• February 12, 2014 |

    TTIP of the iceberg – what the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership means for lawyers on both sides of the Pond

    It has been billed as the largest free trade agreement in history, yet many trade lawyers are still in the dark when it comes to the details of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) deal. TTIP, which was announced last summer and is now being negotiated, will for the first time create a trade treaty between the US and the EU in its entirety. Designed to drive growth by removing trade barriers and tariffs, independent research cited by the European Commission suggests the annual benefits could be as much as €120bn (£99.9bn) to the EU economy, €90bn (£74.9bn) to the US and €100bn (£83.2bn) to the rest of the world. "Everybody is going to be affected by this, and it really will change the balance of political power," says Ross Denton, a UK-qualified partner in Baker & McKenzie's European competition and trade department. "In recent years the balance [of US trade] has been gradually shifting towards Asia, because they don't have the same heavy tariffs. But if you eliminate most tariffs between the EU and US, then this will have huge ramifications for business."

    1 minute read

  • February 11, 2014 |

    Jones Day appoints first ever Asia managing partner

    Jones Day has appointed its first ever Asia managing partner, with the re-hire of former disputes lawyer and the US' first ambassador to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), David Carden. Carden, who will be based with the firm in Singapore, previously co-led the securities litigation and SEC enforcement practice in New York before starting his ambassadorship in March 2011.

    1 minute read

  • February 10, 2014 |

    BLP head of R&I Ben Larkin joins Jones Day exodus

    Berwin Leighton Paisner's head of restructuring & insolvency Ben Larkin has quit the firm to join Jones Day, marking the third BLP partner the US firm has hired in the last six months.

    1 minute read

  • February 4, 2014 |

    HSF South East Asia disputes head leaves for Hogan Lovells

    The head of litigation for Herbert Smith Freehills in South East Asia is to leave the firm to lead the regional disputes practice for Hogan Lovells. Maurice Burke, who is based in Singapore with HSF, will begin his new role in May this year and will also be based with Hogan Lovells in the island city-state.

    1 minute read

  • January 23, 2014 |

    Global M&A overview – 2013

    A comprehensive round-up of the top global M&A transactions and legal advisers for 2013, featuring mandates for Clifford chance, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Jones Day.

    1 minute read

  • January 22, 2014 |

    Allure undimmed – why international firms are queuing up to grab a piece of the Canadian market

    Troubles in Canada's energy industry have taken the shine off its economy, but this has done little to deter the host of international outfits eager to tap into the market. With firms such as Dentons and Norton Rose Fulbright already active there, James Boxell asks what attracted them to the country, and whether their 'one-stop shops' can take on the dominant seven sisters

    1 minute read

  • January 17, 2014 |

    Proskauer swoops for Fried Frank's London tax head

    Proskauer has hired the head of Fried Frank's London tax practice Robert Gaut, to support the expansion of the firm's City corporate and funds teams.

    1 minute read

  • January 16, 2014 |

    Drawing the battle lines – assessing the impact client conflicts have on top law firms

    Client conflicts can scupper mergers and fuel rivalry between partners. With the Tomlinson report highlighting concerns that banks wield too much power over their advisers, Alex Newman charts recent conflicts flashpoints...

    1 minute read

  • January 9, 2014 |

    Recovery in question as 2013 sees lowest UK M&A deal value for 12 years

    Despite the rise in mega-deals towards the tail end of 2013, last year yielded the lowest overall value for UK M&A activity since 2001.

    1 minute read

  • December 19, 2013 |

    Allens down to one lawyer in Singapore after final partner exit

    Linklaters' alliance partner Allens Arthur Robinson is now down to one lawyer in Singapore after the recent departure of partner Marae Ciantar and lawyer Mostyn Taylor. The Australian outfit, which allied with the magic circle firm in May last year and has since moved into their offices on George Street in the city-state, has seen the departure of 11 lawyers and four partners in the region since the beginning of 2012.

    1 minute read