Filter This View

  • May 7, 2008 |

    Gibson Dunn taps Heller for securities partner

    Gibson Dunn & Crutcher has hired securities partner George Brown from Heller Ehrman in Palo Alto. Brown's practice focuses on complex securities litigation, accountants' liability and corporate governance, including representing accounting firms.

    1 minute read

  • April 16, 2008 |

    US Focus: Legal aid

    When a London-based partner at a magic circle firm took an American colleague and his wife out to the opera recently, the conversation turned to politics.The English lawyer expressed surprise that the US partner appeared to be so familiar with the political views and activities of his fellow partners. Indeed, the US lawyer observed: "Partners are likely to have lunchtime conversation about politics or pull someone across the room and say 'did you read that article today about that speech by Obama?'"While in the UK there are numerous high-level politicians who initially trained as lawyers, on the other side of the Atlantic practising lawyers tend to be more engaged in politics, at both a local and national level. "In the US a large proportion of prominent lawyers are very politically active," says the US partner. "Many may run for office some day or, even if not, they are very politically connected. A significant reason for why lawyers become lawyers in the US is that they have political ambitions or interests - they would like to have some influence."

    1 minute read

  • April 1, 2008 |

    Gibson Dunn bags Bakers man in Munich

    Gibson Dunn & Crutcher has hired an new employment partner from Baker & McKenzie in a boost for the US firm's European network. Mark Zimmer joined the firm's Munich office from Bakers today (1 April). He advises on employment law in restructurings, M&A, collective dismissals and union negotiations.

    1 minute read

  • April 1, 2008 |

    Now Gibson Dunn targeted in Refco fall-out

    Gibson Dunn & Crutcher is the latest law firm to be named in a suit stemming from the breakdown of commodities firm Refco, writes The American Lawyer. The action, filed by liquidators and the trustee for Sphinx Funds, a family of funds that collapsed after doing business with Refco, was filed on 8 March in New York trial court. A notice of removal to federal district court in Manhattan was filed by one of the defendants on 28 March.

    1 minute read

  • March 6, 2008 |

    Firms undercut fees to grab slice of Dubai pie

    The raft of firms opening in Dubai in recent months is leading to falls in charge-out rates in the region. Top 10 UK firms, as well as smaller City rivals, are among those reported to be undercutting fees for work, with lawyers operating in the market saying the trend has increased significantly over the last 12 months.Energy, project finance work and construction are named as practices where undercutting is most likely to happen, with those trying to build relationships with sovereign wealth funds also likely candidates.

    1 minute read

  • March 5, 2008 |

    New LA addition for Gibson Dunn

    Gibson Dunn & Crutcher has hired outsourcing partner Bill Peters for its Los Angeles office. Peters, who co-chaired O'Melveny's transactional intellectual property practice, previously worked at Shaw Pittman and Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy. Ken Doran, Gibson Dunn's managing partner, commented: "With Bill, we will be positioned to handle complex outsourcing arrangements for our clients."

    1 minute read

  • March 3, 2008 |

    Wall Street Journal parts ways with GC

    The Wall Street Journal has parted company with general counsel Stuart Karle, writes the Legal Times, following the change of ownership at the iconic business publication. Karle, vice president and of the Journal since 1992, was asked to leave the publication on Thursday (28 February).

    1 minute read

  • February 20, 2008 |

    Up from the ashes

    The ladies' room at Clifford Chance's (CC's) New York office is replete with small luxuries usually found in the dressing rooms of private clubs - moisturising lotion, hair spray, mouthwash and fragrance, among other niceties. But what really stands out are the bottles of Molton Brown soap perched to the right of each basin. Fine English soap gracing the counters of a washroom in midtown Manhattan is a minor yet telling detail. Like Molton Brown, CC is an institution that has transformed itself into an international brand - albeit one that has had a hell of a time keeping some of its US partners in line since a messy 2000 merger with New York's Rogers & Wells.

    1 minute read

  • February 13, 2008 |

    Commentary: Sovereign wealth funds set to reign on international stage

    Ask top buy-out advisers if they have considered tapping into sovereign wealth funds and many will explain that they have been 'monitoring' these bodies for years. But the current indications are that 'monitoring' is swiftly about to become code for 'aggressively targeting' as M&A advisers scramble to get in on the ground floor with clients who look unaffected by the credit squeeze. As such, it is little surprise that private equity leader Clifford Chance (CC) has set up an informal cross-practice covering the area while sector rival Ashurst is considering setting up a similar team.

    1 minute read

  • February 12, 2008 |

    Gibson Dunn gains Jones Day LA corporate chief

    Gibson Dunn & Crutcher has boosted its Los Angeles corporate practice with the hire of a senior partner from Jones Day. Jai Pathak joined Gibson Dunn as partner on Monday (11 February). His practice focuses on cross-border M&A, as well as infrastructure development and private equity. He has advised clients including Goldman Sachs, Motorola and the Indian Government.

    1 minute read