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. CNOOC subsidiary China Blue is the country’s second-largest […]
The British Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has come under fire from civil rights organisations for allegedly failing to investigate claims of Government ministers’ involvement in ‘torture flights’. Civil rights organisations Reprieve and Liberty claim that an investigation by the European Parliament, which begins this month (October), will table evidence that could see senior UK politicians […]
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. Allen & Overy (A&O), Clifford Chance, Herbert Smith and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have all netted instructions on what could […]
SJ Berwin has scooped a role to advise new client Merchant Equity Partners (MEP) on the purchase of MFI’s loss-making retail arm. Mayflower, which is controlled by MEP, paid just £1 for the business. The acquisition is the first successful deal for MEP since the fund’s launch. It is understood that MEP competed against at […]
Denton Wilde Sapte’s (DWS) media team has scooped a role advising the organisers of the Music of Black Origin (Mobo) Awards. Media partner Ingrid Silver led the team, negotiating licence deals with UK pop stars Corinne Bailey Rae, Jamelia, Lemar and their record companies. The stars performed at the award ceremony held at the Royal […]
Baker & McKenzie‘s IT team has been working on a pro bono project bringing satellite IT and telecoms support to a string of major charities, including Action Aid, Oxfam and Save the Children. Several of the firm’s lawyers are helping NetHope, a not-for-profit organisation that provides its charity members with telecoms equipment and services, to […]
Nabarros scoop Land Securities development” />Nabarro Nathanson and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have landed mandates to advise on the redevelopment of Allen & Overy‘s (A&O) City headquarters. Nabarros’ relationship partner for Land Securities in London Nicholas Vergette is leading the team advising the longstanding client on the issues surrounding the redevelopment of One New Change, which […]
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. Och-Ziff has emerged as the financial backer behind Piers Marmion, the recruitment specialist that has made a £24.5m offer for Whitehead Mann. Och-Ziff’s relationship with A&O […]
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. The merger of Nationwide Building Society and smaller rival Portman Building Society is subject to approval by the Office of Fair Trading, Portman members and the Financial […]
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. Stanley, which runs 45 casinos, has instructed a team at Ashurst led by client relationship partner Bruce Hanton and associate Mark Sperotto. […]
Herbert Smith has scored its first instruction from the Australian government, aided by a personal relationship with a partner at Minter Ellison. The City and Australian firms are collaborating on a A$1bn (£404.36m) project to roll out access cards to 20-million Australians by 2010 in an attempt to streamline the existing complicated access to benefits […]
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. Harrah’s is the owner of casinos operating under the Harrah’s and Horseshoe names. It also bought the high-profile Caesar’s casino brand last year. The latest deal, a recommended £279.3m […]