyer Geza Toth-Feher. Toth-Feher, who founded Dewey Ballantine’s German operation, has been charged with building a small team of German lawyers in the firm’s London office with a view to eventually opening in Germany. He left Dewey Ballantine in late 2003 to form specialist finance advisory service, CB Equity Partners.
Virgin rues loss of legal chief prior to group’s panel review
Virgin Group has been left without a legal chief as the annual review of the group’s legal panel approaches.
Commercial Court suffers five-year decline in cases
The number of trials heard in the Commercial Court has dropped continuously for the last five years, it emerged last week.
Jones Day handed Allders work thanks to referral from Olswang
Jones Day handed Allders work thanks to referral from Olswang" /Jones Day has scooped its first instruction from Allders, the department store chain that was recently forced into administration.Insolvency partner Adam Plainer ...
Eversheds recaptures Stanley work from Ashurst
Eversheds has reasserted its grip on its client of 20 years Stanley Leisure after losing out to Ashurst on a big corporate instruction late last year.
RHM Foodbrands scoops an exceedingly good legal chief
RHM Foodbrands, the main operating company which owns Mr Kipling cakes, Hovis Bread and Bisto Gravy group, has raided the AA for its new legal chief.
Simmons in line for repeat work from Santander after CDO advice
Simmons & Simmons has closed its first deal for Banco Santander Central Hispano after advising the Spanish bank on its first managed collateralised debt obligation (CDO), and is in line for repeat instructions on the programme.
CC gets tight with KKR as it lands Travelex buyout work
Clifford Chance has strengthened its relationship with Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co (KKR) after landing a first-time UK instruction to advise the high-profile US buyout house on the £1bn acquisition of Travelex.
Cerberus hands Milbank first UK work in Boxclever buyout
Boxclever acquisition by Cerberus
Know thyself
Some partners say they have nothing to learn, but growing your knowledge is the best way to grow your firm. Jeremy Dutton on how the Rising 50 can reach the Top 100
The perfect partnership
Will the increasing popularity of LLPs and the introduction of Clementi’s recommendations spell the end for the traditional partnership? Robin Bloom reports
Nowhere to hide
One of the main changes a firm undergoes when converting to LLP status is the way in which it must present its accounts. David Furst and Steve Gale advise on best practice
Richards Butler in US merger bid with NY’s Proskauer Rose
Merger could create £300m-turnover international powerhouse as Proskauer seeks to add London to NY, Paris offerings
B&M’s stringent rules force partner to quit Draxis board
Baker & McKenzie (B&M) partner Stewart Saxe has been forced to resign from his position on the board of Canadian pharmaceutical company Draxis Health after B&M tightened its corporate governance rules.
Steptoe sets up in NY with fraud focus
Washington DC-based Steptoe & Johnson has launched a New York operation on the back of its white collar crime practice.
Lawrence Graham wins Multiplex acquisition job
Lawrence Graham wins Multiplex acquisition job" /Lawrence Graham has scored Multiplex as a new client as the Australian construction company prepares to launch its own in-house legal team in the UK.
Corporate deals round-up
Linklaters (Jeremy Parr, Gavin Robert) and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton advised United Technologies on its recommenced offer for UK safety provider Kidde. Kidde advised by
Freshfields conspicuous by absence as M&S invites panel pitches
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer will be specifically excluded from Marks & Spencer’s (M&S) review of external advisers after the firm was barred from acting for Philip Green on the entrepreneur’s failed bid for the retailer last summer.
A New Year, a new management headache
It’s a story to put fear into the heart of any law firm management team. After two years of re-engineering, Linklaters probably thought its most turbulent times were over. But it’s now facing a move which can only be described as bold, from four former partners to dissolve the entire global partnership.
Lex Mundi boosts Advisory Council by four
Lex Mundi has added four new in-house lawyers to its Client Advisory Council.
Norton Rose halves German turnover with Cologne sale
Norton Rose halves German turnover with Cologne sale" /Norton Rose has seen its German turnover cut in half following the completion of talks that see the firm’s Cologne office move to CMS Hasche Sigle.
Dechert raids Swidler’s NY, DC offices
Husnara BegumDechert has made a dra-matic swoop on US firm Swid-ler Berlin’s New York office with the hire of 57 corporate and litigation lawyers, including 27 New York partners. A further eight lawyers will join from the firm’s Washington DC headquarters.
Jones Day HK corporate ace quits for client
Jones Day’s Hong Kong office has lost senior corporate partner Steven Goodman to leading Asian telecoms company Pacific Media.As first revealed on www.thelawyer.com (5 January), Goodman has joined Pacific Media as an executive director and group legal adviser with effect from 5 January. He will also take up the role of company secretary.
Addleshaws in double banking scoop for AIB & NM Rothschild
Addleshaw Goddard’s burgeoning City acquisition finance practice was handed an early Christmas present after scooping two new banking clients – Allied Irish Bank (AIB) and NM Rothschild & Sons.
Gresham opts for Hammonds on Penn Pharmaceuticals exit
Hammonds has secured Gresham Private Equity Solutions as a new client following the hire of Wragge & Co partner Peter McLintock last June.
RPC advises Swedish client on Mexican deal
One of Reynolds Porter Chamberlain’s (RPC) big-gest deals of last year was a Mexican acquisition for a Swedish client involving no English law whatsoever.
Dormann, Ulrike - Hot 100
It was the most important lateral move of 2004, heralding major investment of top New York firms in the German market. Norbert Rieger, Rolf Füger and Peter Nussbaum were a vital part of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s most profitable German office, Munich. Their departure rocked the firm and gave Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy a running start into Germany’s booming private equity market.
Legal & General shake-up: Linklaters edges in on Slaughters’ turf
Linklaters edges in on Slaughters’ turf" /Slaughter and May will have to share its role with Linklaters as principal corporate adviser to Legal & General (L&G) following the completion of a radical ...
Lovells creates Chinese walls for Tube Lines sale
Lovells has installed Chinese walls to advise Star Capital Partners on its plann-ed acquisition of the Tube Lines stake belonging to em-battled services group Jarvis.
MFI reviews legal panel to save £5m in adviser fees
MFI is pursuing a major review of its external legal advisers as the FTSE 250 furniture retailer moves to slash professional advisory fees by at least £5m.
Hill Dickinson merger hikes half-year figures
Hill Dickinson has re-corded a 34 per cent turnover rise for the first six months of the 2004-05 financial year.
B&M, Linklaters sued as F1 teams cry negligence
Pinsents instructed after Williams and McLaren miss out on sell-off of F1 commercial and media rights
DLA-Piper partners say yes to merger
The $1.4bn (£730m) DLA-Piper Rudnick tie-up was close to winning unanimous support on both sides of the Atlantic as the firms’ partners voted through the merger.
O’Melveny boosts private equity with Linklaters hire
O’Melveny & Myers is continuing its attack on the UK private equity market with the hire of Linklaters corporate tax partner Jan Birtwell.
Hallmark IP wins ex-Olswang trademark star
Hallmark IP has recruited Olswang’s former head of trademark filing and prosecution, Vivienne Coleman, as the first step on its road to becoming a multidisciplinary IP practice.
Laytons duo head for rivals after Bristol review
Laytons’ South West rivals have scooped up two partners from its Bristol arm in the wake of a management review designed to address flagging profitability in Laytons’ Bristol office.
Co-founder buys out
Niche corporate recovery practice LCL Law has been bought out by one of its equity partners.
Blackstone gifts CC first-time instruction on care home deal
Clifford Chance has sealed its first major UK deal for Blackstone Capital Partners (BCP), advising on the private equity firm’s recommended bid for care home business NHP.
Royal & SunAlliance settles on Herbies for Japan sell-off
Herbert Smith’s growing Tokyo office has pulled off a coup with an instruction from Royal & SunAlliance (RSA).
Hunton & Williams: staying ahead of the AIM game
Hunton has joined the US AIM drive, but it has a secret weapon in Martin Thomas. By Husnara Begum
Corporate deals round-up
Lovells (Simon MacDonagh, Richard Stones, Rachel Kent) advised ING Group on an agreement to sell the portfolio business of Baring Asset Management. US-based MassMutual Financial Group is buying Baring’s investment management business, including €26bn (£13.51bn) of assets under management, while Chicago’s Northern Trust Corp will buy its financial services group. MassMutal advised by Slaughter and May ...
Freshfields’ finance lawyers get their hands dirty in Africa
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer sent members of its finance team to South Africa in the autumn to build houses for the poor of Durban’s townships.
US firms boost outsourcing at expense of London rivals
Morrison & Foerster’s raid on Shaw Pittman, first reported in The Lawyer last week, was the third eye-catching move into outsourcing by a US firm in the space of a year.
McGrigors’ London base sees turnover boosted by one-third
Mcgrigors has seen a massive upsurge in London work, with City turnover growing by 30 per cent in the past year as firmwide turnover rises by 5 per cent to £42.4m.
Wragges partners give way to profits
Birmingham giant Wragge & Co has become the latest firm to resort to managing out partners in a bid to bolster profits, The Lawyer can reveal.
Ashurst bypasses Eversheds to win Stanley Leisure joint venture work
Ashurst bypasses Eversheds to win Stanley Leisure joint venture work" /FTSE 250 gaming company Stanley Leisure has turned to Ashurst over Eversheds on its joint venture with Malaysian casino group Genting.
Linklaters scoops rare IT services IPO for Phoenix
Linklaters scoops rare IT services IPO for Phoenix" /Linklaters has won Phoenix IT Group as a new client after advising the company on the first initial public offering (IPO) by an IT services company in more than two years.
Opinion
The big casino players will be clamouring to invest once the Gambling Bill has been ironed out
French govt looks to Herbert Smith for Snecma sale advice
Herbert Smith has scored a first-time instruction from the French government to advise on a unique privatisation.
Linklaters NY aids Gold Fields to fight Harmony’s hostile bid
Linklaters NY aids Gold Fields to fight Harmony’s hostile bid" /Linklaters’ renascent New York practice has captured the US end of Gold Fields’ defence to a hostile bid by rival South African mining company Harmony.
Glazer frustrated as Man Utd board tries nipping bid in bud
Is the MUFC board’s rejection of Glazer in the best interests of the shareholders? By Helen Power
Corporate deals round-up
Clifford Chance (Guy Norman, Adam Signy, Mark Stewart) has advised Melrose, a UK-based cash shell, on an unsolicited hostile offer for £625.5m for UK conglomerate Novar. Novar was advised by Freshf
European dissatisfaction prompts White & Case remuneration review
White & Case has launched an internal assessment of its partner compensation structure amid frustration from some European partners that the current scheme unfairly favours the US operation.
