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  • January 10, 2012 |

    MoFo wraps up Hong Kong capital markets deal hat-trick

    Morrison & Foerster (MoFo) has completed three multimillion-dollar listings on the Hong Kong stock exchange in recent weeks, as Asian capital markets continues to grow in importance for international law firms. The US firm advised the underwriters - China International Capital Corporation, UBS and RBS - on the $300m (£194m) initial public offering (IPO) of Chinese power company Guodian Technology and Environment Group, which listed on 30 December.

    1 minute read

  • January 6, 2012 |

    Davis Polk launches UK law team with Freshfields heavyweight

    Wall Street leader Davis Polk & Wardwell has launched an English law practice in the City with the hire of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer corporate veteran Simon Witty. Witty is set to join the US law firm's London arm in April this year. It is not yet known whether he is bringing any associates with him.

    1 minute read

  • December 16, 2011 |

    Davis Polk, Clifford Chance latest to announce US bonus rates

    Davis Polk & Wardwell has become the latest firm to announce US associate bonuses, with the firm opting to match rates first set by Wall Street rival Cravath Swaine & Moore last month, writes The Am Law Daily. Like Cravath, Davis Polk's bonus scale starts at $7,500 (£4,800) for those in the class of 2010 and increases incrementally to $37,500 (£24,200) for the class of 2004, according to an announcement sent out to the firm's associates on Monday (12 December).

    1 minute read

  • December 15, 2011 |

    Slaughters & Freshfields score mandates on New China Life Insurance listing

    Slaughter and May and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have advised on a billion-dollar dual initial public offering (IPO) for China's third-largest life insurance company. New China Life Insurance expects to raise $1.9bn (£1.2bn) through the dual listing on the Hong Kong and Shanghai exchanges. The headline deal was announced 2 December with the shares going live on the exchanges today (15 December). The deal saw Freshfields acting for the Chinese insurance giant, while Slaughters advised the underwriter consortium. The key banks underwriting the deal included China International Capital Corporation Hong Kong Securities Limited (CICC), UBS and Goldman Sachs, with Slaughters' team led by Hong Kong corporate partner Benita Yu. Sullivan & Cromwell advised the banks on US law aspects of the deal led by Wei Chun, while King & Wood took the PRC law advisory role on the deal, led by Yang Xiaolei. On the issuer side, Freshfields floated a team led by capital markets partner Teresa Ko. Wall Street firm Davis Polk & Wardwell took the US law role, led by He Li and Chinese law firm Commerce & Finance advised on PRC law led by Wu Gang. PRC-based New China Life Insurance provides a broad range of life insurance products and services to individual and institutional customers. The company was the third-ranked life insurance company in the PRC in terms of gross premium income last year.

    1 minute read

  • November 23, 2011 |

    Davis Polk and Sullivan advise on Japanese exchange merger

    Davis Polk & Wardwell and Sullivan & Cromwell have lined up alongside several Japanese firms to advise on The Tokyo Stock Exchange Group's (TSEG) $1.lbn (£706m) acquisition of the Osaka Securities Exchange (OSE), writes The Am Law Daily. The rivals plan to combine operations by January 2013 amid an intensifying competition for business among global exchanges.

    1 minute read

  • November 7, 2011 |

    K&L Gates makes South America entrance with Sao Paulo launch

    K&L Gates has secured its first presence in South America with the launch of an office in Sao Paulo. Corporate partner Alan Berkeley, who currently divides his time between London and Washington DC, and New York finance partner Marc Veilleux will head up the launch, which marks the US firm's first office in South America and its 39th worldwide.

    1 minute read

  • November 2, 2011 |

    The world of Daisy Wong - the blogger exposing associate life in Hong Kong

    A Bridget Jones-style blogger has lifted the lid on life as an associate in Hong Kong's buzzing legal market. Jessica Seah reports...

    1 minute read

  • November 1, 2011 |

    Herbert Smith sees fourth US securities partner quit since summer

    Herbert Smith is set to lose a second US securities partner to Morrison & Foerster (MoFo) in Hong Kong, marking the fourth partner to leave the firm's US securities practice globally since the summer. Melody Chen resigned from the UK firm in recent weeks and is set to join MoFo's Hong Kong office as a partner after serving out a notice period.

    1 minute read

  • October 31, 2011 |

    Quinn Emanuel boosts Euro presence with hire of Novartis GC

    Outgoing Novartis general counsel Thomas Werlen is set to join litigation leader Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan in the New Year. Werlen is to join the West Coast firm in Europe as a litigation partner in early 2012. He is expected to be based in one of the firm's existing European offices, which include London and Mannheim, with a launch in Moscow imminent.

    1 minute read

  • October 19, 2011 |

    Eversheds sets sights on Brazil as UK firms continue to eye up BRIC benefits

    Eversheds is planning to join the growing rank of international firms launching in Brazil, with the firm becoming the latest to eye up opportunities in the BRIC economy. The top 10 UK law firm has confirmed that it is looking at opening in the country, joining a lengthening list of those either launching or considering doing so.

    1 minute read