5 March 2007

QC applications drop by a quarter

The number of QC applicants has dropped by a quarter compared to last year, according to figures published by the QC Appointments committee this afternoon (9 March). A total of 333 barristers applied, compared to 443 in 2006. The fall in applications, however, had been expected by the Bar following last year’s massive 175 lawyers […]

City firms miss PR opportunity

The annual lovefest that is The Sunday Times’ 100 Best Companies To Work For is published this Sunday – and we got a sneak preview.

North-West rivals are the best firms to work for

Pannone has retained the third spot in the Sunday Times 100 best companies to work for list while the biggest riser on the list was Brabners Chaffe Street. Brabners rocketed 23 spaces from last year’s ranking, this year bagging 67th spot. Brabners managing partner Michael Brabner told the Lawyer: “We are pleasantly surprised and this […]

Dewey’s Italian plans hit by team exit

Dewey Ballantine’s planned alliance and possible merger with Italian boutique Galgano has hit its first hurdle, with Galgano’s Milanese head of tax deciding to leave ahead of any tie-up. Paolo Troiano will set up his own firm with two other Galgano partners, Alfredo Malgeri and Massimiliano Mancusi in about ten months’ time. Other Galgano fee-earners […]

Bristol’s Burges Salmon makes up five

Bristol-based Burges Salmon is to promote five new partners across the firm’s core practices. With effect from 1 May, Euan Bremner and Richard Read become partners in the property group, Antony Ellis becomes a partner in commercial, Adrian Martin a partner in employment, and Mahrie Webb a partner in corporate. Former senior partner Bob Smyth […]

Freshfields Asia veteran boosts Carey in London

Offshore firm Carey Olsen has lured its second magic circle partner, taking on a Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer structured finance partner to head up its London corporate and finance group for Jersey work. Mark Keeler joins Carey as of counsel from Freshfields’ Tokyo office, where he’d been for 10 years. He was in Asia since 1988, […]

Dewey raids Reed Smith for finance team

Dewey Ballantine’s New York office has hired two structured finance partners from Reed Smith. John Altorelli and Jeffrey Potash, who have experience in private equity, are hoping to bring work from private equity clients such as the Blackstone Group and corporate such as Sara Lee with them from Reed Smith. Global head of corporate James […]

DLA Piper advises on £715m Crest Nicholson bid

DLA Piper client Castle Bidco has agreed a £715m offer for property developer Crest Nicholson after the Takeover Panel extended its offer deadline to today. Crest Nicholson, advised by longstanding counsel Linklaters, has confirmed that it will accept an offer at 629.7 pence per share, unanimously accepted by Crest Nicholson’s board. It had previously rejected […]

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Wilkinson quits Cadwalader for Goldman Sachs

Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft restructuring star Andrew Wilkinson is leaving the US firm’s London office for longtime client Goldman Sachs. Wilkinson, who is also London managing partner, is to join the bank this summer as co-head of restructuring alongside Lachlan Edwards. Wilkinson’s exit coincides with the projected departure of restructuring partner James Douglas later this […]

Harbottles scores with Steven Gerrard

Media law firm Harbottle & Lewis put the ball in the back of Taylor Wessing’s net when it won the libel match for Liverpool footballer Steven Gerrard against the publishers of London Sport magazine. Echo Publishing are having to pay the England footballer an undisclosed amount after its magazine claimed, both in print and on […]

Norton Rose boosts US team with Latham hire

Norton Rose has expanded its US corporate finance practice with the appointment of a Latham & Watkins senior associate to its partnership. Mike Dunn joins the firm’s London office to strengthen its expertise in cross-border capital markets transactions after seven years at Latham & Watkins. Dunn will become the ninth US-qualified lawyer to join Norton […]