Bircham Dyson Bell reinvents itself as a PR firm
Bircham Dyson Bell is no longer just a law firm – it is also a public relations agency.
Slaughters rejigs lifestyle committee
Slaughter and May has reshuffled its lifestyle committee following the departure of competition partner Laura Carstensen and the decision by the group’s informal chairperson Frances Murphy to step down. Murphy has been replaced by corporate partner David Wittmann, although she remains a member of the committee. Carstensen, who left last December for lifestyle reasons, has been replaced ...
Martineaus and Pinsents win Plymouth Uni
Martineau Johnson and Pinsents have won a competitive tender to secure the University of Plymouth as a new client.
United Biscuits man makes crunch decision to move to Viacom
United Biscuits’ (UB) head of commercial law Ian Haslegrave has quit the UK’s biggest biscuit manufacturer to join Viacom.
Linklaters loses third corporate partner
Linklaters has lost another corporate partner following the departure of Rupert Weber. Weber joins Maitland & Co’s corporate team as a director in London. He is the third corporate partner to leave the magic circle firm since it announced a reorganisation of its London corporate group (The Lawyer, 20 September). Weber played a leading role in the launch of Linklaters’ German practice and its merger with ...
Greenberg takes on Getronics instruction
Miami law firm Greenberg Traurig has advanced its push into Europe after securing an instruction from IT giant Getronics on its bid for Dutch competitor PinkRoccade.
SJ Berwin beats White & Case to advise on Segulah III fundraising
SJ Berwin has displaced White & Case Advokat in the instruction of Swedish private equity fund manager Segulah on the fundraising for its third Nordic fund.
Rödl hires spark Paris expansion drive
The Paris office of German firm BRS Rödl & Partner is expanding its French presence by moving offices and hiring a former Allen & Overy (A&O) lawyer.
BNP Paribas calls on Ozannes to create indices-based pension
Leading Guernsey firm Ozannes has played a crucial role in paving the way for client BNP Paribas to launch the first pension hedge.
Trowers scoops Etihad IPO after financing breaks Islamic records
Trowers & Hamlins is advising new client Etihad Etisalat on its Saudi Arabian initial public offering (IPO), just weeks after completing the world’s largest Islamic financing to date on behalf of the telecoms consortium.
Finers racks up AIM floats with Seymour
Finers Stephens Innocent’s AIM practice enjoyed a bumper October after scooping two new broker clients and advising on eight flotations.
In-fighting
They say his position was compromised. He says they just didn’t want to change. Why did Anthony Armitage resign as vice-chair of the C&I Group to set up a rival organisation? By Jon Robins
Milbank flexes its muscles in Middle Eastern power sector
US firm fights it out with A&O, Shearman, White & Case for Gulf supremacy
Orrick emerges victorious from Texas asbestos showdown
Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe has won a landmark $1.3bn (£710m) asbestos case for client Union Carbide.
Herbert Smith scoops Deutsche securitisation
Herbert Smith has landed its first securitisation for Deu-tsche Bank after triumphing in a competitive tender.
TfL Thames Gateway Bridge project
Ashurst sees off DWS, Herbies for TfL contract
Opinion
After thirty years on the drawing board, a true pan-European company is now possible
Sullivan pounces for CC Paris star
The Paris office of Sullivan & Cromwell has scored a massive coup by recruiting Dominique Bompoint from Clifford Chance.
DLA boosts fledgling German operation with CC hire
DLA is accelerating its push into Germany with the hire of Clifford Chance corporate partner Dr Martin Schulte.
Rental market saturates as top City firms try to offload space
A slew of law firms has returned excess office space to the rental market while rental prices are still rock-bottom, after overestimating their spatial needs.
Ashurst elbows out Linklaters on Sportingbet
Ashurst has pushed aside Linklaters to scoop its first major corporate deal for new client Sportingbet, the world’s largest online betting company.
Election run looks likely as DWS partner quits consultation group
Denton Wilde Sapte (DWS) partner Martin Kitchen has quit the firm’s consultation committee in a bid to avoid conflicts of interest if he stands for the role of chief executive in December’s elections.
Mishcon raids Kilpatrick London office in double corporate swoop
Mishcon de Reya has bolstered its corporate practice with the appointment of two partners from US firm Kilpatrick Stockton.Nick Davis and Susan Breen, both partners at the Atlanta firm’s London office, will join Mishcon as partners in the corporate department later this month.
News Corp general counsel calls it a day
News Corporation general counsel Arthur Siskind has quit his role at the Australia-based media giant. He is stepping down on 31 December after 30 years with the company to become senior adviser to the chairman Rupert Murdoch. Deputy general counsel Lon Jacobs will take over the role in early 2005. First revealed on www.thelawyer.com 26 October
Cooley Godward to spark expansion with New York and DC
Cooley Godward is in the early stages of plans to open in Washington DC and New York and is hoping that London and Continental Europe will follow.
Norton Rose Middle East outfit buoyed by triple projects scoop
Norton Rose Middle East outfit buoyed by triple projects scoop" /Norton Rose’s Middle East practice has been boosted by the announcement of three new project finance clients.
A&O plummets 123 places in US associate survey
Allen & Overy (A&O) has nose-dived in the esteem of its US associates, according to American Lawyer magazine’s latest associate satisfaction survey.
Linklaters scoops work on Glenmorangie sale
Linklaters has scored its first instruction from whisky-maker Glenmorangie after the firm was drafted in to advise on its sale to French luxury goods group Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy (LVMH).
Keeble bags Standard Life
Yorkshire law firm Keeble Hawson has beaten a slew of other mid-sized firms to secure a lucrative instruction as the leading legal adviser for Standard Life’s new pension product.
Forshbach completes first deal at Latham
French private equity star Thomas Forschbach has completed his first deal since moving from Ashurst to Latham & Watkins in September.
Lord Hoffmann brings Europe into the UK patent equation
Protocol test U-turn sparks ‘sea of interpretative uncertainty’ for IP players. By Steve Hoare
Short change
The little and Large of law caused much mirth at Clifford Chance recently following a trip to the gym. Perhaps the circuit training was particularly strenuous that day, or maybe the high-carb diet was at fault, but for some inexplicable reason the firm’s tallest, gangliest partner apparently took it upon himself to dress in his vertically challenged chum’s clobber.
Firm profile: Furley Page
The origins of Canterbury-based Furley Page date back to the 18th century, when it was founded by a sole practitioner named James Hanson. Today, following a number of mergers, the firm comprises 20 partners and is one of the leading practices in the South East.Approximately 50 per cent of Furley Page’s turnover is derived from private client work. ...
Skeletons for the closet
Opening arguments are far longer in the UK than in the US and long may this continue. By John McDonnell QC
Two’s a crowd
Larger firms suggest conflicts are getting out of hand. Which is why the courts are seeking a compromise between client confidentiality and the realities of business. By David Halpern
The jury’s out?
Scotland’s Court of Criminal Appeal has dismissed claims of an unfair trial in the Transco case. But the jury debate is set to continue. By Craig Connal QC
A&O banking hawks attack corporate over £10m losses
Corporate told to produce strategy by December after ‘ten years of failure’; banking group seeks M&A cull
B&M, BLP, CMS scoop Accenture panel slots
Baker & McKenzie (B&M), Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) and CMS Cameron McKenna have won lucrative places on the panel of management consultancy and technology services giant Accenture.
British Energy legal fees to hit £60m
Legal fees for the mammoth British Energy restructuring are about to overtake the payout to law firms on Marconi.
Lovells accused of ‘drafting witness statements’ as Villalba draws to close
Counsel for Stephanie Villalba, the former investment banker suing Merrill Lynch in a record £7.5m discrimination claim, last week made a closing statement alleging the bank’s law firm Lovells had “centrally drafted” witness statements.
CC bags Allianz instruction as Freshfields is conflicted
Clifford Chance’s London office has had its first instruction from German private equity firm Allianz Capital Partners thanks to a conflict at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.
Lawrence Graham finds new home
Lawrence Graham has finalised its deal for new premises at More London just days before the firm is expected to announce whether merger talks with Tite & Lewis have been successful.
DWS suffers further setback with TMT loss
Denton Wilde Sapte’s (DWS) depleted technology, media and telecoms (TMT) team has suffered another blow with the departure of IP litigation partner John Hull, who is joining Eversheds’ London office. His joining date has yet to be confirmed. The departure leaves the DWS TMT team with just four partners: telecoms specialist John Worthy, Catherine Bingham and Dan Burge and sports law star and board member ...
DWS steers BAR to victory in F1 dispute
Denton Wilde Spate (DWS) secured a win for the BAR-Honda Formula 1 (F1) team last week after the F1 Contracts Recognition Board (CRB) ruled that F1 driver Jenson Button must fulfil his contract with BAR. DWS advised BAR on the CRB hearing in Milan, while Maxwell Bately’s motor sports division advised Button, who had been attempting to break his contract with BAR to enable him to drive for the Williams-BMW team during the 2005 F1 season. He will now honour his existing contract with BAR.
White & Case completes City relocation
White & Case has moved into its new City premises at 5 Old Broad Street, next to the Bank of England. The firm has taken 117,000sq ft on four floors, with an option to take an additional 25,000sq ft if necessary. White & Case has been in the London market for more than 30 years and was previously located at 7-11 Moorgate. An increase in the firm’s London headcount, which has grown by 400 per cent over ...
Cobbetts entices IP partner from Martineaus
Cobbetts’ Birmingham office has taken a partner from new neighbour Martineau Johnson. Mauro Paiano will join Cobbetts in November as head of contentious IP, moving just a few floors from Martineaus. The two firms recently took up separate leases at 1 Colmore Square in Birmingham. Paiano, who is taking an associate with him, specialises in advertising law. He will be Cobbetts’ fourth IP partner nationally. The hires signal Cobbetts’ commitment to developing its IP practice, which operates ...
Cost-cutting drive keeps Freshfields at top spot in German league tables
CC silences critics by leveraging off finance team; Linklaters’ partner reorganisation reaps rewards. By Gemma Westacott
Piper-Gray Cary tie-up gets the nod
DLA’s merger suitor Piper Rudnick has plugged the gap in its West Coast strategy after voting through its merger with Palo Alto’s Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich.
US mergers rise 25 per cent
Law firm merger activity is on the rise in the US, as the size of smaller firms continues to dwindle, according to a new survey.
Norton Rose in Falklands’ first AIM float
Norton Rose has advised on what is believed to be the first Falkland Islands company’s admission to AIM.
Hammonds ditched as sale of Interflora goes to Addleshaws
Addleshaw Goddard has pushed Hammonds aside to advise first-time client Interflora on its increasingly difficult sale to private equity group 3i.
