The past week has seen global top three firm Latham & Watkins hire Vinson & Elkins’ former China co-head David Blumental in Hong Kong, as Norton Rose Fulbright (NRF) takes on DLA Piper’s Singapore corporate head Sheela Moorthy and big six Australian firm Clayton Utz ends its association in Hong Kong with Haley & Co. Continue reading “Asia: Latham hires V&E ex China co-head in HK; NRF hires DLA’s Singapore corporate head; Clayton Utz ends HK association”
Partner promotions: Skadden makes up 1 City partner out of 11; Morgan Cole promotes two
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom has promoted just one London lawyer to partnership in this year’s US-centric round of partner promotions.
The US top 5 Global 100 firm has promoted eleven lawyers in total, up three from last year Continue reading “Partner promotions: Skadden makes up 1 City partner out of 11; Morgan Cole promotes two”
‘Why don’t parties and their donors pay to run Parliament?’ MoJ pushes ahead with controversial court fees reform
Despite fierce accusations from within the senior echelons of the legal profession that the Government has failed to comprehend the Courts’ standing as an essential institution of the State, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) this week announced it will push ahead with the first stage of its proposals to overhaul court fees in civil claims. Continue reading “‘Why don’t parties and their donors pay to run Parliament?’ MoJ pushes ahead with controversial court fees reform”
Hogan Lovells calls on non-equity partners to inject £60k to £100k in response to HMRC shake-up
Hogan Lovells has called on its non-equity partners to make a significant capital contribution in light of HM Revenue & Customs’ (HMRC’s) decision to overhaul the way salaried partners are taxed, which is set to kick in this month.
Comment: Democracy and half measures are not delivering for Addleshaws
I wrote recently of the need, when commenting on the firms and individual lawyers we cover, to give the benefit of the doubt, and I meant it, but sometimes it’s hard to find that silver lining or constructive slant. Addleshaw Goddard, unfortunately, has become a case in point. Continue reading “Comment: Democracy and half measures are not delivering for Addleshaws”
Eversheds in merger talks with German partner as it opens a new Berlin office
Eversheds has confirmed it is in talks over a full merger with its German partner Heisse Kursawe Eversheds as the firm opens a third German office in Berlin. Continue reading “Eversheds in merger talks with German partner as it opens a new Berlin office”
Squire Sanders’ merger talks partner Patton Boggs approached by Dentons
Squire Sanders‘ merger talks partner Patton Boggs has been approached with an offer to combine from top 50 Global 100 firm Dentons. Continue reading “Squire Sanders’ merger talks partner Patton Boggs approached by Dentons”
Irwin Mitchell’s departing CEO John Pickering points to ‘the changing legal sector’ as Tucker takes over
Irwin Mitchell’s longstanding head John Pickering has pointed to changes in the legal sector for his decision to step down as group chief executive (CEO), as he prepares to leave the firm and the former CEO of the firm’s personal legal services (PLS) division Andrew Tucker steps into the lead role. Continue reading “Irwin Mitchell’s departing CEO John Pickering points to ‘the changing legal sector’ as Tucker takes over”
Taylor Wessing fills German head of private equity slot with Skadden hire as Bird & Bird bolsters Frankfurt
Taylor Wessing has hired Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom M&A partner Walter Henle to fill the role of German private equity head. The hire comes as separately, former Skadden Arps partner Peter Veranneman joins Bird & Bird’s Frankfurt and Dusseldorf offices from German bond company DGVA Continue reading “Taylor Wessing fills German head of private equity slot with Skadden hire as Bird & Bird bolsters Frankfurt”
Heineken UK in talks to appoint sole legal adviser
The UK arm of global cider and beer producer Heineken is actively considering going down the one-stop-shop route for the bulk of its legal work, appointing a sole legal adviser in a bid to cut down its external legal spend. Continue reading “Heineken UK in talks to appoint sole legal adviser”
Blake Lapthorn and Morgan Cole announce July merger
Tie-up to create a strong platform in south of England and Wales
Despite talks over the giant south-east combination between Blake Lapthorn, Boyes Turner and Morgan Cole to create a £100m firm falling through late last year with Boyes Turner withdrawing, Blake Lapthorn and Morgan Cole last month announced the two will merge on 1 July to form Blake Morgan, a 120-partner firm with a joint revenue of £72m.
