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. Herbert Smith has won a place alongside the regular advisers in a deal that will see mining giant […]
A group of former shareholders in Lloyds TSB has turned to Winckworth Sherwood as it prepares to launch legal proceedings against the bank. Lloyds Action Now (LAN) has been set up to seek compensation from Lloyds and HBOS directors over alleged losses they suffered following the former’s takeover of the latter. The group said it […]
Dutch financial group ING has axed Lovells and De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek from its global panel. Following a major review of its legal roster, ING has appointed Baker & McKenzie and Norton Rose alongside existing panel members Allen & Overy, Clifford Chance, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Linklaters and Sullivan & Cromwell. Group general counsel Jan Willem […]
US firm Shearman & Sterling has won a lead role advising on the acquisition of General Motors business Hummer. Hong Kong-based partner Paul Strecker and Beijing partner Lee Edwards are advising Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Co on the proposed acquisition of Hummer from GM. As part of the Hummer deal GM expects to be […]
Herbert Smith litigation partner Alan Watts made his television debut last night interviewing the candidates vying to become Sir Alan Sugar’s next apprentice. Sir Alan has been a client of Watts for 16 years, so when Britain’s most belligerent boss was stuck for an interviewer for hit television show The Apprentice he called on the […]
The London Development Agency (LDA) has unveiled its streamlined legal panel, cutting its list of advisers from 18 to eight. Ashfords, Burges Salmon, Herbert Smith, Lovells and Shepherd & Wedderburn are all newcomers to the list, while DLA Piper, Eversheds, and Stephenson Harwood retained their places. There was no room on the new panel for […]
Eversheds underlined its longstanding relationship with The Beatles this week when it advised on a deal to put 45 of the group’s songs on to the video game Rock Band. The two surviving members of The Beatles, Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, launched the karaoke-style game earlier this week when they appeared on stage […]
We’re half-way through the calendar year and The Lawyer’s top ten court battles of 2009 are well under way. The House of Lords will hear two cases this month, one is awaiting judgment from the Law Lords, two and a half have recently settled, another is ongoing, a further two will be heard in October […]
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). The beleaguered business will hive off its European arm – GM Europe – with Austrian-Canadian car parts manufacturer Magna International seeking to buy it, backed by […]
Lovells real estate head Bob Kidby has been appointed as a non-executive director at property developer Welbeck Land ahead of his retirement from Lovells next year. Bob Kidby Welbeck has been a client of Kidby for some 20 years and when he leaves Lovells in April 2010 he will assume an executive role at the […]
Family law set 4 Paper Buildings has taken on seven barristers from Renaissance Chambers, including leading family silk Henry Setright QC. Setright, the only silk practising from Renaissance Chambers, joins 4 Paper Buildings with barristers Teertha Gupta, Alistair Perkins, Ruth Kirby, Hassan Khan, Jacqueline Renton and Michael Gration. They join the family team under Marcus […]
Stephen Foster of litigation boutique Stewarts Law is set for a courtroom showdown with the queen of the celebrity divorce Fiona Shackleton (pictured) after he was formally instructed to act for Peter Andre in his split from Katie Price. Stewarts recruited Foster from Lester Aldridge to launch its divorce practice in 2006. He recently brought […]