DAC gets corporate work on Crest Nicholson project
Davies Arnold Cooper’s (DAC) plan to develop its non-contentious practice was boosted last month when the firm secured a lucrative instruction from property developer Crest Nicholson on a £1.2bn regeneration project.
The sweet smell of distress sees vulture funds eye Sainsbury’s
The supermarket giant is in trouble and the bondholders are twitching nervously. By Helen Power
Corporate deals round-up
Allen & Overy (Johannes Bruski) has advised Praxair on its e397m (£274.2m) acquisition of Air Liquide’s German industrial gas assets. Air Liquide advised by Herbert Smith, Gleiss Lutz and Stibbe.
Opinion
Concern has been growing over the potential conflicts faced by magic circle law firms when they are instructed to act against a major financial institution. Some major banks are now even stipulating that panel firms must give an undertaking not to become involved at any level against them if they are to retain their place on the panel.
Addleshaws crowns pro bono efforts with Prince’s Trust aid
Addleshaw Goddard’s commitment to corporate social responsibility has led to a significant number of the firm’s employees joining the Prince’s Trust as volunteers. More than 100 staff from the firm’s Manchester office have agreed to provide personal or business mentoring and development assessments to the young people that the charity is helping.
Careers: people
IBB Law has strengthened its commercial property team with senior solicitor Jeff Elphee, who joins the Middlesex firm from London giant SJ Berwin. The firm has also recruited assistant Julian Booth from niche practice Collins Dryland & Thorowgood to its construction division.
Grapevine
Postcode lotteryForget banking and corporate for a moment, Allen & Overy (A&O) has another tricky decision to make concerning its new Spitalfields office. After raising the considerable ire of the locals, construction is now ploughing ahead.
Virgin territory
The British Virgin Islands has recently introduced legislation aimed at satisfying international regulatory requirements, and more is planned. By Stephen Moverley Smith
Small wonder
Luxembourg may not be the first name on everybody’s lips in offshore terms, but it’s still a success story. Vanessa Molloy reports
Hammonds moves to quell Leeds protests over London
Crossley fends off criticisms over financial performance, lateral pay guarantees, new offices and client entertainment
Philip Morris International appoints non-lawyer as legal director to investigate law firm budget
Philip Morris International (PMI) has installed an innovative new model for in-house legal teams by promoting a non-lawyer to the position of director of legal services. Peter Gavrushenko has been transferred from the corporate affairs group to examine the legal group’s budget and how it is best spent on its law firms, its training programmes and its use of technology.
CC unable to find the means to plug its partnership leak
One of the most astonishing statements to emerge from Clifford Chance in recent times was uttered by its own managing partner.Commenting on yet more departures from its US operation, Peter Cornell said: “This is all part of settling down ...
Grapevine
Reds bedevilledAllen & Overy was last week targeted by angry Manchester United fans when it became public that the magic circle firm was advising Florida tycoon Malcolm Glazer on his takeover bid for the club. The firm has so far avoided the pizzas and rubbish skips that Glazer’s public relations adviser Brunswick has reportedly received.
Ashurst’s Paris office rallies in wake of Forschbach departure
Ashurst’s Paris office rallies in wake of Forschbach departure" /Ashurst has fought back in Paris following the departures of Thomas Forschbach and his team, tying down finance partner Laurent Mabilat, who was at one stage set to join the rainmaker at
Halliwells set for London assault
Halliwells is gearing up for an assault on the London market after investing in new City premises.
The trouble with Hammonds...
A decade after opening in London, Hammonds still hasn’t got it right.
DLA senior partner retires after Piper star wins top role
DLA senior partner Roger Lane-Smith is to retire as it emerges that his counterpart at US firm Piper Rudnick will take the chairman’s role following the firm’s planned transatlantic merger. It is understood that under the terms of the merger agreement, Piper Rudnick co-chairman Senator George Mitchell, who was instrumental ...
More partners set to quit CC in Rome
Clifford Chance’s Italian operation is facing another period of upheaval as a third of its Rome office prepares to leave.
US influx keeps demand high for City office space
An influx of US firms looking for further office space in the City is ensuring that the legal sector remains one of the most active in London’s office rental market.
DWS makes two partner promotions in TMT group
Denton Wilde Sapte (DWS) is mounting a rearguard action to cling on to its dwindling technology, media and telecoms (TMT) practice, with two telecoms associates becoming partners.
Hammonds beats rival firms to act for Oxonica
Hammonds has scooped nanotechnology company Oxonica as a new client, which will include preparing for an IPO in the New Year.
Kramer Levin lures France Telecom counsel
Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel has hired the highly regarded former general counsel of France Telecom for its Paris office. Jean-Pierre Mattout joined the US firm as a partner on 13 October. Mattout quit as France Telecom’s general counsel this May after two years in the post. Prior to that he served as general counsel and a member of the executive management board of the corporate and investment banking arm of BNP Paribas. First revealed on www.thelawyer.com 14 October
EY Law rues loss of two more partners
EY Law’s Paris office has suffered another wave of departures. Corporate finance partners Dominique Gerry and Jerome Gertler left for niche international firm Adamas in early September. They took with them four associates and several paralegals. The news comes just a week after Ginesté Paley-Vincent & Associés scooped EY corporate partner Bernard Laurent-Bellue. Gerry and Gertler rejoined EY colleague Hervé Le Blanc, who moved to Adamas’s Lyon office earlier this year. First revealed ...
Latham bags double Russian listings in New York, London
Latham & Watkins has cemented its place at the pinnacle of Russia’s nascent equity capital markets after scoring the lead roles on the $1bn (£557.9m) London Stock Exchange (LSE) IPO of Sistema and on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) listing of steel company Mechel.
Skadden secures first Lehman Bros instruction
Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom has won its first instruction from Lehman Brothers in France on the privatisation of the French motorways.
Mourant professional services group incorporates as a limited company
Channel Islands professional services group Mourant has scored a first in the legal market by incorporating as a limited company.
Lovells and Vieira de Almeida join forces to bag landmark financings
Lovells and Portugal’s Vieira de Almeida & Associados have secured new instructions on bids for two of Portugal’s latest project-financed road deals after concluding a novel financing on the Litoral Centro toll road.
Linklaters beats magic circle rivals in contest for Celtel IPO
Linklaters has beaten Allen & Overy (A&O) and Slaughter and May to the IPO of pan-African mobile phone company Celtel, which is to join the London Stock Exchange early next year.
Ashurst advises competitors on Saga auction
Ashurst landed pole position on the hotly contested auction of Saga, the financial services and travel provider for the over 50s, by advising competing consortia.
Glazer’s controversial MUFC bid goes to A&O
Allen & Overy (A&O) has scored a high-profile instruction from Malcolm Glazer, the Florida tycoon who is trying to take control of Manchester United FC (MUFC).
Project and serve
Amec’s shift from construction to a primarily services-based company is a strategic switch that has come good. Jodi Bartle reports on its progress
North West test
Low costs per lawyer have helped North West firms boost their profits. Add to this a string of mergers and a new corporate focus and the South had better watch its back. By Joanne Harris
Safe saving
Since Guernsey made market abuse a criminal offence with a penalty of up to seven years in prison, investors are more protected than ever before. Benjamin Wrench reports
Ambitious Mauritius
Mauritius may be a newer offshore destination, but it can hold its own. By Keith Turberville
The multi pack
Some of the most ambitious offshore firms are seeking multijurisdictional expansion. Mourant du Feu & Jeune’s Tim Herbert explains why going global makes sense
Grapevine
It’s like the senate of ancient Rome round at Denton WildeSapte (DWS) at the moment.It’s not clear yet who is Brutus in this equation, but theknives have been out for incumbent managing partnerVirginia Glastonbury for some time.Her decision...
RPC advises Swedish industrial giant on acquisition of Scottish oil services company
Reynolds Porter Chamberlain (RPC), the commercial law firm, advised Atlas Copco, the Sweden-based international industrial company on their purchase of Dundee-based Kolfor Plant Ltd.
Watson Farley selected by Indian govt for Dabhol role
Watson Farley & Williams has won the role of legal counsel to the Indian government on the high-profile Dabhol arbitration following an urgent search which saw more than 35 firms turn it down for conflict reasons. It is understood that Watson Farley won the work late last month over four other shortlisted firms.
Clifford Chance prepares for exit of top rainmaker
Litigation star Benedict poised to leave as Childs predicts 2005 plateau profits hike to £850,000
DLA senior partner failed to record football shirt price-fixing meeting
DLA senior partner Roger Lane-Smith failed to record a meeting in which the chairman of JJB Sports Dave Whelan was found to have rigged the price of football shirts with his competitors, David Hughes of all:sports and Mike Ashley of Sports Soccer.
CC loses three more CMT lawyers
Another three associates are set to leave Clifford Chance’s depleted communications, media and technology (CMT) group.
Collyer-Bristow opens its first ever overseas office in Geneva
Holborn-based Collyer-Bristow is set to launch its first overseas office in November when the firm opens for business in Geneva.
Freshfields overcomes conflict on Siemens deal
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer advised Siemens Business Services on its £2bn sale and outsourcing deal with BBC Technology despite conflict of interest concerns raised by senior partner Anthony Salz’s position as vice-chairman of the broadcaster.
Banking chief quits for Addleshaws’ finance team
Addleshaw Goddard’s burgeoning finance department has poached Simmons & Simmons’ head of banking Nicholas Fisher.
Simmons overhauls election process
Simmons & Simmons has changed its election process in the run-up to the battle for the managing partner post.
Leader
In an ever-changing world, it’s good to be able to rely on some things. And one of the great constants in life is Clifford Chance’s inexplicable vocation for pointless tinkering. We’ve lost count of the number of stories we’ve run about the firm playing around with the lockstep, rejigging the capital base and losing heavy-hitting Americans.
SJ Berwin makes double hire
SJ Berwin has secured two new partners for its corporate and commercial litigation practices in a bid to increase the firm’s exposure within the European private equity market.
BLP ramps up finance team with hires from DLA and Camerons
Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has snared two new capital markets and project finance partners as part of the firm’s continuing bid to bolster its finance practice.
Palmer to double its legal spend with Reit creation
Property venture capital company Palmer Capital Partners (PCP) will almost double its legal spend following the creation of a £250m real estate investment fund, which is claimed to be the first real estate investment trust (Reit) to be offered in the UK.
Linklaters pulls plug on CSET donations
Linklaters has broken ranks and pulled out of a programme aimed at helping cash-strapped university law departments to turn its attention to more “sophisticated” initiatives.
Ginestié hires corporate partner from EY Law
Paris boutique Ginestié Paley-Vincent & Associés has scooped a partner from French giant EY Law. Corporate partner Bernard Laurent-Bellue joined Ginestié in early October after four years with the former accountancy-tied firm. He specialises in M&A, private equity, leveraged buyouts and corporate governance and will be Ginestié’s twelfth partner. The firm undertakes a mix of corporate, commercial, real estate, employment and white collar crime work.
