King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) has lost a five-lawyer team including global energy and infrastructure co-head Neil Upton to Squire Patton Boggs in the latest exits from its London office. Continue reading “King & Wood loses five-lawyer energy team to Squire Patton Boggs”
Exclusive: Morgan Lewis holds talks with KWM as Camerons circles
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius has emerged as a potential partner to King & Wood Mallesons (KWM), despite the US giant also being targeted by CMS Cameron McKenna as its long-coveted US suitor. Continue reading “Exclusive: Morgan Lewis holds talks with KWM as Camerons circles”
Simpson Thacher taps Freshfields for M&A heavyweight Spiers
Wall Street leader Simpson Thacher & Bartlett has made a rare London hire after recruiting high-profile Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer partner Ben Spiers to boost its M&A practice. Continue reading “Simpson Thacher taps Freshfields for M&A heavyweight Spiers”
‘I didn’t see anyone not put their hand up’: CMS, Olswang, Nabarro vote for merger
Madeleine Farman, Matthew Field and Kathryn McCann speak to those inside and outside the fence
‘A merger was definitely going to happen. That was obvious when I was at CMS four years ago,’ a former CMS Cameron McKenna partner tells Legal Business. ‘It is another great scheme; I don’t feel that the firm’s brand has improved since I left. I know from people inside that the network, although they make a great show of it working well, doesn’t really work as well as it should.’
Norton Rose and DLA lose out as Lloyds finalises UK roster
Lloyds Banking Group panel shrinks from ten firms to eight
Last month saw DLA Piper and Norton Rose Fulbright (NRF) lose out as Lloyds Banking Group (LBG) reduced its UK legal roster from ten to eight firms.
Continue reading “Norton Rose and DLA lose out as Lloyds finalises UK roster”
Search for BP legal head begins as Bondy departs for Reckitt Benckiser
BP’s group general counsel (GC) Rupert Bondy, one of the most high-profile in-house leaders, is to step down from his role by the end of the year to head up Reckitt Benckiser (RB)’s global legal team as senior vice president (SVP), GC and company secretary.
Last month BP announced internally that Bondy would step down at the end of 2016 to pursue another opportunity, with no current replacement for the role.
Continue reading “Search for BP legal head begins as Bondy departs for Reckitt Benckiser”
Freshfields and Linklaters lead on largest post-Brexit IPO
ConvaTec’s $1.8bn float bright spot in a subdued autumn market
Linklaters and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer are advising on medical products company ConvaTec’s anticipated $1.8bn initial public offering (IPO).
Continue reading “Freshfields and Linklaters lead on largest post-Brexit IPO”
Skadden impresses as it takes lead on Abbey Life acquisition
US firm takes first-time instruction from Freshfields client Phoenix
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom is in line for a windfall after taking the lead role advising on Phoenix Group Holdings’ proposed £935m acquisition of Abbey Life Assurance Company from Deutsche Bank, pocketing a significant chunk of £17m in fees in the process.
Continue reading “Skadden impresses as it takes lead on Abbey Life acquisition”
Hogan Lovells becomes third firm to launch in Shanghai Free-Trade Zone
Association with Fidelity Law to lead to joint office offering Chinese law advice
Hogan Lovells is the third international law firm to enter the Shanghai Free-Trade Zone (FTZ) after agreeing an association with local outfit Fujian Xiamen Fidelity Law Firm in October.
Continue reading “Hogan Lovells becomes third firm to launch in Shanghai Free-Trade Zone”
GC Powerlist Ireland: A team effort
The launch party for our second GC Powerlist Ireland, this time focusing on teams, brought together the country’s strongest in-house legal departments
The recent launch of our GC Powerlist: Ireland Teams, hosted in Dublin by McCann FitzGerald, was attended by a host of companies operating in the country including Ulster Bank, Facebook, EY, An Post and Ryanair. The following pages list the in-house legal teams that made the list.
‘The next generation’: Linklaters appoints new corporate group heads as Comiskey takes charge
Linklaters has reshuffled the leadership of its corporate team, moving a number of key roles down to rising stars following changes to senior management in the department. Continue reading “‘The next generation’: Linklaters appoints new corporate group heads as Comiskey takes charge”
Mishcon succeeds as claimants win Brexit challenge against government
A group of claimants has landed its first blow in an article 50 case against the government, after the High Court ruled that it has no constitutional power to trigger Brexit.
Continue reading “Mishcon succeeds as claimants win Brexit challenge against government”
The M&A Report: ‘Who Are Ya?’ – Mark Rawlinson: Freshfields’ playmaker leaves the pitch
There is little space at the top among the elite M&A dealmakers, but as of October there is a vacancy for another heavyweight as Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s Mark Rawlinson departed Fleet Street for investment bank Morgan Stanley.
After 34 years at Freshfields, Rawlinson ended his time with a run of headline deals ensuring that he went out on a high. It capped an ultra-exclusive standing for Rawlinson, established alongside Slaughter and May’s Nigel Boardman, as one of the City’s top deal advisers at an age when even the most driven partners are usually losing a yard.
Freshfields continues defence work advising on £1.1bn Project Allenby Connaught extension
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, CMS Cameron McKenna and Pinsent Masons are advising as the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has gifted a £1.1bn construction contract to Carillion, extending what is already the largest accomodation Private Finance Initiative the Ministry has undertaken. Continue reading “Freshfields continues defence work advising on £1.1bn Project Allenby Connaught extension”
Linklaters votes for Moore’s lockstep reforms but controversial features dropped
Linklaters partners have voted today (3 November) to accept changes to the firm’s lockstep that will provide more flexibility in moving partners on the ladder.
Continue reading “Linklaters votes for Moore’s lockstep reforms but controversial features dropped”
‘Thin end of the wedge’: Legal privilege given boost by amendments to snooper’s charter
Concerns from the legal profession over the threat to legal privilege posed by the Investigatory Powers Bill, also known as the ‘snooper’s charter’, have been quelled this week by further amendments in the House of Lords.
‘The outcome of the Supreme Court is not foreseeable’: City lawyers react to Brexit challenge
City lawyers across private practice and the Bar have reacted as the High Court has today (3 November) decided that the government does not have the power to trigger Article 50 without parliamentary approval. Continue reading “‘The outcome of the Supreme Court is not foreseeable’: City lawyers react to Brexit challenge”
Green shoots: Global firms jostle for position in panda bond market
Victoria Young reviews how global firms are positioning themselves to cash in on a market on the cusp
As the internationalisation of China’s currency continues, global firms are making much of the pioneering Yankee bond-style deals in the Chinese market, eyeing opportunities in the orient and beyond.
Continue reading “Green shoots: Global firms jostle for position in panda bond market”
Deal watch: Corporate activity in November 2016
PE DOUBLE FOR CC
Clifford Chance (CC) completed two major private equity deals in a month, advising as Cinven, Permira and Mid Europa Partners acquired Allen & Overy client Allegro for $3.3bn. In addition, CC acted for Cinven as well as CVC Capital Partners on the acquisition of consumer finance provider NewDay, opposite Slaughter and May, which advised long-time client and seller Värde Partners, and Jones Day, which represented the management of NewDay.
Continue reading “Deal watch: Corporate activity in November 2016”
Clifford Chance begins review of lockstep points to encourage high achievers
Nearly 18 months after voting through modifications to its remuneration system, Clifford Chance (CC) has kicked off a firmwide review of where partners should sit on its lockstep in a bid to curb under-performance and retain star partners. Continue reading “Clifford Chance begins review of lockstep points to encourage high achievers”