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  • December 17, 2013 |

    BLP appoints new head of EPI group as Younson leaves firm

    Berwin Leighton Paisner has appointed Lisa Mayhew as head of its employment, pensions and incentives (EPI) practice, following the departure of Fraser Younson last week. Younson – a former McDermott Will & Emery and Baker & McKenzie partner - spent seven years at BLP, joining the firm in 2006 as EPI head. His destination is not yet known.

    1 minute read

  • December 16, 2013 |

    Sidley Austin to move into larger Singapore base as others downsize

    Sidley Austin is to move into its new larger Singapore premises as a handful of other firms in the city-state are downsizing. The US firm, which told Legal Week in August it planned to triple the size of its Singapore base from 12 to 50 lawyers in the next three years, will move into new premises on Level 31, Six Battery Road before Christmas, with a recently expanded team of 20 lawyers, eight of whom are partners.

    1 minute read

  • December 12, 2013 |

    British Legal Awards 2013: who won what - and why...

    A run-down of all the winners at this year's British Legal Awards, including full details of the judging panel's reasoning for each award.

    1 minute read

  • December 11, 2013 |

    A&O, CC among firms asked to reapply for Singapore local law licences

    The first group of international law firms to be awarded Qualifying Foreign Law Practice (QFLP) licences in Singapore are being asked to reapply for their permits if they wish to continue practising local law in the city-state. The six firms – Allen & Overy, Clifford Chance (CC), Herbert Smith Freehills, Norton Rose Fulbright, Latham & Watkins and White & Case – are currently in talks with the country's Ministry of Law (MinLaw) to give details about their future growth plans – a process that is expected to be completed in the next two months.

    1 minute read

  • December 9, 2013 |

    Jones Day eyes Rio de Janeiro for second Brazil base

    Jones Day is exploring the possibility of a launch in Rio de Janeiro, as the firm looks to expand its presence in Brazil beyond Sao Paulo. According to lawyers at the firm, Brazil's second largest city has become the latest focus of the firm's global strategy, which has grown Jones Day's network of offices to 37.

    1 minute read

  • November 28, 2013 |

    The power of seduction – is Singapore becoming over-lawyered?

    The gleaming lights of Singapore and its booming economy make the region an attractive location for international law firms looking to set up camp here. But as Dominic Carman discovers, worries about the state being over-lawyered threaten to take the shine off this Asian hub...

    1 minute read

  • November 21, 2013 |

    HSF loses second partner in Singapore since September

    Former Freehills Singapore head John Dick has become the second partner to leave the firm's regional base since September. Dick, who specialises in South East Asian corporate energy and resources work, and who helped establish Freehills' Singapore office in 2000, is set to exit from the firm early December to establish a Singapore base for another international firm.

    1 minute read

  • November 21, 2013 |

    A continent on the rise – why top law firms are eager to tap into the African market

    Andrew Jones of Linklaters is doing it. Kem Ihenacho of Clifford Chance (CC) is doing it. Philip Stopford and Stuart Matty of White & Case, Dentons' Paul Bugingo, Covington & Burling's Witney Schneidman – turns out they're all at it too. Regularly. What is it they're up to? The answer is short: travelling to Africa. They are among an expanding cadre of senior lawyers and advisers from leading global law firms who have been told to seek out opportunities and develop their practices on the vast continent.

    1 minute read

  • November 14, 2013 |

    BLP brings in consultancy to lead finance group review

    Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has enlisted an external consultancy to lead the review of its finance practice following the exit of group head Matthew Kellett last month. Former Clifford Chance managing partner Tony Williams, now of legal consultants Jomati, will oversee the review, which will focus on the structure of the department.

    1 minute read

  • November 13, 2013 |

    DWF, KWM and Osborne Clarke aid M&S's Anglo-French expansion

    DWF and French outfit Gide Loyrette Nouel are among a number of firms to land roles as Marks & Spencer (M&S) looks to expand its food business in the UK and France. The retailer plans to open 150 Simply Food stores across the UK over the next three years, to add to the 427 outlets currently in operation. It said the expansion will create more than 5,000 retail jobs. About half of the new stores will be owned by M&S and located on high streets and at retail parks. The remainder will be opened by existing franchise partners, which include BP, travel retail company SSP and service station operator Moto. The M&S-owned Simply Food store acquisitions will be led by M&S's in-house property legal team, supported by law firm trio King & Wood Mallesons SJ Berwin (KWM), DWF Biggart Baillie and Osborne Clarke (OC).

    1 minute read