Linklaters New York bags ex-Shearman chief
Linklaters’ New York office has returned to Shearman & Sterling for new recruits, this time taking on the former co-head of the US firm’s securitisation and derivatives group. Gary Barnett joins Linklaters as a partner and will be reunited with former colleague and litigation expert Paul Wickes, who joined ...
Taylor Wessing replaces head of corporate
Taylor Wessing has appointed a new head of corporate to replace Tim Eyles, who has stood down after 12 years. David Roberts, one of a group of former Garretts partners that joined the legacy Taylor Joynson Garrett in 2002, is taking over on 1 November. Eyles will broaden his involvement in developing Taylor Wessing’s international corporate practice and will remain a member of the international ...
CC reclaims European M&A top spot
Former top dog Linklaters drops to second as CC storms ahead; US firms make good showing with eleven in top twenty
Holding Redlich offers first CSR function in Australia
Australian law firm Holding Redlich has launched the first comprehensive corporate social responsibility (CSR) service to be offered by a law firm in Australia.
Nörr hires ex-Dresdner chief exec
Nörr Stiefenhofer Lutz has appointed the former chief executive of Dresdner Bank as a partner.
Squire Sanders & Dempsey loses its second partner to Lega Colucci
Squire Sanders & Dempsey loses its second partner to Lega Colucci" /Milan’s Lega Colucci has made a second raid on Squire Sanders & Dempsey, leaving the US firm with a lone partner in Milan.
Hogan hires pharma expert for transatlantic life sciences
Hogan & Hartson’s Munich office has added a former Allen & Overy (A&O) corporate partner as part of its bid to launch a transatlantic life sciences practice.
CMS vies for Slovak rail work
CMS Cameron McKenna and its Slovakian ally Law Office Ruzicka are competing together for their first government privatisation role after cementing their association earlier this year.
Corporate deals round-up
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (William Lawes, Jonathan Rees, Jeffery Roberts) provided UK and Russian legal advice to US energy company ConocoPhillips on its successful bid for the purchase of a 7.59 per cent stake in Russian oil company OAO Lukoil. The $1.988bn ...
OFT gets the CAT onside in football shirt price-fixing case
Regulator jubilant as CAT rubber-stamps fines imposed on JJB and all:sports. By Helen Power
Lovells keeps it in the family with major instruction for Active Hotels
Lovells has reinforced its longstanding family ties with Active Hotels by advising the online travel provider on its sale to giant US competitor priceline.com.
Information share
With its recent tripartite deal, Hemscott is evolving from a small UK-focused company into a major global player. By Jodi Bartle
Firm profile: Hempsons
Established in 1890, Hempsons is anything but an old-fashioned firm. In the 115 years since it was created, when its partners broke away from Slaughter and May, the firm has remained independent, preferring, as managing partner Janice Barber puts it, to “slip the baton and ...
Simmons completes first deal as main adviser to Anite Group
Simmons & Simmons has closed its first deal for new client Anite Group after being appointed as principal legal adviser in a competitive tender earlier this year.
Grapevine
Another week and another partner quits Simmons & Simmons.
DWS left shellshocked as eleven media/IP partners defect to DLA
DWS’s TMT practice left with skeleton crew; defectors cite lack of investment as reason for exodus. By Joanne O’Connor
Ex-Cisco legal head takes Flextronics job
Cisco’s former UK legal head Alfred Farha has resurfaced at the world’s largest technology industry contract manufacturer Flextronics.
Dickinson Dees retains Braithwaite as leader
Neil Braithwaite has seen off a challenge from litigation partner Jen Smurthwaite to secure a third term as managing partner of Dickinson Dees following the first contested election at the Newcastle-based firm in more than seven years.
Park Nelson tie-up gives Lester Aldridge London base
Lester Aldridge is set to gain its first foothold in London after absorbing 200-year-old real estate, commercial services and private client boutique Park Nelson.
Stephensons boosts corporate team to eleven
Stephenson Harwood has reappointed former corporate finance partner Peter Bradley, bolstering the London corporate team to 11. Bradley left in December 2000 to join KLegal (now McGrigors), which he left in March when the firm restructured its London corporate team.
Crutes merges with Doberman Horsman
North East firm Crutes has merged with Doberman Horsman. The tie-up between three-office Crutes and the 67-year-old Middlesbrough firm will create a regional base in the town. Each firm will initially retain its Middlesbrough office, but in 2005 the two sites will be combined.
Pinsents-Masons merger gets green light
The merger between Pinsents and Masons is set to go ahead after favourable partnership votes. The merger will go live in early December, creating a firm with a £150m turnover. Pinsent Masons will house 240 partners, 900 lawyers and 1,500 staff. First revealed on www.thelawyer.com 27 September
Vinson opens in Tokyo while closing Singapore
Vinson & Elkins has opened a new office in Tokyo and closed its Singapore branch. Tokyo will assist US clients investing in Japan. The Chinese practice has also forged a consulting relationship with its former administrative partner Handel Lee, who will become chairman of China’s King & Wood on 18 October. First revealed on www.thelawyer.com 29 September
McDermott takes on Dorsey corporate partner
McDermott Will & Emery’s London office has hired a corporate lateral from Dorsey & Whitney. Michael McFall’s clients include Intel, Pearson and the Carlyle Group. The hire follows the appointment of David Dalgarno as London managing partner. First revealed on www.thelawyer.com 29 September
Hannes Snellman in profit bonanza
Finland’s Hannes Snellman has recorded a 48 per cent rise in profits, smoothing the way for a new managing partner in 2005. The firm made a post-tax profit of €6.75m (£4.6m) in the last financial year. The previous year profit slumped 10 per cent to €4.56m (£3.1m). Turnover rose 13.6 per cent to €29.3m (£20m) during managing partner Antti Heikinheimo’s ...
Kirkpatrick puts new admin partner in SF office
Nicholson Graham & Jones’s merger partner Kirkpatrick & Lockhart has shaken up its San Francisco management. It has appointed IP specialist Deborah Bailey-Wells as administrative partner, taking over from Peter Sheats. Bailey-Wells will also become a member of the firm’s management committee. First revealed on www.thelawyer.com 28 September
DLA Group entices Polish firm Lukowicz into the fold
DLA’s international association DLA Group is expanding its presence in Eastern Europe after securing its first Polish member.
White & Case and client APP face contempt of court charge
US firm White & Case has been accused of contempt of court following its representation of Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) in the $6.7bn (£3.74bn) debt restructuring of its Indonesian subsidiaries.
Middletons takes over Acuiti
Australia’s Acuiti Legal will dissolve in November when its remaining corporate and commercial practices merge with Middletons, the law firm that the practice originally split from.
Lupicinio Eversheds in double Spanish link-up
Eversheds’ Spanish alliance partner Lupicinio Eversheds has tied up with two niche practices.
New Zealand firms beef up domestic offering in face of Australian onslaught
Heavy Australian banking presence sees NZ firms ‘provincialised’; boutiques attempt to win back work
Gibson Dunn duo overturns decision by Commission to disallow MCI tie-up
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher lawyers Peter Alexiadis and Miranda Cole were last week (28 September) celebrating a moral victory for MCI, a client they brought with them from former firm
CC, Deneys join forces on Barclays’ Absa bid
South Africa firm Deneys Reitz has reignited its old ties with Clifford Chance to act for Barclays on its attempt to secure a majority shareholding in the country’s largest retail bank Absa.
Real estate deals round-up
Lawrence Graham (Roger Benson) advised Telereal, a joint venture between BT and William Pears Group, on the sale of the site of a former BT telephone exchange in Chesham Place, Belgravia, to residential property developers Candy and Candy. SJ Berwin (Bryan Pickup) acted for Candy and Candy.
Firm profile: Lawyers Direct
Now that work-life balance is firmly on most lawyers’ to do lists, new ways of working are at the front of most people’s minds. Enter Lawyers Direct, a two-year-old firm that gives lawyers with wanderlust the chance to go freelance and still win quality work.
South Eastern promise
South East firms need to rationalise unwieldy offices and raise profits if they want to rival Bristol firms in attracting City lawyers. By Joanne O’Connor
McDermott unveils Dorsey corporate hire for London
McDermott Will & Emery’s London office is bumping up corporate with a lateral from Dorsey & Whitney.
Skadden shores up European M&A with Paris placement
Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom has become the latest US firm to transfer a heavyweight partner to its Paris office in the form of senior corporate partner Blaine Fogg.
Norton Rose’s Cologne team gears up for defection to CMS
Norton Rose may be on the verge of losing its entire Cologne office as its partners accelerate talks with CMS Hasche Sigle.
KPMG finds new general counsel at Linklaters
KPMG International has announced its first UK-based general counsel, bringing in senior Linklaters corporate partner Tom Wethered.
Fried Frank makes two London partner hires
Fried Frank has raided Ashurst and Simmons & Simmons for two high-profile partner laterals. The US firm has poached securitisation star Siân Withey from one-time merger prospect Ashurst and corporate energy rainmaker Jerry Walter from Simmons.
A&O partner and two associates quit Turin office for solo endeavour
Allen & Overy’s (A&O) Turin office is losing corporate partner Fabio Alberto Regoli.
Linklaters brings in replacement for Moscow top spot
Linklaters is drafting in a London corporate partner to manage its Moscow office as the incumbent prepares to return to the UK after 13 years in Russia.
GE counsel tops list of in-house high earners
General Electric’s (GE) general counsel has been named as the highest-paid in-house lawyer in the US, after pocketing a staggering $4.365m (£2.449m) in 2003.
Freshfields in lead for Chelsfield bid as SJ Berwin conflicted out
SJ Berwin conflicted out" /Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has emerged as the front-runner to act on the high profile sale of Chelsfield after key adviser SJ Berwin was ...
Finance deals round-up
Sidley Austin Brown & Wood (Graham Penn, Partha Pal) represented Morgan Stanley on the first synthetic securitisation in the ELoC series, a commercial mortgage-backed securitisation programme arranged by the bank. Five loans were transfered secured by mortgages on Italian commercial real ...
Careers: people
Linklaters Madrid has strengthened its M&A and private equity practice with the hires of two associates from magic circle rivals. Alexander Kolb arrives from Clifford Chance’s corporate department, where he has worked since 1999, while Victor Manchado joins after five years at
Forschbach takes team of six from Ashurst to Latham
Parisian private equity star Thomas Forschbach is being joined by six lawyers from former firm Ashurst at his new home Latham & Watkins.
Dechert hit with new partner departure
Dechert’s string of partner losses has lengthened further after another partner prepares to leave the firm.