Continue reading “Blake Lapthorn and Morgan Cole announce July merger”
Adviser cheer as City float boom builds momentum with a string of major IPOs
Retail IPO surge on back of increasing confidence
Capital markets partners attest to an end to the jitters that have until now dogged the initial public offerings (IPO) market, with retailers including Poundland, Pets at Home and AO World in recent weeks making their debut on the London Stock Exchange (LSE).
With the latest figures from Thomson Reuters showing that the value of LSE listings is up by 677% compared to this time last year, Pets at Home listed in mid-March at a value of £1.2bn, gifting Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, Clifford Chance (CC) and Travers Smith with lead mandates.
Continue reading “Adviser cheer as City float boom builds momentum with a string of major IPOs”
Irwin Mitchell replaced by Shakespeares on National Grid’s UK panel after review
Top 30 UK firm Irwin Mitchell last month lost its place on energy giant National Grid’s legal panel to Shakespeares, following a review by UK general counsel (GC) and company secretary Karen Clayton.
The 700-lawyer firm was appointed for debt recovery services on the FTSE 100 energy company’s panel in 2011, at a time when it cut its roster of firms by 25% to 16.
Continue reading “Irwin Mitchell replaced by Shakespeares on National Grid’s UK panel after review”
Virgin Media completes leadership reshuffle with new legal head as Weight Watchers unveils its new GC
Home entertainment company Virgin Media has completed an overhaul of its executive following its £15bn acquisition by Liberty Global in 2013, announcing Mine Hifzi as its general counsel (GC).
Hifzi was previously senior vice president of commercial and legal affairs for Scripps Networks Interactive, where she held a combined business development, commercial strategy and legal role. She also spent 14 years heading up the international legal and government affairs team at Discovery Communication, and prior to that worked in senior positions at Turner Broadcasting System Europe and United International Pictures.
Deal Watch: Slaughters advises on £3.6bn ICI pension annuity buy-in and £390m Ignis buyout; Travers leads on $3.1bn Nets sale
Standout corporate mandates over the past few days have included a high profile run by Slaughter and May on deals including a £3.6bn bulk annuity buy-in over the ICI Pension Fund and Standard Life’s £390m acquisition of Ignis Asset Management, as Travers Smith and Kirkland & Ellis led on the $3.1bn acquisition of Nordic card-payment business Nets Holding. Continue reading “Deal Watch: Slaughters advises on £3.6bn ICI pension annuity buy-in and £390m Ignis buyout; Travers leads on $3.1bn Nets sale”
Global London 2014
Partner promotions – Trowers, Nabarro and BLP see reduced numbers as Addleshaws holds on eight
Partner promotions at the UK’s leading firms have largely been down so far down this year, as firms including Trowers & Hamlins, Nabarro and Berwin Leighton Paisner all promote fewer senior associates than last year, with Addleshaw Goddard maintaining a promotion level of eight associates. Continue reading “Partner promotions – Trowers, Nabarro and BLP see reduced numbers as Addleshaws holds on eight”
Crown Estate halves coastal and rural property panel with appointment of Burges Salmon and Bond Dickinson
The Crown Estate has halved its rural and coastal portfolio and Windsor Estate legal panel from four to two, re-appointing Burges Salmon and Bond Dickinson but not Clarke Willmott or Thomas Eggar, the sovereign property portfolio announced today (1 April 2014). Continue reading “Crown Estate halves coastal and rural property panel with appointment of Burges Salmon and Bond Dickinson”
Freshfields earns £1.8m advising government on Royal Mail privatisation
Magic Circle firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer accumulated £1.8m in legal fees for its advice to the UK government on the controversial privatisation of Royal Mail last year, a report out today (1 April) from the National Audit Office (NAO) has revealed. Continue reading “Freshfields earns £1.8m advising government on Royal Mail privatisation”
Tom Kilroy re-joins Misys in chief of staff role as financial market speculates over ‘eventual flotation’
After a five month stint at biotechnology company Genus as general counsel (GC), Tom Kilroy has returned to banking software company Misys, this time as chief of staff. Continue reading “Tom Kilroy re-joins Misys in chief of staff role as financial market speculates over ‘eventual flotation’”