Pharmaceuticals and healthcare

Bech-Bruun loses three partners to Nordic rivals

Bech-Bruun has lost a handful partners to rival firms, with Norwegian-headquartered firm Schjødt and big five rival Gorrissen Federspiel both profiting from the exits. Litigation partners Søren Lundsgaard and Arianne Svardal-Stelmer will join Schjødt in the firm’s most substantial disputes expansion of its 18-month old Copenhagen office. The pair joined Bech-Bruun in a merger between […]

Claim spotter: EasyGroup takes on more “brand thieves”, while Barclays and NatWest team up

EasyGroup takes on “brand thieves” again in new suit EasyGroup, the owning group of budget airline EasyJet, has filed a part 7 “passing off and trade marks claim” in the Intellectual Property List, continuing its long-running campaign against what it calls “brand thieves”. Stephenson Harwood has been called in to represent EasyGroup in this latest […]

Hilton

Claim spotter: IP clash breaks out in Big Pharma, while Hilton takes on Zurich

Pharma wars: Hampshire firm takes on Aspirin producer An IP battle has begun between Hampshire-headquartered Aspire Pharma and German behemouth Bayer after the former filed a part 7 ‘patents and registered designs’ claim on Wednesday 7 February. Bayer is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, responsible for products including Aspirin, Claritin and Rennie, […]

Emma Levin

Mental healthcare provider OneBright hires first GC

UK mental healthcare provider OneBright has hired it first general counsel to support the expanding organisation. Emma Levin has been hired to take on the inaugural role, making the move from her current position as head of legal EV Europe at payment company Fleetcor on 8 January 2024. Levin began her career as a trainee […]

biotechnology

Latham and Skadden lead on £4.6bn Abcam acquisition

Advisers from Latham & Watkins and Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom have led on US conglomerate Danaher Corporation’s recent acquisition of Cambridge-based life science innovator Abcam in a $5.7bn transaction. Since Abcam’s AIM delisting in December 2022, Latham is understood to have been working closely with the company’s executive board as it faced calls […]

Corporate partner rejoins Stephenson Harwood after two years

A corporate partner who left Stephenson Harwood as part of a three-partner team in 2021 is moving back to her former firm. Karima Hudson, a corporate specialist, is leaving Taylor Wessing to rejoin Stephenson Harwood. She made the move alongside Andrew Edge and Andrew McClean in March 2021. All three partners have broad corporate practices, with […]

NHS

NHS cuts five firms from commercial panel

NHS Commercial Solutions is continuing to streamline its legal services framework, appointing 18 firms to its latest roster. Bevan Brittan, Clyde & Co, DAC Beachcroft, Hill Dickinson and Trowers & Hamlins have all been reappointed to the procurement organisation’s panel, while Ashfords, TLT, Weightmans and Womble Bond Dickinson have been newly appointed. Elsewhere, Addleshaw Goddard, […]

Netherlands

Arnold & Porter launches Amsterdam office with two-strong hire

US firm Arnold & Porter has launched an office in the Dutch capital of Amsterdam as it bids to take advantage of the city’s life sciences market. The firm has hired Hoyng Rokh Monegier (HRM) partner Carla Schoonderbeek to lead the office, with HRM counsel Bart Jong also joining as a partner. It is understood […]

NHS health

Places up for grabs on new £200m NHS panel

The panel spots of 28 firms are up for review as the NHS commences a tender valued at £200m. NHS Shared Business Services (SBS) is putting together a national framework agreement for the provision of legal services. NHS SBS is a joint venture between the Department of Health and French IT services company Sopra Steria […]