Linklaters puts spotlight on partner performance with corporate reshuffle
Linklaters will today announce a reorganisation of its London corporate group as management focuses on partner performance.
MAQS looks for Baltic rim supremacy with merger
Pinsents’ Scandinavian ally Magnusson Wahlin Qvist Stanbrook (MAQS) has merged with niche Swedish outfit Bergling & Partners as part of a push to dominate the Baltic rim.
Ashurst lands Terra Firma after Linklaters conflicted
Ashurst has secured its first instruction from Terra Firma thanks to a conflict at Linklaters, advising the private equity house on the separate auctions of the UCI and Odeon cinema chains.
Arnold & Porter acts for BAE on DigitalNet acquisition
Washington DC firm Arnold & Porter has strengthened its relationship with BAE Systems after the firm scooped its first corporate instruction for the UK defence giant.
Taylor Walton
The philosophy at Taylor Walton is simple: regional is best.
Safe direction
Irish legislation is forcing executive and non-executive directors to keep a tighter rein on corporate governance. Feargal Brennan reports on how the new regime is working
The Celt belt
Ireland’s M&A and corporate finance markets are booming. Eithne FitzGerald provides a round-up of the biggest deals in the past year
Lipton replaced in high profile NYSE role by Sonsini
Legendary US corporate giant Martin Lipton has been replaced as the chairman of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) legal advisory committee by Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati chair Larry Sonsini.
Lawrence Graham wins Enterprise Act first
Lawrence Graham has secured the first ever extension on company administration following the introduction of changes to the Enterprises Act 2002 last September.
Norton Rose cements Admiral, QBE relationships
Norton Rose has consolidated its relationship with two of Europe’s largest insurers. The firm scooped a key role on the initial public offering (IPO) of Admiral and associate Adrian Williams landed the general counsel role at QBE.
Capital markets ace quits for Dorsey
Norton Rose US capital markets star Richard Baumann is quitting the firm to lead US firm Dorsey & Whitney’s capital markets practice in London.
Leader
As Herbert Smith embarks on its elections for senior partner, one thing ought to be on the minds of the two candidates – how is the firm going to regain momentum?
Lovells lands Paris private equity star
Lovells has plugged a gap in its European private equity practice with the recruitment of French private equity star Monique Sentilles-Dupont from Paris boutique Nomos.
European general counsel quits Disney after ten years
Walt Disney’s European general counsel Rosemary Bloom has quit after 10 years with the media giant.
Bird & Bird corporate partner quits for Fladgates
Bird & Bird corporate partner Jeff McGeachie has quit to join Fladgate Fielder. McGeachie joined Bird & Bird after the collapse of Garretts. Bird & Bird managing partner David Kerr said that McGeachie’s practice, focusing on entrepreneurial mid-market clients, did not fit in with the firm’s corporate strategy, which ...
Blake Lapthorn loses partner to Charles Russell
Southampton-based Blake Lapthorn Linnell’s corporate practice has suffered a blow after losing a partner to Charles Russell. Peter Elliott has joined Charles Russell’s London corporate commercial office in a bid to beef up the firm’s business in the South East, Oxfordshire and Thames Valley areas.
Hengeler, Freshfields keep tight grip on DAX 30 companies
Germany’s corporate powerhouses have maintained their stranglehold over clients in the DAX 30, the German equivalent of the FTSE 100.
Norton Rose beats Richards Butler to Hemscott contracts
Norton Rose beats Richards Butler to Hemscott contracts" /Norton Rose has elbowed aside Richards Butler to scoop a trio of deals for new client business and financial information supplier Hemscott.
Morgan Lewis scoops AIM flotation work for XL TechGroup
Morgan Lewis & Bockius’s London office has been handed the mandate for the AIM flotation of US technology incubator XL TechGroup.
Weil and Latham take the quick route to the top in Paris
With just two defections, the French private equity market has totally changed. By Catrin Griffiths
Corporate deals round-up
Paul Weiss Rifkin Wharton & Garrison (John Lange) advised TCL Communications Technology Holdings on its acquisition of Alcatel’s mobile handset R&D, manufacture and distribution business. The joint venture established to carry out the acquisition is owned 55 per cent by TCL and 45 per cent by Alcatel.
Moving on up
Linklaters is finally breaking into the German big league. But it’ll be a while before it catches Hengeler and Freshfields. By Aled Griffiths
Careers: people
Cobbetts has bolstered its IP, information, communications and technology and media teams with the hire of two solicitors for its Manchester office. Laura Harper arrives after a five-year stint at Pannone & Partners, while Sonia Luthra joins the top 50 firm from DWF Solicitors.
Blake Lapthorn loses corporate partner to Charles Russell
Southampton-based law firm Blake Lapthorn Linnell’s corporate practice has suffered a blow after losing a partner to Charles Russell.
Byrne and Partners
Byrne and Partners, an independent six-partner boutique specialising in commercial litigation, was founded on high aspirations. “We aren’t yet a name in the marketplace that everyone thinks of first, but that’s what we’re aiming for,” says partner Matthew Frankland. “We want to be the pre-eminent business crime firm, offering real solutions to real problems and adding value ...
US firms smash pay scale for UK private equity talent
Top stars offered up to forty per cent on top of UK earnings as US firms enter into City bidding war
Legal & General in review of its UK external advisers
Legal & General (L&G) is in the throes of a full-scale review of its UK law firm panel.
Hatfield trial scheduled for January
After last week’s collapse of the corporate manslaughter and health and safety charges against Railtrack, prosecutors over the Hatfield rail crash now have four months to prepare their case against Balfour Beatty Rail Infrastructures and a number of its former executives.
Simmons loses fifth partner in one month
Simmons & Simmons has lost a fifth partner in a month, with US-qualified Christopher Lewis quitting for Thacher Proffitt & Wood.
Quadrant Chambers hires DWS aviation expert
Quadrant Chambers is continuing its hiring spree after recruiting a former corporate partner from Denton Wilde Sapte (DWS). Hugh O’Donovan is joining the set after 13 years at DWS, where he was a member of the firm’s aviation practice specialising in the growing area of airline regulatory and competition work. His clients include easyJet and travel company Opodo. The move is a coup for Quadrant, which has made seven lateral hires in the last year, including Julian Malins QC from Littleton ...
Ashurst rainmaker in Latham move
Ashurst rainmaker in Latham move" /Ashurst has been dealt a blow after losing highly rated Parisian corporate rainmaker Thomas Forschbach to Latham & Watkins.
Careers: people
Thames Valley firm Pitmans has hired ex-Dechert corporate finance partner Janice Wall as a partner in the corporate commercial team. Wall, with Dechert for seven years, specialises in national and international M&A, property finance and joint ventures.
Herbert Smith picks up Macquarie work on NGT gas network buyout
Herbert Smith has gained a further foothold in the private equity arena after winning Macquarie European Infrastructure Fund as a new client.
Simmons wins Fantuzzi restructure
Simmons & Simmons’ Rome office has scooped a new client, crane and container manufacturer Fantuzzi, after advising on its successful financial restructuring.
Winston & Strawn chairman stung in Hollinger report
The chairman of Winston & Strawn has been criticised in 500-page report into the alleged fraud at Hollinger International Inc over his role as the chair of the company’s audit committee.
Denton Wilde Sapte partner makes return to the bar at Quadrant
Quadrant Chambers is continuing its prolific hiring spree after recruiting a former corporate partner from Denton Wilde Sapte (DWS).
Simmons hit with third partner departure
Simmons & Simmons has sustained another partner loss, as a highly rated corporate partner up sticks for Lovells.
Cisco poised for move to DuPont legal model
Tech company latest to adopt one-firm partnering scheme pioneered by DuPont
Dorsey takes on Revenue for multinationals
Dorsey & Whitney is leading the multibillion-pound fight against the Inland Revenue in a series of group litigation orders challenging the UK’s tax rules.
Masons wins NHS EDS work after A&O and DLA conflicted
Masons has helped settle the NHS’s dispute with IT provider EDS, setting it up to retender the contract to Cable & Wireless.
Simmons scoops Next share scheme project
Simmons & Simmons has completed an executive share incentive scheme for Next, demonstrating that the firm still has a solid relationship with the retailer despite the fact that Herbert Smith muscled in on Next’s corporate work last year.
Careers: people
City firm Dawsons has boosted its corporate department with the promotion to partner of Ute Mueller. Mueller, who qualified in Germany in 1997 and joined the firm three years ago, specialises in international law.
Bush names Jones Day partner as FTC head
A partner in Jones Day’s Washington practice was this week sworn in as chairwoman of the Federal Trade Commission.Antitrust specialist Deborah Platt Majoras, was nominated for the post by President George W. Bush in May and appointed last month.Majoras served as deputy assistant attorney general and principal deputy at the US Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division.
Kirkland rainmaker lands top job at Conseco
A leading corporate partner from Kirkland & Ellis has been appointed as president and chief executive of recovering US insurance giant Conseco.
Adams looks for new niche in Canary Wharf
East London firm Adams is opening a third office in Canary Wharf in a bid to reposition itself as a boutique corporate and finance practice. The new office, on the 29th floor of One Canada Square, will open on 1 September with an estimated 18 staff and will specialise in corporate, finance and property. The office will be managed by banking and finance partner Sean Sydenham, who will move from the firm’s Whitechapel headquarters along with the firm’s property team.
McGrigors stocks up on flotations
The corporate team at McGrigors tucked away 11, primarily AIM, flotations in six months, despite a turbulent year which saw the exit of three legacy KLegal partners.
Wragges scoops Inter-Alliance merger
Wragges scoops Inter-Alliance merger" /Wragge & Co has completed its first deal for new client Inter-Alliance Group, the AIM-listed independent financial adviser (IFA).
Canary Wharf gains new legal tenant with Adams
East London law firm Adams is opening a third office in Canary Wharf in a bid to reposition itself as a boutique corporate and finance practice.
Eversheds hire ramps up corporate crime group
Eversheds joins trend with Orchard capture; future of legal aid work uncertain
Wendel Investissement work follows Linklaters star to Weil
Linklaters star to Weil" /Weil Gotshal & Manges’ Paris office has won a new client on the back of last November’s high-profile hire of Linklaters private equity star David Aknin.
Shearman steps into British Energy rescue affray
Shearman & Sterling has emerged as the adviser to British Energy rebel shareholder Polygon Investments.
Herbert Smith secures ABF portfolio for best friend Cravath
Cravath Swaine & Moore has won Associated British Foods (ABF) as a new client, thanks to Herbert Smith.
Secret Service
With the leading tax teams taking on a more strategic role, it’s no longer only Brad Pitt who can win a battle with a Trojan Horse. Kate Schmit reports
Allen & Overy to block corporate partner promotions as downturn bites
London-based corporate associates vying to make partner at Allen & Overy (A&O) have had their hopes dashed after the firm announced there will be no promotions in the group next year.
