• October 24, 2013 |

    Links and A&O among 26 firms objecting to legal threat from Dewey estate

    A host of firms including Linklaters, Allen & Overy, and Baker & McKenzie have filed a collective objection against Dewey & LeBoeuf's estate over its attempt to win compensation for client work originated at the defunct firm. The estate is threatening legal action over matters allegedly transferred to the firms when former Dewey partners left following its collapse last year.

    1 minute read

  • October 24, 2013 |

    Exit of Links stars puts focus on magic circle's struggle to break into the private equity market

    The departure of Ian Bagshaw (pictured, left) and Richard Youle (pictured, right) from Linklaters may have been widely anticipated, but their decision to join White & Case has raised questions about the magic circle's ability to compete against US firms in the field of private equity. The duo's move is the latest in a long line of high-profile departures from City firms, including Raymond McKeeve's exit from Berwin Leighton Paisner to join Jones Day and the hire by Latham & Watkins of David Walker, Clifford Chance's erstwhile private equity chief. It is a fairly open secret that Bagshaw and Youle's CVs have been on the market for some time. In 2010 the pair looked set to join Ropes & Gray before Linklaters persuaded them to stay on with what a source has described as "a sweetheart package".

    1 minute read

  • October 23, 2013 |

    Counsel slams "excessive" Proskauer and Dewey fees on MF Global bankruptcy

    Fee requests filed by Proskauer Rose and legacy Dewey & LeBoeuf in the administration of derivatives broker MF Global have been labelled "excessive" in a US court. In an objection filed yesterday, a counsel to the administration rejected the applications and recommended Proskauer reduce its fee from $5m (£3.1m) to $3.25m (£2m) and Dewey drop its request from $3.75m (£2.3m) to $3m (£1.9m).

    1 minute read

  • October 23, 2013 |

    Weil and Travers take centre stage in £450m theatre group sale

    Weil Gotshal & Manges and Travers Smith have taken the leading roles on US buyout firm Providence Equity Partners' acquisition of Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG). Providence bought the stake in the live-theatre operator, which hosts West End musicals including The Lion King and Wicked, from a group of current investors led by Exponent. The deal is estimated to be worth around £450m.

    1 minute read

  • October 10, 2013 |

    Top firms set to do battle at 2013 British Legal Awards

    Linklaters is leading the way in nominations for the top practice awards as the shortlist for the 2013 British Legal Awards has been unveiled. The magic circle has nominations M&A, banking, financing or restructuring, and commercial team of the year categories. However, it missed out on the law firm of the year shortlist.

    1 minute read

  • October 9, 2013 |

    CC private equity partner re-joins David Walker at Latham

    Latham & Watkins has raided Clifford Chance's (CC) private equity practice for the second time this year with the hire of Tom Evans as partner. Evans joins just months after CC private equity chief and key Carlyle relationship partner David Walker made the switch.

    1 minute read

  • October 9, 2013 |

    Sidley Austin snaps up Weil partner as Texas exodus continues

    The exodus of partners from Weil Gotshal & Manges' Texas offices has continued, as the New York-based firm continues to push through a major redundancy process. On Monday (7 October) Sidley Austin confirmed it had recruited Weil's Dallas-based private equity and M&A partner Scott Parel - the latest in a string of hires from the firm.

    1 minute read

  • October 3, 2013 |

    Weil, CC and Linklaters advise as Japan's Lixil acquires German rival Grohe for €3bn

    Weil Gotshal & Manges, Clifford Chance (CC) and Linklaters have won key roles on Japanese bathroom fittings company Lixil's €3bn (£2.5bn) acquisition of German rival Grohe. TPG Capital and DLJ Merchant Banking Partners, Grohe's private equity owners, are set to sell their 87.5% stake in the company to Lixil and the Development Bank of Japan in a joint acquisition structure.

    1 minute read

  • October 3, 2013 |

    Cleary moves out of Hong Kong's Central district as faltering deal flow forces firms to downsize

    Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton has become the first Wall Street law firm to move out of Hong Kong's main business district in Central after signing a lease on a property in neighbouring Causeway Bay. The move comes as growing numbers of overseas firms based in the city's most expensive district have downsized or sublet space.

    1 minute read

  • October 3, 2013 | International Edition

    Moving the goalposts – Legal Week Law Quarterly Peer Review

    From sports disputes to increased regulatory activity, Ben Wheway looks back at the briefings and statistics making headlines in Legal Week Law over the past quarter...

    1 minute read