It’s no joke
An Englishman, an Irishman and a Scotsman were working on a deal. Cue terrible joke, except this one is actually true.
SocGen looks to Herbert Smith for advice on Mach funding package
Herbert Smith has won its first ever acquisition finance mandate from Société Générale (SocGen).
Debevoise scoops role on Italtel float despite lack of Italian base
Debevoise & Plimpton has scooped a plum role on the latest IPO to hit the Italian market, despite having no presence in the region.
Martineaus handed NGT Gas Metering Arrangements work
Martineau Johnson has scooped its first major instruction for National Grid Transco’s (NGT) gas business since its merger with energy group Lattice.
Careers: people
Gateley Wareing has recruited a new associate to bolster the corporate services division in its Birmingham HQ. Chris Reed, who specialises in acquisitions and disposals as well as joint ventures, joins from Wragge & Co.
Dickson Minto posts turnover hike as private equity revives
Dickson Minto has posted a strong set of year-end figures, reporting a 30 per cent rise in income for the last financial year.
Ashurst picks up Blackstone work
Ashurst picks up Blackstone work" /Ashurst has received its first instruction from US private equity giant Blackstone.
Allen & Overy targets investment funds with Clifford Chance team
Allen & Overy targets investment funds with Clifford Chance team" /Allen & Overy (A&O) is set to make a push on the investment funds market with the hire of a team of six associates from Clifford Chance in London. ...
Dechert’s partnership dwindles further
Dechert’s string of partner losses has lengthened after a London corporate partner opted to join Reading firm Pitmans. Janice Wall will leave at the end of this month. Her exit follows that of insurance partner James Lewis, who left for LeBoeuf Lamb Green & MacRae in March. Prior to Lewis’s decision to leave, Charles Brown, former head of Dechert’s City construction practice, moved to the London office of ...
Robert Muckle makes first equity partner lateral
Newcastle’s Robert Muckle has hired its first ever lateral directly into the firm’s equity, taking on a former Eversheds corporate partner. Andrew Davison, who was also company secretary with high street bakery chain Greggs while practising with Eversheds, left in April, speaking to several firms before finally plumping for ...
Skadden brings in Chicago ace for Moscow post
Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom has appointed joint heads for Moscow, drafting in Chicago-based project finance and M&A specialist Dmitri Kovalenko. He will become European counsel and co-head of the office along with resident lawyer Alexey Kiyashko. Partner Pranav Trivedi will continue to split his time between London and Moscow, advising on international corporate finance, ...
Allseas liable for DWS fees as P&I club Gard wins cap
Insurers have pulled out of providing legal expenses cover in an arbitration that has grossed the largest lawyers’ fees – some £100m – in any case of its kind in English history.
Slaughters to advise Jarvis on restructure
Slaughter and May has scooped a huge instruction from Jarvis, having been brought in by the troubled infrastructure group earlier this year to advise on its strategic review.
Work-life quiz
Michael Hatchwell, head of corporate, Davenport Lyons
Robert Muckle scores first with key lateral
Newcastle’s Robert Muckle hired its first-ever lateral directly into the firm’s equity, taking a former Eversheds corporate partner.
Dechert’s London office hit with corporate exit
Dechert’s string of partner losses has lengthened after a corporate partner in the London office has opted to join Reading-based firm Pitmans.
Joy at Slaughters, gloom at Ashurst as Green’s bid folds
But did the Philip Green camp get a fair shot after the M&S board held out? By Helen Power
Freshfields in £1m fight for Marks & Spencer fees
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer faces an uphill struggle to recover the £1m-plus fees it incurred advising Philip Green on his aborted bid for Marks & Spencer (M&S).
Lovells and Lehman scoop first joint AIM float for M&C Saatchi
Lovells and global investment bank Lehman Brothers have teamed up to advise on their first ever AIM float – the initial public offering (IPO) of advertising agency M&C Saatchi.
Norton Rose gets the nod from HSBC for M&S deal
HSBC gave Norton Rose a role on Philip Green’s failed bid for Marks & Spencer (M&S) last month, indicating that although Norton Rose may not be HSBC’s preferred adviser in Asia, it still has a hold over the bank in London.
Opinion
Buying companies saddled with state aid liabilities can be a risky business. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has recently given some types of buyers the benefit of the doubt, but those rushing to the conclusion that from now on a buyer will never have to repay unlawful state aid received by the seller should think twice – and carefully.
DMH
South East firm DMH likes to impress as soon as a client walks through the door, and in quite a stylish manner – the firm’s Brighton and Crawley offices double as art galleries. The firm is unusual in having a dedicated gallery manager, and exhibitions showcasing the work of predominantly local artists are held regularly.
Marks & Spender
It wasn’t just billionaire Philip Green who indulged his sense of humour over the data protection notices filed by Stuart Rose during his ultimately successful attempt to keep Marks & Spencer out of the hands of the Arcadia owner. Millionaire Lord Grabiner, Arcadia’s chairman, also got involved.
Careers: people
Edwin Coe has hired Ronald Graham as a partner from the London office of Jones Day to boost its corporate division. Graham brings expertise in international cross-border M&A and joint ventures. The move follows the recent appointment of partner Victor Hawrych from Masons.
Landwell in rare equity promotion
The legal arm of PricewaterhouseCoopers, Landwell, which is the UK’s sole surviving accountancy-tied law firm, has made up a salaried partner to the equity in only its second salaried partner promotion since its launch in 1996.
Linklaters in multiple M&S roles
Linklaters has emerged as a multiple adviser on Marks & Spencer’s (M&S) bid battle with Philip Green, as the retail entrepreneur last week returned his gaze to the company’s pension fund trust.
Herbert Smith cuts fees by 40 per cent for massive IMS deal
Herbert Smith has taken a massive cut in fees to advise on an epic three-year data privacy programme, which it considers a model for international data compliance projects.
CC handed second KKR mandate in three months
Clifford Chance has landed its second European buyout for Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) within three months, after the US private equity giant paid $1.7bn (£915.4m) for German automotive business Auto-Teile-Unger (ATU) Holding.
The biggest takeover bid in the City keeps getting more bizarre
The lawyers won’t comment, but Helen Power brings you the inside track on the M&S-Green saga
Corporate deals round-up
Clifford Chance (David Lewis) acted for Luxembourg steel producer Arcelor on acquiring a 33.75 per cent stake in Companhia Siderúrgica de Tubarão worth $579m (£311.8m), increasing Arcelor’s overall holding in the company to 62 per cent. Vieira Rezende Barbosa e Guerreiros acted ...
Separated at birth
Coudert Brothers’ London office is lucky to be headed by a Hollywood star. And not any old silver screen actor, but that legend of comedic timing Adam Sandler (day job name, Dean Poster). Sandler recently quipped that his firm was “particularly pleased that the Court of Appeal recognised the difficulties and risks of doing business in Russia over a decade ago” by finding that it did act negligently on a £5.5m Russian share purchase. Confused? Well, it did actually reduce the firm’s ...
Profits up 10 per cent at Burges Salmon
Bristol’s Burges Salmon has reported solid figures for the 2003/2004 financial year, with profits up 10 per cent.
Linklaters pips CC to become number one Asia M&A adviser
Linklaters has knocked magic circle rival Clifford Chance off the top spot on the number of Asian-based M&A deals it acted on in the first half of the year.
Landwell makes second promotion in eight years
PriceWaterhouseCooper’s legal arm Landwell, the UK’s sole surviving accountancy-tied law firm, has made up a salaried to the equity - its second only salaried partner promotion since its launch in 1996.
Ashurst probed by M&S over Rose personal data
Philip Green’s new law firm Ashurst has been served with a data protection notice to disclose personal information on the retail entrepreneur’s former friend and Marks & Spencer (M&S) chief executive Stuart Rose.
Jones Day takes its first step into East Europe
Jones Day has boosted its burgeoning European operation with the launch of its first Eastern Europe office.
Duane Morris lures Luce Forward duo
Duane Morris has plucked two more partners from Luce Forward Hamilton & Scripps, this time to boost its corporate practice. Rated corporate partners Robert Copeland and Stuart Sorenson are joining Duane Morris’s San Diego office, which the firm opened in July last year. First revealed on www.thelawyer.com 1 July
Linklaters beats Camerons to National Grid acquisition
Linklaters beats Camerons to National Grid acquisition" /Linklaters has elbowed CMS Cameron McKenna aside to scoop the first major corporate job for National Grid Transco (NGT) since its 2002 merger with energy group Lattice.
Slaughters defies the odds on BMG-Sony Music tie-up
Slaughter and May’s competition practice has secured a surprise European Commission clearance for the merger between client Bertelsmann Music Group (BMG) and Sony Music.
Paper chase
Fresh from the Telegraph triumph, Lovells’ Marco Compagnoni wants to take his private equity group to new heights. Catrin Griffiths reports
Careers: people
Maxwell Batley has announced a slew of new appointments as part of its ongoing expansion drive. Mandeep Ubbey and Una McNamara join the London firm from Herbert Smith, where they were assistants in the real estate department. Emma Thornington arrives after completing her training in commercial property, property litigation and corporate work at Memery Crystal.
Linklaters rises to top spot in European M&A standing
Linklaters has topped the European M&A league tables for the first half of 2004, trumping magic circle rival Clifford Chance, which ranked number one last year.Figures released by Mergermarket saw Linklaters notching up 78 deals totalling e99.08bn (£66.24bn).
Telegraph bid: Lovells sole firm to be guaranteed fees
The Lawyer can reveal that only one of the final three bidders for the Telegraph Group, the winning Barclay Brothers, who were represented by Lovells, had an agreement to pay its law firm in full, win or lose.
Two quit Stephensons as new duo arrives
Stephenson Harwood has lost its head of corporate and a partner to Taylor Wessing, but has gained two new recruits. James Robertson, group practice leader for corporate, and partner Adrienne Seaman are leaving for Taylor Wessing. However, Stephensons is taking on two lawyers for its banking and asset finance ...
Linklaters tops M&A league tables
Linklaters has topped the European M&A league tables for the first half of 2004, trumping magic circle rival Clifford Chance who ranked number one in last year’s annual ratings.
Stephenson Harwood wins and loses in recruitment stakes
Stephenson Harwood has lost its head of corporate and a partner to Taylor Wessing but gained two new recruits.
DLA deals blow to SJ Berwin
DLA has poached SJ Berwin private equity partner Andrew Harris.DLA voted Harris into the equity last Friday (18 June), just a week after private equity partner Andrew Carpenter quit for O’Melveny & Myers.
Freshfields appoints French managing partner
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has elected M&A and private equity lawyer Jean-Claude Cotoni as its French managing partner for a three-year term. Cotoni succeeds Jean-Luc Michaud, who has been the managing partner since 2001. Freshfields’ Paris office has 38 partners and 211 lawyers. First revealed on www.thelawyer.com 15 June
Goldman and Cadwalader walk City tightrope on QMH
First Meridien, now QMH; the Cads-Goldman double act is up to something. By Dearbail Jordan
Corporate deals round-up
Weil Gotshal & Manges (Gerhard Schmidt) advised a consortium led by investment companies Texas Pacific Group and Credit Suisse First Boston Private Equity on the acquisition of Grohe Aktiengesellschaft from BC Partners. It is one of the largest leveraged buyouts in Germany’s recent history, costing a reported €1.84bn (£1.22bn). CMS ...
Lee & Pembertons
“Commercially active high-net-worth individuals demand expert legal advice,” says Julian Whately, senior partner of Westminster firm Lee & Pembertons. Whately claims that his firm provides that advice, and not just in the traditional private client sectors of, for example, trusts and personal tax planning. “What we aim to be is a one-stop shop for all our clients’ needs,” he says.
Careers: people
South East firm Thomas Eggar has appointed Alan Parsons as a chartered tax adviser and Carl O’Shea as an assistant solicitor in its tax solutions group. Parsons was formerly advising on the management of offshore structures for wealthy individuals with both Deloitte & Touche and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Awards preview: niche firm of the year
On 22 June, 1400 people will crowd into the Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane for the most eagerly-awaited event of the year. With only one week to go, The Lawyer brings you a sneak preview of the shortlisted individuals and teams
Awards preview: M&A team of the year
On 22 June, 1400 people will crowd into the Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane for the most eagerly-awaited event of the year. With only one week to go, The Lawyer brings you a sneak preview of the shortlisted individuals and teams
Awards preview: corporate team of the year
On 22 June, 1400 people will crowd into the Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane for the most eagerly-awaited event of the year. With only one week to go, The Lawyer brings you a sneak preview of the shortlisted individuals and teams
M&S: why Freshfields ought to have known
Revealed: Freshfields faced same Slaughters team, same M&A tactic last year
Ashurst, Freshfields triumph over CC and Travers on new Apax panel
Ashurst and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have made it onto Apax Partners’ much-anticipated panel, knocking out longtime advisers Clifford Chance and
Leader
My, my. The timing couldn’t have been better. A week after Barry O’Brien’s team at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer was thrown off the M&S bid, Law Society president Peter Williamson was giving delegates at The St Paul risk management conference an insight into the way the new conflicts rules were shaping up.
Dickson Minto suspends lawyers after drunken brawl
Private equity boutique Dickson Minto has called in an independent investigator to assess allegations that two of the firm’s lawyers were involved in a drunken brawl during a boozy firmwide weekend away at the Lake District’s Langdale resort.
Herbert Smith suffers profits slump
Herbert Smith has joined the growing throng of City firms experiencing declining profits on static turnover for the last financial year.
Stevens & Bolton turnover up 13 per cent
Turnover at Stevens & Bolton rose 13 per cent last year to £11.1m, with profits edging up 3.5 per cent to £240,000. The firm has recruited a number of heavyweight partners in the past year, including Stephanie Dale, former head of employment at Denton Wilde Sapte, and Ken Woffenden, former head of corporate at Simmons & Simmons.
Nabarros lures BLP construction expert
Nabarro Nathanson has raided rival Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) for the latest addition to its construction team.
Norton Rose gifted Amlin corporate role
Norton Rose is the major beneficiary of FTSE 250 insurance company Amlin’s first legal panel for non-insurance-related work. Linklaters will continue as its key corporate adviser, but Norton Rose will act on corporate and regulatory issues. Group general counsel James Healy-Pratt will focus on forming a legal panel for ...
Weil misses starring role on WestLB’s Odeon sale
German bank WestLB has ignored Weil Gosthal & Manges on the disposal of the Odeon cinema chain, switching back to long-term adviser Allen & Overy (A&O), which has now accepted instructions on both the buy and sell sides of this transaction.
FFW steals a march on Lawrence Graham as Londis switches firms
Lawrence Graham as Londis switches firms" /Convenience store group Londis has dropped Lawrence Graham in the middle of its takeover battle.
Careers: people
Julia Hayhoe was elected as a director of management consultancy Hildebrandt International last month. Hayhoe, a former commercial litigator, primarily advises law firms, but also consults with investment banks, pharmaceutical companies and other professional services organisations. She has worked out of the New Jersey office since 2003 and will return to London at the end of this year, retaining an office in both cities.
Corporate deals round-up
Matheson Ormsby Prentice (George Brady) acted for Precinct Investments on its e113m (£75.2m) recommended offer, made through Deloitte Corporate Investments, to acquire the entire share capital of Gresham
Lovells completes ING private equity MBO
The group of investment and retail banks cutting loose their private equity divisions has gained another member after Lovells client ING finalised the spin-off of Baring Private Equity Partners (BPEP).
A&O muscles in on Ashurst’s client in Global Solutions deal
Ashurst’s client in Global Solutions deal" /Allen & Overy (A&O) has won its first instruction for mainstay Ashurst client Electra Partners Europe on the group’s joint £207.5m takeover of Global Solutions.
Lathams shakes up LA management
Latham & Watkins has replaced the managing partner of its Los Angeles office after a six-year tenure.
Nomura looks to Wragges for new hire
Japanese investment bank Nomura has tapped Wragge & Co’s corporate team for a new addition to its asset finance group.
Grapevine
The glow of a new client win just might be fading over at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer today.
A&O faces fresh conflict storm with dual bid role
Law Society okays A&O to advise bidder and target on KKR deal; Morley made the call for clearance
Green picks Freshfields for M&S bid
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer corporate partner Barry O’Brien has scooped the City’s hottest deal with a mandate to act for retail entrepreneur Philip Green on his £8bn-plus bid for Marks & Spencer (M&S), displacing usual adviser Allen & Overy.
Weil Gotshal sends second ace to Europe
Weil Gotshal & Manges is relocating its second New York heavyweight to its European operations in as many months, this time to London.
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Philip Green’s audacious bid for Marks & Spencer (M&S) is kicking the new financial year off to a great start for at least three City law firms.
Microsoft UK raids Apple to complete EMEA restructure
Apple Computers has lost its senior UK lawyer to arch rival Microsoft UK, as Chris Parker joins the IT giant as law and corporate affairs director.
Lovells splits group for asbestos onslaught
Lovells has split its contentious insurance, professional indemnity and environment group in preparation for an anticipated rise in asbestos claims.
Cobbetts ramps up banking with double hire
Cobbetts has boosted its banking capability in Leeds with the hire of two new partners. Real estate finance expert Tracy Hall joined the firm from Eversheds’ Leeds office in April, while former Addleshaw Goddard corporate banking partner Richard Berry is set to join later this month. The hires bring the number ...
Hewitsons goes through management rejig
Hewitsons goes through management rejig" /Regional firm Hewitsons is to undergo a shake-up of senior management, effective from early September. Commercial property specialist Alan Brett will take the role of senior partner after 10 years as managing partner, replacing current senior partner Ian Barnett, who will ...
Addleshaws hires partner for City projects team
Addleshaw Goddard is aiming to strengthen its London projects practice with the addition of a new partner. Richard Guit will boost the number of partners in the City group to seven when he moves from CMS Cameron McKenna in June. The London projects team was also recently boosted by the move across from corporate of partner ...
Dewey gets private equity back on track
Dewey Ballantine has poached Norton Rose corporate partner Markus Federle, who will restart its private equity push following the departure of the founder of the firm’s German practice Geza Toth.
Iraqi lawyer sets up shop in Baghdad
Hussein Damirji, a native Iraqi who has spent most of his life outside his homeland, has returned to set up his own law firm.
Clifford Chance loses five staff to McDermott
The partner formerly in charge of Clifford Chance’s taskforce on associate satisfaction is jumping ship, along with five colleagues, to McDermott Will & Emery.
Cadwalader client puts QMH debt plan in doubt
Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft has thrown Queen Moat House’s (QMH) debt restructuring into a state of flux after client Goldman Sachs Whitehall Fund bought up large debt and equity stakes in the troubled hotel operator.
Latham US passes airline work to London
Latham & Watkins’ London office has won its first work for private equity fund Indigo Partners LLC, thanks to a referral from the US firm’s Silicon Valley office.
Separated at birth
In Germany late last year, Linklaters antitrust star George Roper (aka Dirk Schroeder) was recruited by Cleary Gottlieb to kickstart its Cologne office. For the determinedly working class Roper, ...
Simmons scoops brief for broking arm of ABN Amro
Simmons & Simmons has leveraged its track record in advising venture capitalists on managed exits to win ABN Amro’s stockbroking arm Hoare Govett as a new client.
Regional firms come good as City counterparts suffer profits slump
Regional law firms have shrugged off the economic malaise affecting their City contemporaries by reporting solid figures for the last financial year.
Tite & Lewis team moves to Nabarros
Nabarro Nathanson has captured a highly rated team from the beleaguered Tite & Lewis, led by banking partner Charles Proctor and M&A specialist Andrea Cropley.
Eurotunnel: Weil Gotshal in, Herbert Smith pushed aside
Eurotunnel’s new board has brought in Weil Gotshal & Manges to oversee its restructuring, leaving long-time adviser Herbert Smith in a corporate role.
Addleshaws promotes to fill partnership gap
Addleshaw Goddard is promoting 11 lawyers after losing three partners earlier this month. Three will become partners, including employment lawyer Ruth Davies, finance and projects lawyer Andrew Pettinger and corporate restructuring and insolvency lawyer Daniel Redstone. Another eight lawyers will step into legal director roles, which have been designed to provide a career development path for ...
Boyes Turner revenues continue to rise
Reading-based Boyes Turner’s end-of-year results show that its impressive growth over the past five years has continued. Turnover is up 15 per cent, from £7.2m to £8.3m. Final profit figures are not available, but chief executive Andrew Chalkley said he was anticipating around £175,000 per equity partner. This would reflect a dip on last year’s £179,000, although the firm has expanded its partnership ...
McCanns partners cash in on site sale
Equity partners at Dublin’s McCann FitzGerald could be in line for a multimillion-euro windfall after completing a sale and leaseback of its new premises at Grand Canal Docks.
Norton Rose suffers blow to competition
Norton Rose has lost its second key competition partner in just over two years.
Clydes scoops Kurdistan govt contract
The Kurdistan government has appointed Clyde & Co to act on all negotiations and contracts with foreign companies investing in the one relatively safe region of Iraq.
Shearman tax partner defects to Watson Farley in NY
Watson Farley & Williams’ New York office has raided Shearman & Sterling for a new partner for the second time in 12 months.
Wragges wraps up Nomura’s £245m Earls Court purchase
Wragges wraps up Nomura’s £245m Earls Court purchase" /Wragge & Co has closed its first deal for new client Nomura, completing the £245m acquisition of the Earls Court and Olympia complex on 7 May.
Travers Smith strengthens IPO standing
Travers Smith Braithwaite is consolidating its position at the forefront of the initial public offering (IPO) market, after advising on one of the first main market IPOs of the year, that of longstanding client Pinewood Shepperton.
Apax ‘key-man clause’ adds new twist as top Travers Smith rainmaker resigns
Apax’s panel review has taken another turn, with the private equity house set to introduce a ‘key-man clause’ agreement with its new panel firms.
Milbank opens in Munich
Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy has scored a huge coup by recruiting Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s global co-head of private equity to open its Munich office.
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There is no doubt that Milbank has stolen the jewel of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s private equity practice with the Nussbaum, Rieger and Fuger trio. It has cut the heart out of Freshfields’ Munich office with a more ruthless raid than Weil Gotshal’s failed attempts to capture Clifford Chance’s ...
Herbert Smith frozen out of Standard Life demutualisation
Standard Life has finally held a beauty parade for its massive demutualisation, but it is understood that the mutual has not asked Herbert Smith’s star corporate insurance team to pitch for the work.
Olswang makes management rejig as group heads step down
Olswang has undertaken a management shake-up after three of its four practice group heads decided not to stand for re-election.
Fasken boosts London team with Osler hire
Canadian firm Fasken Martineau has bolstered its presence in London with the hire of Canadian Jim Lisson, formerly a partner with Osler Hoskin & Harcourt.
Beachcrofts makes triple partner hire
Beachcroft Wansbroughs has recruited three partners for its property, employment and corporate finance teams in London, Bristol and Manchester. Monica Blake joins the London commercial property team from Mishcon de Reya, Frank Morton has quit Osborne Clarke for Beachcrofts’ employment team in Bristol and Leila ...
Capital gains
Carl Lobell has been GE’s top relationship partner at Weil Gotshal in New York – and now he’s moving to Europe. But with GE shaking up its external advisers, should he be worried? By Dearbail Jordan
Careers: People
US firm Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft LLP has appointed two new special counsel to the firm, London project finance lawyer Charlotte Rogers and New York real estate specialist Angela Works.
Careers: People
South West firm Bond Pearce has made three internal partner appointments: Bristol-based property litigator James Rees, Bristol-based insurance litigator Nathan Peacey and Southampton-based corporate finance specialist Sebastian Briggs.
Lovells clinches Autobar buy in first deal for Charterhouse
Derek Baird wins private equity house as client as former firm Dickson Minto is conflicted out
Heatons firms up Baugur relationship after winning Goldsmiths brief
Niche Stoke-on-Trent firm Heatons is cementing its relationship with retail giant Baugur after winning its third instruction from the Icelandic company, this time to advise on the £110m acquisition of UK jewellery retailer Goldsmiths.
Firm profile: Clarke Willmott
A lot of law firms talk about understanding their clients’ needs, but Clarke Willmott claims to offer “more understanding”. This is the South West firm’s brand, and it means what it says. “It could sound a bit nebulous,” says managing partner David Sedgwick, “but we’re serious.”
Beachcroft Wansbroughs in triple partner hire
Beachcroft Wansbroughs has recruited three new partners for its property, employment and corporate finance teams in London, Bristol and Manchester.
Masons loses two partners to Forsters and Edwin Coe
Masons has suffered a double blow with the departure of two more partners, taking the number of partners to quit the firm to seven in as many months.
Cazenove picks Travers for Dealogic AIM float
Travers Smith Braithwaite has scooped its first instruction from Cazenove, advising on what is the bank’s second successful AIM float – the initial public offering (IPO) of Dealogic.
Bates Wells makes double hire from Reid Minty
London-based firm Bates Wells & Braithwaite has scored two new partners from Reid Minty in an effort to beef up its practice. Martin Gunson joins as a property partner and corporate partner Jonathan Ebsworth is to head the newly created sports and media group. Additionally, solicitor Lesley Robinson has been promoted to property litigation partner, while Freemantle Media in-houser Andrew ...
Gide looks south with new Belgrade office
French firm Gide Loyrette Nouel has launched a new office in Serbia and Montenegro in a bid to capture more privatisation work.
Dewey raids Shearman Germany for tax ace
Dewey Ballantine has poached Shearman & Sterling tax star Hanno Berger for its Frankfurt office.
Axa general counsel defects to Danone
Christianne Butte, the general counsel of Axa, has resigned after 13 years in the job to take the same role at food and drinks company Groupe Danone.
I'll be there
Shaw Pittman London managing partner Alistair Maughan may be laid back, but there is one topic that still gets him riled – the Latham raid. Steve Hoare reports
Travers scores first deal for Cazenove
Travers Smith Braithwaite has scooped its first instruction from blue-blood investment bank Cazenove, a longstanding client of Slaughter and May.
Manchester United’s Watkins nets millions in share sale
James Chapman & Co’s senior partner and lawyer to Manchester United has netted himself a tidy £2.5m after off-loading a million of his shares in the club.
Camerons’ Woolf win Law Society deputy role
One of CMS Cameron McKenna’s leading energy partners is retiring to take the reins as deputy vice president of the Law Society.
Losing partners alone won’t get Simmons to its £400K PPP goal
Simmons & Simmons last week announced that it is on a profits drive, setting a global profits per partner (PPP) target of £400,000 in 2004-05. The City firm has a mountain to climb given that average PPP in 2002-03 was just £300,000 and will be at best flat this year. But Simmons has two new weapons in its arsenal to ensure ...
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Last week Italy, next week Sweden: Osborne Clarke (OC) is barrelling around Europe with all the grace of a gap-year backpacker.
Rainmaker quits Blake Lapthorn for Shoosmiths
Blake Lapthorn Linnell has lost its leading corporate rainmaker, at the same time as the firm announces the axing of its three-lawyer children and education team.
Shoosmiths duo moves to Clarke Willmott
Clarke Willmott & Clarke has raided Shoosmiths, picking up corporate partner Sally Norcross-Webb and a senior associate. The pair will join Clarke Willmott’s new Stoneham Gate offices in Southampton on 1 May.
Gleiss Lutz seconds partner to Herbert Smith
Gleiss Lutz is seconding a partner to best friend Herbert Smith for the first time. Corporate partner Andreas Woelfle moved to London last week. Last year, Herbert Smith sent corporate partner Philip Talboys to Gleiss’s Frankfurt office on a two-year secondment.
Staff losses prompt Morgan Cole restructure
Morgan Cole has reconfigured its London operation after a slew of defections over the past 12 months. The office, now headed by partners Stephen Room and Leon Golstein, will now focus purely on property and property litigation services for property, energy and investment clients. It will also offer mediation and dispute resolution under partner Phillip Howell-Richardson. Commercial and corporate advice ...
Linklaters swaps heads in Hong Kong
Linklaters has replaced the managing partner of its Hong Kong office with the head of its litigation and arbitration team in Asia. Marc Harvey is taking over the post from Nick Rees, who is returning to the firm’s London corporate group after five years at the helm. Harvey has been with Linklaters for over 13 years, having worked in the London office prior to relocating to Hong Kong in 1996. In a ...
L’Estrange corporate head ups sticks to client Almac Sciences
The head of Belfast firm L’Estrange & Brett’s market-leading corporate team John Irvine is set to leave the firm for key client Almac Sciences in the autumn.
Tughans sets up corporate base in Derry
Tughans is set to become the first large corporate law firm to open an office in Northern Ireland’s second city Derry.
Slaughters takes up first KPN instruction
Slaughter and May has scooped its first ever instruction from KPN, the Dutch telecoms giant, The Lawyer can reveal.
Slaughters wins Permira’s WHSmith bid over CC
Slaughter and May has scored a major coup for its fledgling private equity practice after being chosen ahead of Clifford Chance to act for Permira on its bid for retailer WHSmith.
Wagamama looks to Travers for AIM float as IPO market revives
Travers Smith Braithwaite is close to executing an AIM float for noodle bar chain Wagamama as the initial public offering (IPO) market shows signs of springing back to life.
A&L Goodbody tops M&A table after last-minute intervention
Mergermarket computer bug throws M&A rankings into confusion; Clifford Chance comes top in deals by value table
Morgan Cole restructures London office to focus on property
Morgan Cole has reconfigured its London operation after a slew of defections over the last 12 months.
A&O lands plum role for Stretto on Sicily to Italy bridge project
Allen & Overy (A&O) project finance partner Franco Vigliano has been handpicked by a former Clifford Chance lawyer to be lead adviser on a controversial €4.5bn (£2.97bn) project to build a bridge between Sicily and Italy.
DLA cements Blackstone ties with £750m Savoy sale
DLA has consolidated its relationship with the Blackstone Group after representing both the US private equity house and Colony Capital LLC on their £750m sale of the Savoy Hotel Group to Ireland’s Quinlan Private.
White & Case NY link wins mining bonanza
White & Case has landed its first ever deal for MMC Norilsk Nickel, acting on the Russian mining group’s surprise $1.16bn (£958.7bn) purchase of Anglo American’s stake in Gold Fields.
Hammonds bags Anschutz instruction for Manchester arena acquisition
Hammonds has won its first instruction for Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), a company owned by American billionaire tycoon Philip Anschutz, the current redeveloper of the Millennium Dome and founder of Qwest Communications.
Ping when you're winning
Linklaters’ energetic head of global capital markets is making strides in a difficult sector, despite being hampered by a recent slew of defections. Dearbail Jordan reports
Of ice and men
When rumours reached The Lawyer newsdesk that a masked man wielding a large stick had been spotted in the offices of Ashurst, Tulkinghorn felt the need to investigate.
Leader
You might almost think Denton Wilde Sapte (DWS) has a bit of a crush on CMS Cameron McKenna. First it takes on Camerons’ troubled Central Asia offices, then it follows Camerons in chopping China. The difference is that DWS had to bring in former Clifford Chance chief Geoffrey Howe to tell it what to do – sorry, to consult ...
Willkie Farr loses Paris rainmaker
Willkie Farr & Gallagher has lost high-profile corporate partner Michel Frieh.
Harper Macleod to set up corpfin arm
Scotland’s Harper Mac-leod has launched a standalone corporate finance arm to target small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Jones Day Milan in raid for A&O partner
Jones Day Milan in raid for A&O partner" /In a bid to ramp up its real estate and corporate capabilities in Italy, Jones Day has hired Allen & Overy (A&O) partner Marini Giovanni from the magic circle firm’s M